Harley-Davidson Touring Front-Fork Service

Over the years, Harley-Davidson has used a myriad of different components to cushion its riders from the road. From the earliest Harley's with nothing more than a sprung seat to today's machines that sport telescoping forks and air-filled shock absorbers, the list of parts that contributes to a smooth ride continues to grow.

For over 50 years, state of the art for Harley-Davidson front suspension was a telescoping fork assembly, but the overall function remains the same. While most modern-day Harley Davidson motorcycles utilize some form of damper rod technology to control the up-and-down movement of the fork, now-a-day we can also find companies who offer cartridge-style fork. Harley Davidson's newest technology – introduced about 4-years ago, with the current design found on fairing motorcycles only – utilizes damper rod technology with the addition of a damping valve to help control the fork.

Unlike the combination of a damper rod on the right-side fork and the cartridge-style one used on the left-side fork of the fairing-equipped 2002 to 05 Touring models, the new system has both the left and right fork setup with the same internals. According to Harley-Davidson, the new system 'is considered to be a simpler, more elegant approach with similar results as cartridge-style forks.' The system also benefits riders by having the ability to go 80,000 kilometers between inspection and fluid changes.

If you own a 2002 to 05 Harley-Davidson Touring, you will need to service your front end at 30,000 kilometer intervals. Since the fork internals differ between the left and right, service procedure for the right side to side. The procedure for the right side is not much more than draining the oil and replacing it with fresh liquid. The left-side cartridge fork requires a lot more work to service.