KTM fork bleeder valves help to expand the life of your suspension and keep the forks performing properly. Essentially, these dirtbike fork bleeders release the excess air out of the forks. If you don’t release this excess air in these sealed units, pressure builds up as you continue to ride and make the forks stiffer and harsher. Bleeding the forks fixes this problem. 

Releasing your KTM fork bleeder valves

It’s important to bleed the forks before each ride, as this keeps the fork’s air pressure consistent and gives you a steady feel from your forks. If you don’t have KTM fork bleeder valves fitted to your bike, you’ll need to release the default screws to void the excess air, so we’ll cover this procedure first. 

The screws for most dirt bike fork bleeders are on the top cap, so to bleed the excess air you need to first prop your bike up on a bike stand. This position fully extends the fork making it easier to access, but you also need to make sure that the front wheel is off the ground. If you don’t prop the bike up on a stand and raise the front wheel off the ground, the fork won’t be fully extended and you may end up forcing too much air out of the fork. So with the bike on the stand, simply loosen the fork bleeder valves (using a screwdriver) until you hear the hiss of excess air leaving the fork. Once you hear this air releasing, you can tighten the screw again. At this point you need to make sure that you don’t over tighten the screw. Just make sure that it’s closed snuggly, not zealously tight. 

Installing KTM fork bleeder valves

These screws are factory fitted, but you can replace them with KTM fork bleeder valves that make the whole process much easier. KTM are the best fork bleeders on the market and are sold in pairs. They simply replace the factory default screws on the fork’s cap. These bleeder valves are fitted with a small button located on top of the value which when depressed releases the excess air. To install your new bleeder valves, it’s a good idea to position the forks in a triple clamp so that the screw is facing forward for easy access.

Once you have completely removed the bleeder screw, you need to thread the new bleeder valve into the fork cap until you feel the O-ring start to seal. At this point, tighten the valve a quarter turn (using a screwdriver) and you are ready to ride.

Why are fork bleeder valves important?

Suspension maintenance is important for your safety and enjoyment while riding. Bleeding your forks before each ride will help your ride feel consistent and smooth out front. Bleeder valves are a lot easier to use than the default factory screws, because you can just press the valve to release excess air. You don’t need to fumble around and find a screwdriver. Simply press the valve and you’re done. This makes it so much easier to bleed the excess air when you’re out all day riding. However, you should also lift the front tyre off the ground to extend the forks, but when compared to having to find a screwdriver, that’s not too difficult on the tracks. 

As we mentioned earlier, KTM fork bleeder valves are the best on the market and you can check out all the KTM parts on our website.