Front Air Suspension

I have what seems like non-standard front forks.  I cannot find any manual or parts fiche that refers to this set up.  I have a balancing tube between the 2 fork stanchions and I can't see how to get the bands off to enable me to remove the forks from the T.  Here is the air balancing tube.  This also confirms that the model I have is a 1983 GS1100G even though the plate indicates a manufacturing date of December 1982.

 I can take the balancing tube off easily enough.

 But it looks like these black metal bands around the stanchions are non removable.

 Any ideas how they come off?  I can't get the forks out of the T with them on like this.

So I took advice (GS Resources Forum) and within minutes I had the answer.  These black collars are hollow and there is a hole into the fork stanchion.  There are rubber O rings above and below the hole and it all looks like this:

 A bit of concoction (50% thinners and 50% brake fluid) applied around them and they started to move.  But just like loosening off the fork caps before you loosen the T clamps, it would have been easier to do this with the forks in situ rather than trying to stop the thing slipping through your oily hands.

 

 And I found this the other day.  The original has survived.

 Oh and I bought some JIS screwdrivers (from the US), some carb cleaner and some petrol proof clear cote laquer which I am going to experiment with on the carbs and some stronger drill bits.  I seem to be doing quite a bit of "drilling out" of things at the moment.