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Well kids, today's lesson is: Just buy the effing tool you need. Last weekend I took the R1100RS out on the longest ride I've been on with it. A total of 5 hours of wandering. Even with 109k miles on it, this bike just loves to chew up highway. The engine runs superbly. I was really trying to burn off gas that's been in the tank a little long for comfort, but even with 5 hours of riding, I have more than half a tank left! No issues on the trip except I noticed that the right fork was leaking oil. These are telelever forks that don't actually have any suspension components in them. The shock and spring are mounted on a cantilever platform between the forks. Essentially, all the forks do is slide up and down and keep the wheel aligned. When I got back from the trip, I ordered a set of fork seals and picked up fork oil. Watched a few videos on the process and decided I was set. ALL of the videos suggested that I could get the oil seal out with a flat head screwdriver. Both my Haynes manual and the BMW service manual I have said to use an oil seal remover tool. You can see where this is going. I effed with that oil seal for a good hour with a flat head, some long needle nose pliers, even some plastic bodywork tools I have before I gave up and drove to Harbor Freight. Harbor Freight has an Oil Seal Removal tool for $7.99. I got that and a few other things that I decided I might need to try also. Got home and with the tool I had the oil seal out in 15 seconds. . I replaced the seals, topped it off with some fresh fork oil, and had it back together faster than the time I spent just trying to get the damn seal out. So, moral of the story is: Just buy the damn tool.