Sharmax brings Marzocchi suspension engineering to its road motorcycles

There's a common assumption that affordable motorcycles must compromise on key components. Sharmax takes a different approach to this long-standing trade-off. Thanks to its partnerships with specialist manufacturers, the brand combines accessible pricing with technologies usually reserved for higher-end machines. Its long-term cooperation with Marzocchi is one example, bringing Italian suspension engineering into the brand's on-road motorcycle range. 

Proven suspension expertise

Marzocchi has specialized in motorcycle suspension since 1949, with roots in Italy’s Motor Valley and an engineering history closely connected with road and racing motorcycles. Today, the company develops forks, rear shocks, steering dampers and semi-active suspension systems for a wide range of motorcycle applications.

Its client list includes BMW Motorrad, Ducati, Triumph, MV Agusta, Norton and QJMotor — a spread that reflects Marzocchi's standing as an established supplier to large-scale motorcycle production.

The Sharmax partnership pairs that R&D capacity with Sharmax's own production scale, allowing specialist suspension technology to be built into series-produced models and calibrated to each platform.

Marzocchi engineered into the Sharmax chassis

Marzocchi suspension is integrated into Sharmax on-road motorcycles as part of the original factory specification, following an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) approach in which the components are engineered into the motorcycle at the production stage rather than added later as aftermarket equipment. 

The setup is selected around the characteristics of each motorcycle, including weight distribution, chassis geometry and intended riding profile. Depending on the model, Marzocchi technology contributes to:

• controlled compression and rebound;
• more stable chassis behavior under braking and acceleration;
• consistent wheel contact with the road;
• more precise response through corners;
• improved load control on touring-oriented motorcycles.

Marzocchi develops suspension solutions across supersport, street and adventure-touring segments, with technologies ranging from inverted forks and rear shocks to steering dampers and electronically adjustable systems.

Sharmax on-road lineup equipped with Marzocchi

The use of Marzocchi suspension is not limited to one performance category. Sharmax applies the premium setup across its major on-road segments, including cruisers, supersport motorcycles, naked bikes, scooters and touring models.

The GP 881 Ultra, Sharmax's supersport flagship, runs a Marzocchi inverted telescopic front fork alongside preload-adjustable hydraulic rear shocks. The inverted fork adds front-end rigidity where it matters most — under hard braking and through corners — and the adjustable rear preload lets a rider tune the setup to their own weight or load. The result is a chassis that holds its composure at speed rather than getting unsettled by it.

Cruiser riders get a different but related setup on the RR 801 V: an inverted front fork with adjustable rebound and compression damping, paired with dual rear shocks that also offer preload adjustment. Braking, acceleration, road irregularities — the rider has a say in how the suspension reacts to all three, and the rear preload adjustment covers the rest, compensating for a passenger, luggage, or simply a heavier rider.

Touring asks for something else again. The GL 770 Ultra pairs an inverted front fork with a rear monoshock on a swingarm, a combination built less for aggressive handling and more for holding a steady line — keeping the rear wheel controlled over long distances and rough surfaces alike.

The same Marzocchi hardware extends further down the lineup, too. Naked bikes like the RST 501 Zooma, RST 511 and RST Mini Banana 140 have it, and so do scooters such as the Vespito 150 EFI and FX 200.

Expanding Sharmax’s component partnerships

Marzocchi is one piece of a broader strategy. Sharmax builds its vehicles by pairing competitive pricing with components from specialist manufacturers, concentrated in the systems that most directly affect performance.

That network of technical partnerships is expanding across key vehicle systems. Marzocchi contributes decades of suspension engineering and R&D to Sharmax's on-road range, sitting alongside the brand's in-house development rather than replacing it, and extends specialist componentry into a growing number of categories.

Accessibility for Sharmax does not mean a flat specification. It means being selective about where outside engineering earns its place — and building that decision into the vehicle from the production line.