Öhlins - a world leader in suspension technology

Öhlins - From Racing Heritage to DFV Technology

Öhlins is one of the world’s leading suspension manufacturers, developing advanced shock absorber technology for cars, motorcycles and mountain bikes.

Alongside its aftermarket products, Öhlins supplies suspension as original equipment to premium manufacturers including Ducati and Lamborghini. But the company’s roots, and much of its technological DNA, come from racing.

Born in Racing

In the early 1970s, Kenth Öhlin was deeply involved in motocross and quickly noticed a problem: motorcycle engines were becoming more powerful, while the suspension struggled to keep up.

He began developing his own shock absorbers, initially working from a small workshop at his parents’ home. The results quickly proved themselves on the racetrack, and Öhlins Racing was founded in 1976.

Racing remained at the heart of the company’s development. Öhlins technology has since been used across some of the world’s most demanding championships, including Formula 1, MotoGP, World Superbike and NASCAR. The lessons learned under racing conditions have continuously found their way into Öhlins’ road and aftermarket products.

Today, Öhlins combines this racing heritage with advanced engineering and development, producing suspension systems designed to deliver both precision and control.

The Technology: Öhlins DFV

One of the key technologies behind Öhlins Road & Track products is DFV - Dual Flow Valve.

The basic challenge in suspension design is a familiar one: increasing damping can improve body control and handling, but too much damping can make the car harsh and reduce its ability to follow an uneven road surface.

DFV is designed to reduce this compromise by giving the damper additional control over oil flow, particularly through the intermediate range of shock absorber speeds.

The system uses separate compression and rebound valves within the DFV assembly. Together with the main piston and bleed circuits, they allow the damping characteristics to be carefully controlled across different shaft speeds.

Compression and rebound

During compression, the shock absorber is being compressed as the wheel moves upward into the body. At low shaft speeds, oil flows mainly through the bleed circuit, providing the controlled damping needed for steering response and body movement.

As shaft speed increases, more oil flows through the piston ports. In the intermediate speed range, the DFV valve also regulates oil flow, giving additional control over the damping force.

When the suspension encounters a sudden, sharp input, such as a pothole or bump, the DFV can open rapidly, allowing oil to bypass the main piston more easily. This helps the wheel absorb the impact without transmitting unnecessary force into the chassis.

The same principle works during rebound, when the suspension extends again after compression.

At low shaft speeds, the bleed circuit controls the flow. At higher speeds, the piston controls most of the oil flow. In the intermediate range, the DFV adds another level of control.

When the wheel suddenly drops into a pothole or encounters a sharp change in the road surface, the rebound side of the DFV can open quickly, allowing the shock absorber to extend faster and helping the tyre maintain contact with the road.

This is one of the key advantages of DFV: the damper can remain firmly controlled during normal vehicle movement, while responding much more freely when the wheel needs to move quickly.

Without DFV

Without the DFV system, the damping characteristics are more closely tied together.

After the wheel hits a bump, the oil cannot bypass the piston as quickly during the rebound stroke. The suspension therefore resists the wheel’s movement more strongly, which can make it harder for the tyre to remain in contact with the road.

With DFV

With DFV, the additional valve opens and provides another path for the oil to flow.

The shock absorber can therefore react more quickly to a sudden suspension movement, allowing the wheel to return to the road surface faster.

The result is a combination that is difficult to achieve with conventional damping: high levels of control and grip without sacrificing everyday ride comfort.

Keeping the damping consistent

There is another challenge inside every shock absorber: heat.

As the piston moves through the oil, the damping work is converted into heat. As temperature rises, the viscosity of the oil decreases, which can reduce damping forces and change the way the car behaves.

Öhlins addresses this with a temperature-compensating needle bleed system.

As the damper heats up, the needle expands and gradually closes the bleed orifice through which the oil flows. This compensates for the change in oil viscosity and helps maintain a more consistent damping characteristic as operating temperature changes.

In other words, the damper is designed not only to work well when it is cold, but to maintain its behaviour as it gets hot, something particularly important during demanding driving and track use.

Road & Track

The result of all these technologies is a suspension system designed to do two things at once: provide the precision, response and grip expected on a racetrack, while remaining composed and comfortable on the road.

That balance is at the heart of Öhlins Road & Track - motorsport technology developed to work just as well on the way to the track as it does once you get there.