Motorcycle frame damage isn’t always obvious. In fact, some of the worst cases we see roll into the workshop looking almost fine at first glance. Paint still shiny, wheels pointing forward, bars straight. Then you ride it, and something just feels off.
It doesn’t track properly, it feels nervous in corners, or you’re constantly correcting the steering. In practice, that’s often frame or alignment damage.
At White’s Bodyworks, we carry out motorcycle frame straightening and alignment checks for riders across Hassocks, Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath and the wider West Sussex area. This is specialist work, and it’s not something every garage or bike shop is equipped to assess properly, let alone repair.
Most people assume frame damage only happens in big crashes. It doesn’t. We often see frames knocked out of line by:
Sometimes the bike passes an MOT and still isn’t right. MOTs don’t measure frame alignment. They’re checking safety items, not geometry.
Common signs riders notice include:
If any of that sounds familiar, it’s worth having the frame checked properly.
Frame straightening isn’t guesswork, and it isn’t brute force. Done correctly, it’s a controlled process based on measurement and gradual correction.
Our approach is:
Most people don’t realise that frames are designed with very tight tolerances. A few millimetres out can make a bike feel completely wrong, especially at speed.
If a frame isn’t safe or economically sensible to repair, we’ll say so. There’s no benefit in straightening something that’s structurally compromised.
This is one of the first questions riders ask, and rightly so. When carried out correctly on a repairable frame, straightening is safe and widely accepted in the industry. Insurance companies approve it in appropriate cases, and manufacturers allow limited correction within specified tolerances.
What isn’t safe is riding a bike with an unknown or unchecked alignment issue. We’ve seen that end badly more than once.
Typical Costs for Motorcycle Frame Straightening
Every case is different, but these are realistic ranges based on what we see in the workshop:
Costs depend on the severity of the damage, accessibility, and the extent of correction required. We always measure first and explain your options before any straightening work begins.
In practice, the assessment stage is the most important. Straightening is only worthwhile if it restores proper geometry and handling.
Why Riders Trust Us with Framework
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