MopedDB

Ceriani

From the outset, Ceriani specialized exclusively in the development of telescopic forks. After the founder's death in 1964, his son Enrico Ceriani took over the management. He built a modern factory and changed the official company name to ARCES (an acronym for Arturo Ceriani Samarate). However, the brand remained known simply as "Ceriani" to the public and the trade press.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was hardly any alternative in racing. If you wanted to win, you installed a Ceriani fork. The design of the "Ceriani Competition" fork (with its distinctive polished aluminum lower tubes) shaped the appearance of an entire generation of motorcycles.

Ceriani was instrumental in the development of cartridge damping and the improvement of seals that could withstand the high pressure of tough off-road use.

During the heyday of motocross and enduro (regularity) between 1968 and 1978, Ceriani was the most important original equipment manufacturer for European and even some American and Mexican brands.

Here are the best-known brands that used Ceriani components (forks and some shock absorbers):

Ancillotti: Almost all early Scarab models use the legendary 30mm or 32mm Ceriani fork.
SWM: The brand's early enduro models were equipped with Ceriani as standard.
Gilera & Moto Guzzi: For their respective off-road prototypes and small series.
Aspes: Known for extremely high-quality components on their motocross bikes.
Maico: Before Maico produced its own forks, the early motocross models (late 1960s) were often equipped with Ceriani forks.
Hercules / DKW: The famous GS models (off-road sports) used Ceriani forks to keep up with the competition.
Carabela: The Mexican company Ceriani used them to make their export models "competitive" for the US market.
Husqvarna: In the late 1960s, Ceriani forks were standard on the Swedish world championship machines.
Penton / KTM: John Penton initially insisted on Ceriani components for his Austrian-built machines (later KTMs).

Closed: 1980

End of production (1980)

The economic decline came surprisingly quickly at the end of the most successful decade.

Timing: The original factory in Samarate ceased operations in 1980.
Reasons: Ceriani suffered from the so-called "European motorcycle industry crisis." Japanese competitors (Showa, Kayaba) often supplied cheaper and technically equivalent components directly with their motorcycles. In addition, as a relatively small family business, Ceriani was not flexible enough to respond quickly enough to the massive increase in demand and the technological leap (e.g., gas pressure damping) made by competitors (such as Marzocchi or Öhlins).

Takeover by Paioli (1997)

After the name had remained unused for many years (or only existed for remaining stock), it was revived:

Timing: In 1997, Italian suspension specialist Paioli Meccanica S.p.A. acquired the rights to the Ceriani name.
Strategy: Paioli used the prestigious name to launch a premium line of forks. These were often high-end telescopic forks for "naked bikes" or modern interpretations of classic forks for the custom and classic market.

Last edited: 1/19/2026 · Jürgen Wißler