Motorcycle frame
A motorcycle frame includes the head tube that holds the front fork and allows it to pivot. Some motorcycles include the engine as a load-bearing, stressed member. The rear suspension is an integral component in the design. Traditionally frames were steel, but titanium, aluminium, magnesium, and carbon-fibre, along with composites of these materials, are now used. Because of different motorcycles' varying needs of cost, complexity, weight distribution, stiffness, power output and speed, there is no single ideal frame design.
Materials
Steel
Norton Featherbed frame
Early Honda CBR600
Most Ducati Motorcycles
Aluminium
Honda VFR750
Yamaha YZF-R1
Carbon fibre
Ducati Desmosedici
MotoCzysz C1
Titanium
1971 Titanium Husqvarna Inter-AMA Motocross
Magnesium
1988 Elf ROC-Honda Elf5-NSR500 500 cc Grand Prix
Composite
Bimota SB8K, composed of two aluminium alloy beams and carbon fibre plates
MV Agusta F4 750 Serie Oro, magnesium and aluminium
Types
Spine or backbone
The motorcycle engine is suspended from a single spine.
