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