BMW Telelever

Telelever is a front suspension design used by BMW, first on boxer-engine models in the 1990s. It looks like a telescopic fork, but the fork tubes only locate the wheel and steer. A wishbone (A-arm) connects the fork to the frame, and a single shock absorber mounted between this arm and the frame does the springing and damping.

The main benefit is strong anti-dive: the front end barely dips under braking, keeping the chassis geometry more stable. The trade-off is a slightly less direct feel at the front, which some riders notice at first.

Maintenance includes checking the ball joint and shock, and servicing the fork tube seals and bushings, which carry less load than in a conventional fork.