04/03/2026
WTF! What The Fork!
Ever wonder when and why a part was created? Nothing just appears out of thin air- there’s always a lot of time, effort, and resources behind it. Let us know if you enjoy content like this. We’re thinking about starting an “Origin Stories” series every other Thursday, here’s Part 1.
The Honda Ruckus Low Down front forks were developed back in 2011. At the time, when Kevin was with , the crew were running rigid front setups to achieve the lowest possible ride height. While that look was in high demand, it wasn’t practical for everyone, especially for those not experienced with riding lowered bikes. To help improve rideability, we would lower front tire pressure to compensate, which made a noticeable difference.
Wanting a better solution, Standard Functions teamed up with Yimmy from ATR (All That Ruckus, for the old school Ruckus riders who remember). Yimmy handled the R&D specs for manufacturing (ATR, later Feign and RRGS), and together they developed the Low Down forks. If you notice, the overall length of the Low Down forks is the same as a stock fork with no springs. This achieved the ideal stance while the shorter fork body allowed for about 1.75” of suspension travel.
Little did we know, what started as a solution for the Ruckus community, ended up influencing the scene, eventually leading other brands such as NCY to develop their own low down/slammed forks. Big credit to the SF and ATR back around 2009 for helping shift the direction of the culture.
