Product

Motorcycle Spherical Bearings

Spherical bearings for motorcycle shock mounts and suspension linkages — manufactured or reproduced to your application, drawing, or sample, including replacement and rebuild applications.

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Where They’re Used

Spherical Bearings in Motorcycle Suspension

A spherical bearing allows a mounting joint to articulate through a controlled angle while still transferring load — which is why it shows up at specific points in a motorcycle’s suspension, not throughout the whole system.

Upper Shock Mounts

A well-established motorcycle application, allowing the shock body to articulate as the suspension moves.

Lower Shock Mounts

A separate application from the upper mount, often with different dimensions and installation depth

Suspension Linkage

Used at specific pivot positions within a linkage assembly, alongside needle bearings and bushings at other positions.

Shock & Linkage Rebuilds

A recurring aftermarket need — spherical bearings wear over time and are a common rebuild and replacement item.

Product Showcase

Rod End Product Range

For Motorcycle Shock Mounts, Suspension Linkages & Replacement Applications

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Manufacturing Capability

Any Size, Any Configuration

Motorcycle spherical bearings are application-specific — bore, OD, width, retention and mounting configuration all follow the original design of the position they’re used in, not a fixed catalog size. We manufacture to your application’s actual dimensions, retaining method and mounting configuration, whether that matches a common size or not.

Send your requirement — a standard size or a design specific to your application, both are within our normal process.

Fitment

Fitment Is More Than Bearing Size

Getting a replacement or custom spherical bearing right depends on more than bore and OD. These are the details we confirm before quoting.

Bore / ID

Determines the bolt, sleeve, or spacer that passes through the bearing — measured directly, or matched to your sample or drawing.

Outer Diameter (OD)

Determines compatibility with the shock eye, linkage bore, or housing the bearing is pressed into.

Width

Affects the mounting stack and side clearance within the housing — including any shoulder or flange width where applicable.

Installation Depth

Motorcycle service documentation for shock bearing replacement specifies the depth the bearing needs to sit within its bore — not simply pressed in until it stops.

Retention

Some motorcycle applications retain the bearing with a snap ring or stopper ring; others rely on a press fit alone. We manufacture to match your retention method.

Spacers & Mounting Hardware

Sleeves, spacers, and mounting hardware are often part of the complete mounting interface — not just the bearing itself. Let us know if these are part of your requirement.

Bearing Construction

Built to Your Configuration

We manufacture spherical bearings across construction types and configurations, matched to your application rather than a single default.

Metal-on-Metal

PTFE-Lined / Self-Lubricating

Sealed

Unsealed

Snap-Ring Groove

Plain Outer Diameter

Bearing + Seals + Spacers as an Assembly

Choosing the Right Bearing Type

Spherical Bearing vs. Needle Bearing vs. BushinG

Different positions in a motorcycle suspension system are designed around different movement requirements — one type isn’t universally correct.

Type	Movement	Typical Use
Spherical Bearing	Controlled angular articulation under load	Shock mount eyes, select linkage pivots
Needle Bearing	Rotational movement around a fixed axis	Linkage pivots with primarily rotational motion
Bushing	Limited rotational or sliding movement	Application-specific pivots and mounting points

Which One Do You Need?

This depends on the original design of your specific application, not a general rule — a motorcycle can use spherical bearings at one suspension position and needle bearings or bushings at another. Tell us the position and, if possible, the bearing currently installed, and we’ll help confirm the right type.

Replacement & Rebuild Applications

Spherical bearing replacement is a common part of shock and suspension linkage rebuilds — not only a new-build component. Whether you’re sourcing an OEM-equivalent replacement bearing or supplying a rebuild kit to your own customers, we manufacture to your dimensions or reference part.

Send us the worn bearing, the housing it came from, or a drawing, and we’ll confirm what’s needed to reproduce it accurately.

Sealing & Contamination Protection

Dirt and water exposure is a routine part of off-road, motocross, and adventure use, and it directly affects how long a spherical bearing lasts in service.

We manufacture sealed and unsealed configurations according to your specification — tell us your application’s exposure conditions and we’ll confirm the appropriate configuration.

Custom Motorcycle Spherical Bearings

Standard Replacement to Custom Configuration

Most aftermarket bearing suppliers work from a fixed catalog of SKUs matched to specific motorcycle models. We work the other way — you bring the requirement, whether that’s a direct replacement, a custom dimension, a specific configuration, or a complete assembly with seals and spacers, and we manufacture to match it.

Many buyers aren’t sourcing a bearing on its own — they need the correct replacement component for a shock or linkage assembly. Tell us the application, and send what you have — we’ll confirm the rest.

01>>>Application

Upper/lower shock mount, linkage position, or other — plus motorcycle make/model/year if relevant

02>>>Drawing, Sample or Reference Part

A drawing isn’t required to start — a worn bearing or reference part works too

03>>>Dimensions

Bore, OD, width, retaining method, seal requirement

04>>>Quantity

Bearing only, or bearing plus seals/spacers as a complete component

FAQ

Common Questions

What is a spherical bearing on a motorcycle?

A spherical bearing — sometimes called a spherical plain bearing in engineering terminology — is a bearing with a curved (spherical) inner and outer interface that allows controlled angular articulation while transferring load, commonly found at motorcycle shock mounts and select suspension linkage positions.

What is the difference between upper and lower shock bearings?

Both positions commonly use spherical bearings, but they’re typically separate applications with their own dimensions and installation depth — not interchangeable between positions.

Can I replace a needle bearing with a spherical bearing?

Not automatically. The correct bearing type depends on the original design and mounting geometry of your specific application — some suspension positions are designed around rotational movement (needle bearing) rather than angular articulation (spherical bearing).

What is the difference between a spherical bearing and a rod end?

A spherical bearing is a bearing element, typically press-fit into a housing such as a shock eye or linkage bore and retained by a snap ring or similar. A rod end is a separate component — a threaded housing with a spherical bearing built in — used as a standalone adjustable linkage part.

What dimensions do I need to identify a replacement spherical bearing?

Bore (ID), outer diameter (OD), and width are the starting point — retaining method and any spacer requirements matter too. A worn sample or the motorcycle make, model, and application position also helps us confirm fitment.

Do spherical bearings require seals?

Not always, but sealed configurations are common in off-road, motocross, and adventure applications where dirt and water exposure is routine. We manufacture both sealed and unsealed configurations.

How are spherical bearings installed in motorcycle shock eyes?

Typically by pressing the bearing into the bore with a suitable driver, to a specified installation depth, then securing it with a retaining ring where the design calls for one. This isn’t a simple bolt-on part.

Can spherical bearings be supplied with spacers or seals as an assembly?

Yes. Many motorcycle applications need the bearing along with matched spacers, sleeves, or seals rather than the bearing alone — let us know your assembly requirement when requesting a quote.

Can you manufacture a replacement spherical bearing from a sample?

Yes. Send the worn bearing or a reference part and we’ll confirm dimensions and feasibility before quoting.

Have a Spherical Bearing to Source or Reproduce?

Tell us the application and position, and send a drawing, sample, or worn part if you have one — we’ll confirm feasibility and reply directly.

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