Patented as the 6X Flex, the front suspension is comprised of an Öhlins shock mounted inside the carbon fiber frame's massive diameter steering head. The top of the shock is hard-mounted to the upper triple clamp with the bottom attached to a cross brace on the fork stanchions. These stanchions slide up and down on bearings, making them less susceptible to the stiction that compromises the performance of bushing-link traditional telescopic forks. The design, like the rear shock, allows for easy adjustments. The real innovation, however, is the fork sliders themselves, which are designed to flex up to six degrees laterally, absorbing the intense vertical forces being transmitted from the track surface when a motorcycle is leaned over.
Several years ago, the motorcycling ether was finely misted with intriguing rumors of a man in Oregon embarking on the daunting task of creating a new American motorcycle. Industry press and curious enthusiasts ruminated on what the machine might be. Details were scarce; people only knew that it was a racing motorcycle and held some potentially interesting, provocative detours from convention. The pervasive question was what could this man possibly be bringing to the table that was different? As it turned out, quite a lot.
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