How it works

It is based in gas non-linear behaviour.

Fork’s elastic function is obtained by means of two different elements working in series: first one is a gas spring and second one is a conventional helicoidal steel spring.

The gas used is air. As relative volume is big, different tests has developed that it is sufficiently stable in working conditions.Attached graph shows how it works:

• Red curve is the original motorbike’s load-deformation front fork characteristic.
• Green curve is HFS^® characteristic.

Remarkable aspects:

• Starting point of HFS^®curve shows initial pre-load, in order to adjust sag according to the driver conditions. It is variable, depending upon the adjusting pressure in unload condition.
• A soft behaviour is indicated in the green curve by means of green dots, approximately along 50% of full fork travel.
• The sector of the curve with green triangles shows a stiffer behaviour (Force / deformation ratio).
• It can be seen that curve is exponential type and that means progressivity physically speaking.

The practical result represented by both sectors of HFS^® characteristic curve, is a clear behaviour improvement running on terrain with loose stones, as well as with several bumps in a row, rocks climbing, braking under heavy load conditions, etc…, while when it is necessary to absorb a strong impact, hybrid system has an upper limit than conventional system.