Fork Gaitors

[Coyote]

Can fork gaitors (black accordion boots) be used on forks that weren't designed for them? That would be an easy way to cover up unsightly rust on my 76 550.

[yeadon_m]

They can. See if you can find some where the lower has an ID similar to the OD of the fork lower leg and then you can delete the dust boot and use a stainless jubilee clip there.
I did that decades ago for this reason on my GT380, only to show a leg on restoration
If the rust is too low down of course it'll chew your seals and leak, whether or not you can see it, but I know you know that!
Cheers,
Mike

[Coyote]

The rust is not severe and is confined to this one area - well above the 'business' part of the fork. What I'd really like to have is a replacement (donor) fork leg. . There is no rust at all on the other leg. It's not hurting anything - I just don't like lookin at it. I rubbed on it so long with scotch-brite that it is now too smooth to use the aluminum foil trick. There is no rust above this area. Only here.