Motorcycle forks and fork cartridges

The fork holds up the front of the bike and takes almost all the load under braking, so it is where limited suspension shows first. This section has fork cartridges, the kit that renews the inside of the fork you already have, and complete forks for specific models, from a Honda MSX 125 to a Panigale V4 or a CRF 450 R motocrosser.

When the front end needs more

• Under hard braking, the fork bottoms out and the bike pitches onto its nose.
• Over a series of bumps, the wheel hammers and every ripple comes up through the bars.
• In fast corners the steering loses precision and holding a line takes effort.
• There is a film of oil on the stanchions: the seals are leaking and need fixing before any upgrade.

Three levels of upgrade

1. Servicing: fresh oil at the right level, new seals and, if needed, springs with the right rate for your weight. It is the first step on a fork with plenty of miles.
2. Cartridge: it swaps the internal damping system for a more precise one and, depending on the kit, adds adjustment your original fork did not offer. You keep the stanchions, sliders, yokes and axle, which is why it is the most common upgrade on road bikes.
3. Complete fork: it replaces everything. It is the option for racing, motocross and enduro, or when the stock stanchions are bent or pitted.

Complete forks are available for superbikes such as the YZF-R1, ZX-10R or S 1000 RR, for Honda, Kawasaki and Beta motocross and enduro bikes and for the Africa Twin, plus two universal forks for one-off projects. Cartridges reach many more bikes, from nakeds and adventure bikes to customs and 125s.

Identify your fork before you order

Each cartridge is made for one specific fork, and the fork depends on the model, the year and the version too. The standard bike and the SP, R or M versions of the same model often have different suspension: some kits only fit the Panigale V4 R and S, or the MT-10 SP and YZF-R1M. Check as well whether yours is an upside-down fork, with the outer tubes at the top, or a conventional one, and who made the stock fork, which is usually marked on the legs or given in the owner's manual. If your bike came with electronic suspension from the factory, make sure the kit is for that version.

Whether it is a cartridge or a complete fork, fitting and the initial setup are a job for a suspension specialist, for the reasons we explain under motorcycle suspension. To browse kits by type of bike, see the Öhlins fork cartridges or the complete Öhlins forks, and to keep the bike balanced, check the rear shock too.