Telescopic forks

Telescopic forks are the standard front suspension on almost all motorcycles, scooters and off-road bikes. Each of the two legs consists of tubes that slide inside each other, with a spring and an oil damping system inside. The legs are clamped to the steering stem by the triple clamps.

There are two layouts: conventional forks with the thin tubes (stanchions) at the top, and upside-down (USD) forks with the stanchions at the bottom. Adjustable forks let you change preload, compression and rebound damping.

Regular service matters: change the fork oil at the interval in the manual, replace leaking seals promptly so oil does not reach the brakes, and keep stanchions clean and free of stone chips.