If you are uncertain how to describe the used motorbike parts you need this page may help. It contains a list of popular used motorbike parts with a short explanation and the most commonly used names. Select one of the categories from the table below to visit the relevant section:
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| SHAFT DRIVE (1) | (back to top) |
| middle gearbox | [ middle drive gears ] Only on engines with a transverse crankshaft (i.e. at 90° to the main axis of the bike). Situated at the end of the gearbox output shaft (where the front sprocket is located on chain driven bikes). Transfers the drive 90 degrees to engage the drive shaft. Sometimes termed the ‘bevel box’ but this term can also be used for the final drive unit (e.g. BMW Paralever), so is best avoided |
| primary shaft | [ primary drive shaft ] On engines with a longitudinal crankshaft (i.e. in line with the main axis of the bike). Transfers drive from the gearbox output shaft to the UV joint / drive shaft |
| universal joint | [ UV joint / UVJ ] Two U-shaped pieces joined to a central hub, but oriented at 90° relative to each other. Located between the middle gearbox or primary shaft & the driveshaft. The UVJ allows the driveshaft to angle downwards towards the final drive unit/rear wheel (e.g. Honda CX500 CX650 / Suzuki GS650 GT GS850G) |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| SHAFT DRIVE (2) | (back to top) |
| driveshaft | [ propshaft / final drive shaft ] Runs from the middle gearbox or primary shaft through the swinging arm into the final drive housing |
| final drive unit | [ rear diff / rear differential ] Turns the drive 90 degrees from the driveshaft to engage the rear wheel. Although commonly called a ‘diff’ it is not actually a true differential as it only provides one output not two |
| rear wheel drive flange | [ star drive / drive hub / rear wheel clutch hub ] Part which transfers drive from the final drive unit to the rear wheel. Usually has lugs which locate into the rear wheel (similar to a sprocket carrier on a chain driven bike) |
| rear wheel dampers | Fits between the lugs on the star drive (drive hub / clutch hub / drive flange) & the rear wheel. Provides a cushion between the wheel & drive flange during acceleration |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FOOTRESTS | (back to top) |
| hanger | [ footrest bracket / footrest mounting plate / rearset ] Alloy or steel bracket(s) mounting the footpeg & pedal assemblies to the frame / rear subframe. Although the term ‘rearset’ is sometimes used to describe a complete front hanger assembly, it is more commonly used for aftermarket adjustable / racing rearsets (e.g. Harris / Gilles), so is best avoided if you are looking for original parts |
| LH / RH front hanger | [ rider’s hangers ] Triangular brackets (alloy or steel) which mount the rider’s footrests (pegs) to the frame (e.g. Yamaha FZ1 Fazer). The gear lever usually attaches to the LH hanger, the rear brake pedal to the RH hanger |
| LH / RH rear hanger | [ pillion hangers ] Mount the pillion footrests to the frame / rear sub frame. Often support the exhaust silencer/s (e.g. Aprilia RS50 / Suzuki RGV250 / Kawasaki GPX600 R |
| LH / RH hanger | On bikes where one large hanger either side supports both the rider & pillion footrests (e.g. Kawasaki ER-5, ER-6, Honda CB500, ST1100) |
| LH / RH front peg | [ front footrest, rider’s footrest, front footpeg ] |
| LH / RH rear peg | [ rear footrest, pillion footrest, rear foot peg ] |
| LH / RH heel plate | [ heel guard] Can be part of the front hanger casting (e.g. Honda VFR400 R NC30), or a separate piece that bolts to the hanger (e.g. Triumph 675 Daytona) |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FRAME-CHASSIS | (back to top) |
| frame | [ chassis / main frame ] This is the main structural part of the bike which large components (e.g. engine) bolt to. Also incorporates the identity of the bike in the frame number / VIN (Vehicle Identity Number). You need to specify if you want the V5C Registration Document (log book) with the frame. It is also worth stating whether you would consider a damaged frame (e.g. one that needs to be be jigged in order to straighten it) |
| frame & log book | Frame including the V5C Registration Document |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FRAME FITTINGS (1) | (back to top) |
| front subframe | [ fairing frame / top fairing bracket / headlight bracket / clocks bracket ] Steel or plastic bracket that mounts the top fairing, headlight and clocks (may also mount mirrors) |
| mirror stay | [ H-frame / H-bracket / mirror bracket / fairing brace ] Mounts the mirrors and supports the ‘ears’ of the top fairing. Usually in one-piece (e.g. Suzuki GSX-R600 / GSX-R750 SRAD / Kawasaki ZXR400 H / L), but can be RH & LH (e.g. Cagiva Mito / Ducati 916 / 996 / 998 / 748 / Yamaha FZS600 Fazer) |
| rear subframe | Steel or alloy support frame for the rear plastics & seat etc. Usually bolts to the rear of the main frame (but may be part of the frame on some bikes e.g. Yamaha YZF-R1 4XV or those with steel frames e.g. Yamaha XJR1300 / Honda CB1300 / Suzuki GSX1400) |
| grabrail (s) | [ pillion grab handle / handles ] Single piece (e.g. Honda CBR1100 XX Blackbird / Suzuki SV1000 N SV1000S) or RH & LH handles (e.g. Kawasaki ZRX1100 / Honda VFR800 V-TEC / Yamaha YZF600 R Thundercat) for pillions to hold on to |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FRAME FITTINGS (2) | (back to top) |
| rear rack | Sports rack / carrier rack. Anchor point for luggage - different types available. Can be used to strap items to (e.g. sports rack - often incorporates a pillion grabrail - Renntec), or designed to carry a top box (may incorporate a mounting plate specific to the top box manufacturer) |
| bungee hooks | Anchor points for bungee or straps used to attach luggage (e.g. Kawasaki ZZ-R600 / ZZ-R1100) |
| centre stand | [ main stand ] Can be supplied with or without spring & pivot bolt |
| side stand | Can be supplied with or without spring & pivot bolt. Sometimes has detachable mounting bracket |
| side stand switch | [ side stand cut-off switch ] Kills the engine to prevent riding off whilst stand is in lowered position |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FRONT SUSPENSION (1) | (back to top) |
| forks | [ front suspension / front shocks / fork legs ] The main front suspension units. There are many different designs, but the most common are telescopic oil-filled forks |
| conventional forks | [ right-way-up / RWU forks ] Type of telescopic fork where the chrome stanchions (thinner part of the forks) are gripped by the yokes & remains static. The larger aluminium lowers slide up & down over the stanchions (e.g. early Honda CB600 600 / Hornet 900 / Kawasaki ZX-9R C E F1P F2P) |
| USD forks | [ right-way-up / RWU forks ] Type of telescopic fork where the chrome stanchions (thinner part of the forks) are gripped by the yokes & remains static. The larger aluminium lowers slide up & down over the stanchions (e.g. early Honda CB600 600 / Hornet 900 / Kawasaki ZX-9R C E F1P F2P) |
| stanchions | Thinner chrome part of forks. At the top on conventional forks, at the bottom near the wheel on USD forks |
| sliders | Refers to the part of the fork which moves up & down. On conventional forks these are the thicker alloy lowers, on USD forks the sliders are the thinner chrome stanchions. It is always best to specify whether the sliders are the alloy or chrome part of the forks |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FRONT SUSPENSION (2) | (back to top) |
| fork tubes | Often used to describe the alloy part of the forks, but since the chrome stanchions are also physically tubes, this term is best avoided as it can be misinterpreted - use ‘fork lowers’ for conventional forks or ‘fork uppers’ for USD forks |
| yokes | [ triple clamps / top & bottom fork clamps ] Fit above & below the frame headstock |
| bottom yoke | [ lower fork clamp / triple clamp ] Grips the forks under the headstock. Usually supplied with steering stem |
| top yoke | [ upper fork clamp ] Grips the forks above the headstock & bolts to steering stem |
| fork brace | Usually an aftermarket (non-standard) part designed to provide additional bracing for the forks to improve rigidity. Fixes above the front mudguard, common brands are Telefix and Micron. Often confused with the front mudguard mounting bracket which doesn’t provide much in the way of structural support |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FRONT SUSPENSION (3) | (back to top) |
| anti dive units | Used on 1980s-early 90s sports bikes. Designed to reduce the amount of dive on the forks under braking. Usually found at the bottom of the forks |
| telelever suspension | Used by BMW for most models from early-mid 90s onwards. The Telelever is a wishbone shaped leading link (swing arm) which pivots on the engine and is connected to the forks by a lower ball joint. The system uses a shock absorber to provide shock absorbsion & damping (e.g. BMW R1100 GS R1150GS R1200GS Adventure) |
| front swing arm | [ front suspension arm / front swinging arm ] Used by bikes which have a front shock absorber in place of telescopic forks (e.g. BMW Telelever / Peugeot Speedfight 50 100 / Italjet Dragster 50 125 180 Formula) |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FUEL & AIR MIXTURE | (back to top) |
| carbs | [ carburettor / carburettors / carburetor / carburettors ] Mixes fuel & air prior to combustion. Can be CV (constant velocity) type with diaphragms (slides are opened by air flow through carbs) or slide type (no diaphragms - slides are opened directly by throttle cable) |
| throttle bodies | [ injector body / throttle body ] Contains the fuel injectors and throttle butterfly valve(s). Mixes fuel & air prior to combustion |
| injectors | [ fuel injector ] Situated within throttle bodies, the injectors spray fuel into the air passing through throttle valve |
| throttle Position Sensor | [ TPS ] Reports the position of the throttle butterfly valve(s) to the ECU / CDI as part of the ignition timing and fuel injection system |
| fuel pump | Electric pump delivering fuel from the petrol tank to the carburettors / injectors. Can be internal or external type (i.e. located inside or outside the fuel tank) |
| fuel pressure regulator | Regulates the fuel pressure to the injectors |
| fuel filter | Removes impurities from the fuel (e.g. debris from petrol tank) |
| inlet rubbers | [ inlet manifold / inlet stubs ] Rubbers connecting the carbs or throttle bodies to the engine |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| FUEL TANK | (back to top) |
| fuel tank | [ tank / petrol tank ] |
| fuel tap | [ petrol tap / fuel cock ] Manually operated tap allowing the rider to switch to reserve (i.e. uses a lower exit pipe inside the fuel tank) or to turn off the fuel supply to the carburettors |
| fuel knob | Plastic knob used to operate the fuel tap. Commonly has ‘on’, ‘reserve’ & ‘off’ positions |
| fuel cap & key | [ petrol cap / filler cap ] Lockable fuel filler cap complete with matching key |
| tank rubbers | [ rubber fuel tank mounts ] Prevents vibration & damage to the petrol tank / frame |
| tank mounting bracket (s) | Usually mounts the rear of the tank to the frame |
| fuel gauge sender unit | [ petrol sender / fuel level sensor ] For bikes fitted with a fuel gauge. Mounts inside the tank and measures the fuel level using a float connected to a potentiometer (sends variable resistance reading to the fuel gauge clock) |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| GEARBOX | (back to top) |
| gearbox complete | [ gear box / transmission ] Set of paired gears (gear clusters) each located on an input shaft and output shaft. A complete gearbox usually includes the selector drum & selector forks, but always double check exactly what is being supplied for the agreed price |
| input shaft | [ main shaft ] The gearbox shaft which engages (and is driven by) the clutch centre hub. Mounts one half of a set of paired gears, the other half being mounted on the output shaft |
output shaft | [ counter shaft ] Connects to the front drive sprocket (chain driven bikes) or primary shaft / middle gearbox (shaft driven bikes). Mounts one half of a set of paired gears, the other half being mounted on the input shaft |
selector drum | [ selector barrel ] Connects to the gear selector shaft; moves the selector forks to shift (engage) the paired gear cogs when changing gear |
| gear selector shaft | [ selector shaft ] Has a splined end that protrudes out the side of the engine which the gear lever attaches to. The other end moves the selector drum |
| selector forks | Engages different paired gear cogs by moving (shifting) them along the input & output shafts |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| HANDLEBAR & SWITCHES | (back to top) |
| handlebars | [ handle bars ] One piece type, held onto risers by bar clamps |
| RH handlebar / LH handlebar | [ clip-on / clip ons ] Separate RH & LH handlebars, usually attaching to either fork leg. Can have a separate mounting brackets (clips) or be single cast units |
| handlebar clamps | [ bar clamps ] Secure one-piece handlebars to the top yoke |
| handlebar risers | Usually part of the top yoke casting, but aftermarket kits are available to convert separate clip-on bars to one-piece type, or to increase the height of one-piece bars |
| bar end weights | [ bar ends ] Fits into the end of the handlebars - usually weighted to reduce vibration at high speed |
| steering damper | Reduces erratic handlebar movement (tank slapper) at high speed. Traditionally uses an oil filled damper, but electronically controlled devices have recently become available. Can be a standard (original equipment) or an aftermarket performance upgrade |
| LH switch gear | [ LH switch cluster ] Switch assembly on LH handlebar. Usually incorporates high/low beam, pass (flash), horn button & sometimes the choke lever |
| RH switch gear | [ RH switch cluster ] Switch assembly on RH handlebar. Usually incorporates starter button, cut off / kill switch & lights on-off |
| PREFERRED NAMES | [ ALTERNATIVE NAMES ] & DESCRIPTION |
| LEVERS & PEDALS | (back to top) |
| front brake lever | On RH handlebar |
| rear brake pedal | [ rear brake lever ] Located on the RH rider’s footrest mounting bracket (hanger) |
| rear brake lever (mopeds / scooters) | Located on LH handlebar |
| clutch lever | Located on LH handlebar |
| kickstart lever | [ kickstart / kick start / kickstarter / kickstart pedal ] Foot operated lever to turn over (start) the engine |
| gear lever | [ gear changer / gear shifter / gear shift / gear change pedal ] Located on the LH rider’s footrest mounting bracket (hanger) |
| gear lever linkage | Steel rod & small ball joint assembly connecting the gear lever to gear selector shaft (protruding from the engine) |
| choke lever | Can be on handlebars (sometimes part of the LH switch gear), mounted to LHS of frame or on the carbs themselves. Some fuel injection bikes also have a choke lever |
| decompression lever | Assists engine kick-over on large capacity single & twin cylinder trail bikes by temporarily decompressing the combustion chamber |