Motorcycle Fork Bare Cartridge Rods

Cartridge Rod Bare

Motorbike front forks are not just the outer tubes — an internal cartridge does the real work. Sliding in the middle of that cartridge, with a rebound adjuster assembly on the bottom and damping piston parts up top, a fork cartridge rod transfers damping forces. These genuine KYB & Showa OEM alloy shafts are sold naked; the rebound piston holder tower, damping piston parts and pre-assembled complete fork cartridge rod are available separately. Read about closed vs open chamber designs in our technical article and clicker use in our damping adjusters article. We also stock performance revalving kits and valving shims for tuners.

Purpose and use of cartridge rods

• Replace worn or bent OEM alloy shafts for correct damping geometry
• Provide a basis for rebuilding forks with separate rebound piston holder tower
• Enable fine damping adjustment via clicker-driven inner pushrod and shim stack
• Allow professional revalving using piston kits and assorted valving shims

Recommended Pairings

Consider matching cartridge rods with Suspension Tools for accurate rebuilds and tuning.

Shop Cartridge Rod Bare

Browse genuine KYB and Showa cartridge shafts and matching components to complete your fork rebuild or upgrade.