Motorcycle suspension, much like a motorcycle engine, c […]
Motorcycle suspension, much like a motorcycle engine, consists of several moving parts. As you could imagine, the frequent movement of the parts can end up causing a lot of friction, resulting in inevitable wear and tear (as well as contamination). If left untouched, these issues can lead to the deterioration of lubricating properties and a reduction in the life of your suspension. It is important to note that no moving part can last forever, which is why it’s important to ensure your Motorcycle Rear Shock Absorber is regularly serviced.
Motorcycle Suspension
MOTORCYCLE QUALITY CHECK ✅
There is no point in adjusting your suspension if components of it, or other parts of your motorbike (e.g tires) are not performing at their optimum. So before you go ahead and make those much-needed adjustments to your suspension, it is important to give your motorcycle a full once over to check everything is working correctly.
When performing this check, you'll want to make sure you've closely inspected the following:
CHECK 1: MOTORCYCLE SHOCKS ✅
Your rear shock absorber provides two primary functions: The first function is to support the weight of the rear of the bike. The second key function is damping, this helps to control the friction force exerted when riding, removing unwanted suspension motions that often occur from bumps and knocks on the road/track. If you're not sure what the symptoms of worn shock absorbers are, give our recent blog post a read.
CHECK 2: STEERING DAMPERS ✅
Typically fitted to make your bike more stable (and incidents of being thrown off your bike less likely), their main purpose is to protect you from undesirable, uncontrolled movement or oscillation (otherwise known as wobble). They also play a big role in preventing rider fatigue and should not be overlooked when giving your motorcycle a once-over.
CHECK 3: MOTORCYCLE FORKS AND SEALS ✅
Most forks incorporate your front suspension and front brakes and allow the front wheel to rotate on the steering axis. When looking over your forks, we recommend you check your fork seals for leaks, as this can be dangerous and may cause ongoing issues with your suspension later on. If ignored and not maintained, you could be putting yourself and others at risk, this is why it is always worth checking them regularly.
CHECK 4: STEERING HEAD BEARINGS ✅
Steering Head Bearings, otherwise know as steering stem bearings (or neck bearings) often need replacing from time to time due to the natural wear and tear that takes place during use. It is important to spot damaged steering bearings as early as possible, this way you can ensure your steering remains optimal at all times. Failure to spot these issues early can be dangerous and will harm your steering.
CHECK 5: WHEEL BEARINGS AND TYRES ✅
Wheel bearings are usually deep groove ball-type roller bearings, often sealed to help keep lubrication in, and mud, water, and road grit out. If one wheel bearing fails, the others usually tend to follow - this is why many choose to replace all of their bearings (in that one wheel) all at once. We also tend to apply a similar rule when talking tires - although combining new and old tires are not a sin, fully replacing both (if wear and tear are visible) is recommended.
