Technical documents

Manx Front Forks

The 'Roadholder' forks fitted to Manx Nortons are of three main types.

1: The type fitted to all garden gate, lug type frames, from 1946-1950, often called 'long roadholders', with external springs.

2: The type fitted to all early featherbed Manxes from 1951- 1955, often called 'short roadholders', with internal springs.

3: The type fitted to all featherbed Manxes from 1956-1963, with external springs.

All the 'Roadholder'forks share some parts in common. These are the bushes and seals.

A lot of the parts will swap between the types, resulting in some awful combinations that work very badly.

Both models of featherbed forks work very well in standard form, if in good condition, and the garden gate type will work well with some modifications.