Hey guys~
I just took a tour of a machine shop with one of my design classes in college and got the crazy idea of an aluminum frame for the DS. Anybody know how much the stock frame weighs and how much weight could be saved by making it out of aluminum? This is just a thought for now, but I found out I have the desire and the means to make one of these frames. What do you all think? Go for it?

 

I don`t think so.
Maybe a good chromo tubing frame would be better, and probably as light as an aluminium one. But you gain more weight on accessories than on the frame itself (like removing nerfs, front fenders, bumper, guards, rad fan (if you don`t need it!!), axle, swingarm, bars, fluids quantity...etc).
Actually, I personally wouldn`t touch the DS frame (except for adjustable AArms) since it is very tough (I haven`t yet heard of cracks or mysterious bendings), and save on accessories. Unless you`re a dwarf, and the DS size bothers you (like it would probably for me), just remove stuff.

 

I think a frame is an intriguing idea, either chrome moly or aluminum.
Have you seen the Blue Alba DS "Dune Shredder" in the December Dirtwheels? They got rid of 50 lbs by using TimmyBoy a-arms and swing arm and triming everything they could. They only shaved 3 lbs off the frame, by drilling holes and triming tabs.
.....The Honda unicam 450 motor weighs in at a remarkable 65 lbs. I believe the DS motor is about 115 lbs. So how much weight could be saved with an aluminum or chrome-moly frame? I think getting a DS under 400 lbs dry weight would be an all-out proposition. But I am going to guess there is 20-25 lbs that could be shed in the frame, excluding a-arms and swing arm.
...... At this point I would be more inclined to wait and see if Honda is going to do something with the unicam motor. That engine, combined with an aluminum frame could result in a quad weighing
in at just a little over 300 lbs.
...... I'd like to see a lower center of gravity on the DS, that can be done with the shocks, but the swingarm angle and chain have to be set up right too. An under 400 lb DS would be, well, what we all want it to be.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

102lbs. for the DS motor.

An uluminum frame would be nice to have, but not very cost effective to build. In oder to make it strong enough as well as light, round tubing would not be the best choice. As seen on the Cannondale and the Honda dirt bikes, formed main stays for the frame are critical and very expencive. You would be looking at $4000-$5000 minimum cost to build[if done properly] in order to save a possible 25-30 lbs.

Keep in mind, my price estimate involves labor charges and other accociated overhead. If you wanted to one-off one yourself, you could do it cheaper. But you would still want to stay away from round tubing.