Motorcycle Frames

A frame is a core structure of any motorcycle. It needs to be strong and stiff enough to support the weight of the engine, suspension, steering, and other components and systems while also bearing the rider, passenger, and luggage. A perfect motorcycle frame must weigh as little as possible without any flexing while retaining its geometry at all times so that riders don’t have to deal with tank slappers (rapid oscillations of handlebars at high speeds). The wobbling of the rear wheel can be caused even by the slightest movement at the swingarm pivot. Its position must be perfectly perpendicular to the steering head pivot position.

A motorcycle frame originates from the bicycle frame design. The simplest steel tube frame has a diamond shape to which an engine, gas tank, and other parts are attached. Over the years, motorcycle manufacturers tried using various materials to make their frames stronger, stiffer, and lighter to accommodate increased power outputs and speeds, including aluminum, carbon fiber, and other composites. Still, even today steel-tube motorcycle frames are widely used by bike manufacturers simply because steel is strong, easy to work with, and inexpensive. The only downside of this material is that it’s heavy and highly susceptible to corrosion.

A “cradle” type steel frame supports the engine with one or two steel tubes. Its construction allows for placing the engine closer to the ground making the bike more nimble and easy to handle. Since these long, curving tubes make the frame less stiff, motorcycles based on “cradle” frames and equipped with powerful engines must rely on steering dampers designed for counteracting handlebar oscillations. Some manufacturers utilize more short triangular shapes in their steel-tubed frames to make them stiffer and improve handling. The drawback of this approach is that such frames are much heavier, more expensive to make, and not always practical.

One of the most effective solutions to the weight and stiffness problems is the use of large cast aluminum sections in frame design. Aluminum is three times lighter than steel, which means engineers can add more metal in crucial areas to stiffen the frame. Aluminum is not susceptible to corrosion, it is cheap and fairly easy to work with. Engineers use a smart computer design to put more material to load-carrying areas where it is most needed while making other, less stressed parts of the construction thinner and lighter. Thanks to the latest casting technology advancements and the use of pressurized filling molds, motorcycle manufacturers produce more refined, stiff, consistent, and lightweight cast sections of the perimeter frame.

Carbon fiber can be an ultimate frame material. It is exceptionally light and strong, but its high price makes it unreasonable for use in mainstream motorcycle designs. On the digital shelves of our online store, you can find a variety of high-quality frames by such manufacturing companies as Paughco, Kraft/Tech, and others. We can offer you a huge assortment of durable and reliable crash pads and frame sliders designed to protect your motorcycle in case of a crash when your bike starts sliding on the road. These components extend from your motorcycle frame to receive all of the damage and keep your bike’s expensive components and paintwork intact. Also, you can give a finished look to the front frame section by installing one of our decorative frame grills.