TPU material for flexible motorcycle parts

Written by: Martin | Founder of R3print Moto Last updated: 19-2-2026

What is TPU?

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) is a flexible engineering material designed for parts that must bend, compress, or absorb vibration without breaking. Unlike rigid plastics, TPU combines elasticity with high durability, making it ideal for functional motorcycle components.

TPU is widely used in automotive and industrial applications because it delivers rubber-like flexibility while maintaining excellent mechanical strength, making it perfect for bushings, vibration-dampening mounts, seals, and flexible structural parts. TPU comes in multiple shore hardness levels, which affect flexibility, durability, and wear resistance:

Soft TPU (Shore 85A and below): Very flexible and elastic, ideal for parts that must compress or bend easily, like gaskets or vibration pads.
Medium TPU (Shore 90A–92A): Balanced flexibility and wear resistance; suitable for bushings, intake and airbox boots, and vibration-dampening components.
Hard TPU (Shore 95A+): Stiffer and more abrasion-resistant while still retaining some elasticity. Perfect for parts that must bear load or friction but still need slight flexibility, such as protective sleeves or functional mounts.

At R3print Moto, our standard TPU is 90A. This provides the ideal balance of flexibility, sealing performance, and durability for intake boots, airbox boots, and other vibration-prone motorcycle components. Choosing the right shore hardness ensures the part performs as expected in its specific application — too soft and it may deform under load; too hard and it may not absorb vibration effectively.

Why TPU is perfect for motorcycle components

Many original motorcycle parts were made from rubber compounds that degrade over time. TPU provides a modern replacement with improved durability and performance.

Advantages of TPU

Flexible without cracking
Highly impact resistant
Abrasion resistant
Oil and grease resistant
Excellent vibration absorption
Tear resistant

These properties make TPU ideal for parts such as: seals, bushings, vibration dampers, cable guides, protective covers, and also for intake boots.

When we recommend TPU

We choose TPU for parts that must:

✔ flex repeatedly
✔ absorb vibration
✔ resist tearing
✔ withstand mechanical movement
✔ maintain shape after stress

If your part is constantly under stress to make a seal or subject to abrasion, TPU is usually the optimal material.

Technical Specifications

TPU 90A has the following technical characteristics and places it among the most reliable materials for long-lasting restoration components:

Properties	Value	Explanation
Melting Temperature	200 °C	The temperature where the plastic stops being a solid and turns into a gooey liquid.
Glass Transition*	-20 °C	The temp. where the plastic loses its stiffness and starts to behave like thick rubber.
Vicat Softening Temp.	94 °C	The temperature when the plastic is officially too soft to do its job
Heat Deflection Temp.*	56 °C	The temperature when the part – if under load – starts to sag
Impact Strength (XY)	124.3kJ/m²	Impact strength determines if part dents (high) or shatters (low) upon impact.
Bending Strength (XY)	N/A	Bending strength determines how much the part can bend, before snapping.
Res. Organic Solvents	Medium	Resistance to: gasoline, ethanol, degreasers, brake cleaner, and paint strippers.
Res. Oil and Grease	Excellent	Resistance to: engine oil, penetrating oils, brake fluid, greases, and chain lube.

* While the material becomes slightly more flexible at its Glass Transition temperature, the part will not structurally sag or lose its shape until it reaches its much higher Heat Deflection temperature.

Because TPU is an elastomer (rubber), its technical specs appear differently than rigid plastics (like ASA, PPS or PAHT-CF). While its “sag point” (HDT) is lower, its rubbery nature makes it the most durable material in our library for absorbing vibration and resisting impact without ever snapping. TPU is for example used as defaul material for intake manifolds or airboots.

TPU Engineering Standards

TPU is selected for components that require a balance of flexibility, high impact resistance, and vibration damping. Unlike rigid plastics, this elastomer is engineered to absorb energy and resist abrasion, making it ideal for protective motorcycle components and flexible seals. Our material selection is informed by the industrial specifications of BASF Forward AM, ensuring our R3print parts provide the durability and resilience required for long-term use in the field.

Real-world use cases

TPU is commonly used in:

automotive seals
industrial rollers
protective housings
shock-absorbing components
flexible connectors

These demanding applications show why it performs so well in motorcycle restorations.

TPU vs rubber parts

Original rubber components degrade due to:

UV exposure
ozone
heat cycles
chemical exposure

TPU resists these factors far better than traditional rubber, meaning replacement parts can last significantly longer than original components.

How TPU compares to other 3D printing materials

Below is a comparison of common 3D printing materials, highlighting when TPU should be used.

See legend below for the meaning of ratings.

Material	Flexibility	Strength	Impact Resistance	UV Resistance	Chemical Resistance	Heat Resistance	Abrasion Resistance	Best For
PLA	None	Medium	Low	Very Low	Low	Very Low (~60°C)	Low	Prototypes only
PETG	Low	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium (~80°C)	Medium	Light-duty covers
ASA	Low	High	Medium	Superb	Very High	High (~100°C)	Very High	Exterior motorcycle parts
TPU (90A)	Superb	Very High	Superb	High	Very High	High (~90°C)	Very High	Flexible, wear-resistant components
Nylon (PAHT-CF)	Low	Very High	Very High	High	Extremely High	Very High (~120°C)	Very High	Structural and load-bearing parts
PPS-CF	None	Superb	Medium	Superb	Superb	Superb (~200°C+)	Extremely High	Engine-area components
PPA-CF	Low	Very High	Very High	High	Extremely High	Very High (~150°C)	Very High	Structural, engine-adjacent, load-bearing motorcycle parts

The following scale describes relative performance for each property of 3D printing materials, from minimal to top-tier performance. All ratings are based on motorcycle and automotive use cases, highlighting how each material performs under heat, vibration, chemical exposure, and mechanical stress typical for structural and functional parts.

Rating	Meaning / Relative Level
None	No performance / negligible or unusable for the property
Very Low	Minimal performance, barely suitable
Low	Below average, limited performance for light applications
Medium	Average performance, adequate for standard/light-duty use
High	Above average, reliable for most standard applications
Very High	Strong performance for demanding applications
Extremely High	Exceptional performance for critical, high-stress applications
Superb	Top-tier / optimal performance under extreme conditions

In short: TPU stands out among 3D printing materials because it combines high flexibility with excellent mechanical durability, making it ideal for functional motorcycle components.

Unlike rigid plastics, TPU absorbs vibration and repeated stress without cracking, which is critical in real-world riding conditions. For bushings, dampers, seals, and other elastic parts, TPU provides a modern alternative to aging rubber components with improved longevity and chemical resistance.

Production

Every part is produced in a thermally controlled environment on our 3D printers using a high-temperature heatbed. This process ensures maximum layer adhesion and structural density, providing a weatherproof 3D printing solution that often outperforms the 40-year-old factory plastics it replaces.

Why we use professional-grade TPU

We use industrial TPU materials specifically selected for their mechanical reliability. This ensures printed parts are suitable for real riding conditions and not just display.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is TPU resistant to fuel and oil

Yes. TPU has strong resistance to oils, grease, and many automotive fluids. It performs significantly better than traditional rubber compounds when exposed to lubricants and mechanical oils. However, long-term exposure to gasoline (especially ethanol-blended fuels) can affect certain TPU grades over time. For components in direct and constant fuel contact, material selection is critical and may require a specialized compound.

For most motorcycle applications such as bushings, dampers, cable guides, and protective covers, TPU performs very reliably.

Q: What Shore hardness TPU do you use?

A: We use engineering-grade TPU with a shore hardness selected specifically for mechanical durability and controlled flexibility. Most functional motorcycle parts require material in the Shore 90A–95A range, which provides:

Strong tear resistance
Excellent elastic recovery
Vibration damping
Structural stability under load

This hardness range offers a balance between flexibility and mechanical strength, making it suitable for demanding real-world riding conditions. For most parts which are printed in TPU we use shore hardness 90A.

Q: Can TPU withstand motorcycle vibration?

A: Yes. TPU is particularly well-suited for vibration-heavy environments. Its elastic structure allows it to:

Absorb shock
Reduce stress concentration
Resist cracking from cyclic loading
Maintain shape after repeated compression

This makes it ideal for bushings, vibration dampers, and flexible connectors in classic motorcycles where rigid plastics would fail over time.

Q: How does TPU compare to rubber?

A: TPU is often superior to traditional rubber in durability and mechanical consistency. Compared to standard vintage rubber compounds, TPU offers:

Better tear resistance
Higher abrasion resistance
Improved aging stability
Greater resistance to oil and grease
More predictable mechanical properties

Unlike old rubber parts that dry out, crack, and degrade, TPU maintains elasticity much longer under real-world conditions.

Q: What temperature range can TPU handle?

A: Engineering-grade TPU typically performs well in a range of approximately: –30 °C to +90 °C (short-term exposure up to around 100 °C). This makes it suitable for:

Exterior motorcycle parts
Vibration components
Non-structural engine-adjacent parts

For extreme high-heat areas (such as directly mounted engine components), higher-temperature engineering polymers may be recommended.

Need a part?

Bring your machine back to its best. If your part exists in our archive or needs to be engineered, we’ll produce it with TPU.