Big Piston Forks
Last year, Showa released a new fork that seemed to combine the best parts of both damper rod and cartridge forks. The BPF (Big Piston Fork) uses a piston which is (almost) the full diameter of the fork, but which has cartridge-style shims and adjusters inside. There are benefits from this larger piston: since the piston has about three times the area of a typical cartridge fork piston, it has to move a shorter distance for a given damping effect. That means the fork has a more subtle, supple movement, with a wider range of damping effects. So bumps that might be too soft to even move a standard fork, and very hard bumps that might start to lock-up the damping are both dealt with more effectively with a BPF design.
Aftermarket Kits
Öhlins, RG3 and Race Tech are three highly regarded aftermarket companies that provide upgrades to standard fork components. Aside from matching the proper sized springs to your size and riding style, they also provide unique bits like custom valve systems for a more refined set up.