Aluminium frame longevity

[VeeFource]

In the push bike world, aluminium frames have a limited lifespan of 5-10 years. I've never heard of this being applied to motorcycles, but given it's a similar material and even aluminium planes only last 30-40 years, so does this mean there'll be a day when my '96 VFR frame going to crack or worse still fail altogether?

[VeeFource]

podman said:

I can remeber this very question being asked by everyone when Suzuki launched the first alloy framed roadbike, the RG250 in 1983...turns out it was rather pointless, I never heard of any problems with those and a fair few are still on the road.

Slightly on topic, I did read in CB mag that the Steve Wheatman who has a collection of works RG500s, doesnt allow the carbon fibre framed bikes of the mid 80s to be riden because of concerns of the strength of those frames 30 years on..

That's good to know. Though I have come accross some aluminium valve covers on cars with small cracks in, but I doubt they have the same factor of safety built in.

Funnily enough I've read carbon bicycle frames don't seem to have a fixed life span, it appears they're limited only by impacts etc. But then that contradicts the same logic for the aluminium frames which from that point of view you'd be correct, all very odd

[VeeFource]

I always assumed that if it was the case, manufacturers would warn of it. But then are they even liable if the bike's so far out of warranty? I doubt you'd get far suing for a car chassis which failed due to corrosion, but then they'd argue you could tell visually before hand during MOT etc.

How are you supposed to be able to tell when your headstock tube is going to fall off with a material which gives no apparent warning?

[VeeFource]

Awesome post, cheers for that! Good to know it's something which can be checked on