1974 Commando frame issue

Jonez69 · 2026-01-15T11:49:29-0700

Should I be looking for a replacement frame or is this repairable? I didn't notice this until I had the engine out and began to clean the frame....

The PO was the original owner and never mentioned an accident. I have known him for many years and he's not the type to hide something like that. (But you never know)
Drive side...

Timing side...

Hoodellyhoo · 2026-01-15T11:55:17-0700

Judging by those dents in the front fender, it looks like you had the same type of highway pegs clamped to your front down tubes as i did. Though I'm not sure how a set of highway pegs would cause the down tubes to bow forward like that?

concours · 2026-01-15T12:03:03-0700

Jonez69 said:
Should I be looking for a replacement frame or is this repairable? I didn't notice this until I had the engine out and began to clean the frame.... The PO was the original owner and never mentioned an accident. I have known him for many years and he's not the type to hide something like that. (But you never know)
Drive side...
View attachment 123299
Timing side...
View attachment 123300

That's an easy fix for a fabricator. Take it to a welding shop and they can push that right out. what minor denting on the tube is left, you can fill that in. It'll be just like brand new.

Point of reference: A lifetime in the metal trades.

Jonez69 · 2026-01-15T12:34:40-0700

concours said:
That's an easy fix for a fabricator. Take it to a welding shop and they can push that right out. what minor denting on the tube is left, you can fill that in. It'll be just like brand new.

Good to hear! However, I must ask, how critical is it? Or put another way, is it a MUST be repaired? Certainly now is the time to do it...

zotz · 2026-01-15T12:56:04-0700

How long have you been riding it like that? Have you noticed any issues? Maybe it's not worth getting too wound up over.

kommando · 2026-01-15T13:02:03-0700

The frame is plain old low carbon steel, easily bent once heated in the right place. Once the tube is straight fill in dents with filler or braze if you want to powder coat.

concours · 2026-01-15T13:07:34-0700

Jonez69 said:
Good to hear! However, I must ask, how critical is it? Or put another way, is it a MUST be repaired? Certainly now is the time to do it...
View attachment 123304

Not critical that it be repaired. A talented craftsman can knock it straight with a couple wooden block, a 3lb hammer & 15 mins.
You can run it as-is with no ill effects, other than, you'll wish you had done it when the engine was out.

marshg246 · 2026-01-15T13:29:37-0700

Jonez69 said:
Should I be looking for a replacement frame or is this repairable? I didn't notice this until I had the engine out and began to clean the frame.... The PO was the original owner and never mentioned an accident. I have known him for many years and he's not the type to hide something like that. (But you never know)
Drive side...
View attachment 123299
Timing side...
View attachment 123300

Used replacement frames have become hard to find at a reasonable price but there are several on eBay. New are available but with customs, extremely expensive. A frame shop can straighten those in seconds. Or you can make a rig with wood and clamps to get them back to straight. I probably would fill the actual dents if they show after straightening.

Here's my DIY to straighten the bottom tubes of a 69S. The side-stand mount made it harder. I tightened the nuts from below the 4x4 until I slightly over flexed the tube and when I released it, it was dead straight:

Jonez69 · 2026-01-15T14:34:56-0700

zotz said:
How long have you been riding it like that? Have you noticed any issues? Maybe it's not worth getting too wound up over.

I have only owned the bike for about 4 months. I have only ridden it 200 miles in that time. It actually drove okay, I never had it rolling over 70mph.

TJBaker57 · 2026-01-15T15:12:02-0700

Jonez69 said:
I didn't notice this until I had the engine out and began to clean the frame

For curiosity sake,,, Did you hold a straightedge to the opposite side of the dents?? This to see if the tube is bent or just dented.

Jonez69 · 2026-01-15T15:22:17-0700

TJBaker57 said:
For curiosity sake,,, Did you hold a straightedge to the opposite side of the dents?? This to see if the tube is bent or just dented.

Deets55 · 2026-01-15T15:40:29-0700

Just a guess but, the dents in the fender suggest there might have been something mounted to that frame that also contacted the fender.

Jonez69 · 2026-01-15T15:58:38-0700

Deets55 said:
Just a guess but, the dents in the fender suggest there might have been something mounted to that frame that also contacted the fender.

Yeah, since it seems to be a growing consensus that the frame is easily repairable, I don't plan to reach out to the previous owner for any history.

mdt-son · 2026-01-15T17:30:27-0700

If downtubes are this bent, so must the spine tube be. Fork rake must be way off ... I suggest you strip the frame and take it to a frame shop for repair. New tubing can be bought from AN.

- Knut

TJBaker57 · 2026-01-15T19:50:40-0700

Jonez69 said:
View attachment 123306

Yikes, thats a pretty hefty bend there. Looks to be like 5 or 6 degrees by my eye. I have small dents from the U-clamps of "highway bars" but I have no bend like yours shows. I intend to pretty much ignore mine.

concours · 2026-01-15T20:16:18-0700

mdt-son said:
If downtubes are this bent, so must the spine tube be. Fork rake must be way off ... I suggest you strip the frame and take it to a frame shop for repair. New tubing can be bought from AN.

- Knut

Strongly disagree.

mdt-son · 2026-01-15T20:26:52-0700

concours said:
Strongly disagree.

OK, I rephrase. If downtubes are this bent, there is a chance the spine tube is bent too, affecting the rake. This is certainly a possibility which the owner should check out.

- Knut

baz · 2026-01-16T01:23:07-0700

mdt-son said:
If downtubes are this bent, so must the spine tube be. Fork rake must be way off ... I suggest you strip the frame and take it to a frame shop for repair. New tubing can be bought from AN.

- Knut

Have you seen the size of the top tube 'spine' on a commando frame?

1974 Commando frame issue

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