| Call them crash protectors, crash bobbins, | | | | This method is by far the strongest |
| fairing protectors or frame sliders, all | | | | |
| these products ultimately seek to do one | | | | available as impact forces are allowed to be |
| thing - protect your expensive bodywork or | | | | distributed over a much larger area. |
| the essential and often expensive structural | | | | |
| parts of your motorcycle from damage in the | | | | This is also the second more costly design |
| even of a fall or tip-over. The frame slider | | | | as these long bolts are quite expensive |
| concept is as old as the proverbial 'crash | | | | |
| bar' and today there are as many designs and | | | | to manufacture. The design must be |
| brands as there are models of bikes. The | | | | structurally strong enough not to break off |
| proliferation of these types of products | | | | |
| testify to the success of the idea of | | | | when encountering the various types of |
| providing a sacrificial item to absorb some | | | | impact forces but not so strong that these |
| of the damage in the event of a fall. We are | | | | |
| by no means experts on this concept nor were | | | | forces would be transmitted entirely to and |
| we the first to come | | | | damage the considerably more costly |
| | | | |
| up with it, but in this article we hope to | | | | frame mounting points. In other words you |
| provide you with an unbiased view so that you | | | | want to sacrifice your slider before your |
| can make an informed decision when you're | | | | |
| ready to put down your hard earned | | | | fairing and then your frame in that order. |
| cash.Cost:Cost of the frame sliders must be | | | | It's a delicate balance and there is no sure |
| appropriate to the items that they are | | | | |
| designed to | | | | way to ensure that any one design will |
| | | | accomplish this desired goal.Frame Slider |
| protect. Price is not necessarily the best | | | | Material:The choice of material used for the |
| indicator of quality. Poorly designed frame | | | | frame slider should be a balance of the |
| | | | following |
| sliders made of the nicest shiniest | | | | |
| materials may not serve their purpose as well | | | | 3 requirements:Abrasion Resistance - the |
| as | | | | material should be hard enough to be |
| | | | |
| well designed but less 'bling' ones.Mounting | | | | able to slow the bike down in a slide and |
| Configurations:The frame slider must be | | | | not be totally worn down to the bolt half |
| designed to mount securely onto a strong | | | | |
| enough part of | | | | way through a slideStructural Strength - the |
| | | | material should be strong but not brittle and |
| the motorcycle so that impact forces can be | | | | snap off too |
| adequately distributed or absorbed. | | | | |
| | | | easily on impactEnergy Absorption-the |
| Here are some popular mounting | | | | material used should have some energy |
| configurations.Fairing Mounted Frame | | | | absorbing |
| SlidersSliders that mount onto the fairing | | | | |
| with small fairing screws may provide some | | | | properties but not be so hard that all |
| | | | impact forces are transmitted to the mounting |
| protection in a minor tip-over but offer | | | | |
| very minimal protection in a slide. These | | | | |
| | | | points or fasteners (solid steel or aluminum |
| sliders are not generally recommended for | | | | materials are examples of non-energy |
| serious riders.Frame Mounted Sliders - | | | | |
| DirectThe most popular and viable mounting | | | | absorbing materials).Most high quality frame |
| option is directly to a selected strong point | | | | sliders today are made of some kind |
| | | | |
| | | | of nylon or other for energy absorption and |
| of the frame. Sliders with this design | | | | with aluminum inserts for strengthening |
| offer the most protection and impact force | | | | |
| | | | of the fastening points. The range of nylon |
| distribution. The installation of this type | | | | types, with different levels of abrasion |
| of slider often require modification of the | | | | |
| | | | resistance and "brittleness" used is also |
| fairing and in some cases like the Honda | | | | quite varied.Fasteners and Components:Quality |
| VFR800, as extreme as requiring the | | | | of materials used, aesthetics and quality of |
| | | | workmanship should also be |
| modification of the coolant bottle. For | | | | |
| this reason, many choose the first or the | | | | considered when choosing the right frame |
| | | | slider for your bike. |
| third option as fairing modification can at | | | | |
| times be quite intimidating. This option is | | | | Look for high quality anodized steel bolts. |
| | | | Black non-coated bolts will rust in a |
| the most popular for serious sportsriders, | | | | |
| amateur and semi-professional racers | | | | week or less depending where you live. |
| | | | Stainless steel washers between your steel |
| alike as they provide the best protection | | | | |
| for the money. One other thing to consider | | | | bolts and aluminum inserts in the slider |
| | | | also reduce potential corrosion problems. |
| when choosing these types of sliders is | | | | |
| where they will be mounted to.Many | | | | Socket head cap screws offer the smallest |
| | | | footprint allowing for a thicker and |
| models of sportbikes offer several places to | | | | |
| mount them, frame slider | | | | stronger slider dimensions and are generally |
| | | | much more expensive then regular |
| manufacturers all have their personal | | | | |
| reasons for choosing the mounting location | | | | hex-head screws. Nyloc lock nuts where |
| | | | applicable are another added safety |
| for theirs and many of them make that choice | | | | |
| for the wrong reasons. An example is | | | | feature. True, these are all minor |
| | | | considerations in the overall scheme of |
| cost - a location that offers a two short | | | | things but |
| bolt mounting location is cheaper than one | | | | |
| | | | they all add up to the cost of |
| using a long through the engine bolt choice. | | | | manufacturing. One last thing to remember is |
| The former being a much weaker | | | | to |
| | | | |
| location. If you own an SV650 you will know | | | | always try to use some form of thread lock |
| what we mean. Another choice is the | | | | compound like Loctite and to properly |
| | | | |
| use of a bracket so that cutting of the | | | | torque the mounting bolts to the |
| fairing is avoided - see below (Frame | | | | manufacturer's recommendations. If you're |
| | | | not |
| Mounted Frame Sliders-Through-Engine | | | | |
| Bolts).Frame Mounted Sliders - In-DirectTo | | | | sure check out our torque reference |
| address some of the concerns owners may have | | | | guide.CONCLUSION:Where does that leave you |
| about modification of the | | | | the consumer? Well, we all don't want to |
| | | | think about the |
| fairing, some manufacturers have opted for a | | | | |
| design that allows for the slider to | | | | day when we will be able to justify the |
| | | | purchase of frame sliders. The reality is |
| mount onto an offset bracket that then | | | | that |
| mounts onto the frame. This offset | | | | |
| | | | as long as bikes have only two wheels, you |
| introduces a whole new set of variables into | | | | can expect them to fall over sooner or |
| the mix. Depending on the degree of | | | | |
| | | | later. Frame sliders are one of the surest |
| the offset, impact forces now include | | | | and least expensive ways to ensure some |
| amplified torque stresses which will be | | | | |
| applied | | | | protection for the expensive or sometimes |
| | | | irreplaceable parts of your bike. After all |
| to the frame mounting points. Offset | | | | |
| brackets will need to be of beefier | | | | some protection is still better than none. |
| | | | Think about broken rear brake levers, gear |
| construction, but not so beefy as to stay | | | | |
| intact during an impact while severely | | | | shifters or even worse - punctured radiators |
| | | | or coolant bottles, when you're miles |
| damaging the frame mounting points. This is | | | | |
| often the most costly type of slider | | | | from civilization. The rule is the same in |
| | | | our opinion no matter what you're |
| configuration as most brackets require | | | | |
| ingenious CNC work and design. In some | | | | spending your money on - buy the best you |
| | | | can afford and don't be afraid to ask |
| situations employment of a bracket is a | | | | |
| calculated risk, in others it is just not | | | | the manufacturer why their product is better |
| | | | than the plethora of other brands |
| feasible. No cut sliders are attractive to | | | | |
| most bikers so do your homework and ask | | | | available out there. Any good manufacturer |
| | | | will be very clear about what |
| the manfacturer questions before you buy | | | | |
| them.Frame Mounted Frame | | | | differentiates their products form others so |
| Sliders-Through-Engine BoltsThe third | | | | that you will be able to make the correct |
| mounting option found only on certain models | | | | |
| of bikes like the Suzuki | | | | purchase decision.Author is the manufacturer |
| | | | and distibutor for US based frame slider and |
| DL1000 Vstrom, TL1000S, SV650 and Ducati | | | | accessories |
| models of bikes allow for use of the | | | | |
| | | | company. |
| long, through-the-engine mounting bolt. | | | | |