The driving force behind the Motorcycle Suspension School
Since opening its doors in January 2002, Reactive Suspension has continued to expand its expertise and reputation. The company now supports race teams, and suspension manufacturers with development work, while also offering a much‑needed specialist resource for road riders, custom builders, and motorcycle restorers. Every product supplied is chosen for its performance in real‑world riding conditions, rather than being focused solely on racing applications.
The analytical method of examining suspension systems in granular detail, has driven an initiative to share this knowledge with students, aiming to elevate standards throughout the suspension industry. Eliminating uncertainty, reliance on internet searches, or speculative approaches to setup.
Only proven mechanical principles are presented, avoiding unsubstantiated theories.
Gareth Evans
Motorcycle suspension specialist, Reactive Suspension
The company is owned by Gareth Evans who started his engineering career as an apprentice marine engineer, learning traditional engineering skills. Moving on to Higher Education, he studied Automotive Engineering. Upon graduation he joined Loctite Yamaha, the start of a career in British Superbikes, which included working for teams such as Old Spice Ducati, Red Bull Ducati, and Honda Britain
Having gained a massive amount of experience in motorcycle suspension and chassis tuning, Gareth started Reactive Suspension. In the first few years of running the company, Gareth was contracted to Crescent Suzuki for tests and race meetings, culminating in John Reynolds 2004 British Championship title. Over a long career he has also worked in the World Superbike and Endurance World Championships with BMW.
Gareth has had extensive product and technical training with Traxxion Dynamics and WP Suspension. He has also attended courses in suspension building and track set-up with Öhlins and Kayaba.
Having a combination of traditional engineering skills, a strong academic background, and a considerable amount of suspension tuning experience puts Gareth in a unique position.
Gareth is now sharing his skills and knowledge, running a series of courses where students learn the art of suspension building. The courses are hands-on, allowing students to learn through practical experience.