#1 Thread starter
First, big Kudos to Kanadian Ken for his how-to on installing the sliders manufactured by VFRD member Radar. I don't want to re-invent the wheel, so for the core how-to, please see this thread:
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.p...41&hl=radar
However, Ken's thread featured his 6th gen bike and I thought some of you 5th gen guys / girls might like to see how the project looks on a 5th gen bike.
Also, HUGE kudos to Radar...a great guy selling a top notch product, whose also willing to help anytime. He's also very up front and honest and willing to do whatever needed to make his customers happy. The sliders got held up in the transfer between the Canada PS and the USPS or customs or wherever...they took almost a month to get here. Radar was willing to send me a second entire set at his expense via UPS just to make sure I was taken care of. A total stand up guy you can trust completely.
On to the install. The first pics are my modded coolant bottle. I cut a notch and then used a couple pieces of the "didn't work for mirror extenders" HDPE I bought. The first glue application was CA, then second was acrylic weld, and the third was clear silicone sealant. It looks horrible but it works. I even squeezed the bottle in the middle to check flexibility, and although I heard a few creaks, cranks and moans, the joint is still water tight.
Note: I have an extra coolant bottle I would be willing to mod and send someone if they are interested in these sliders from Radar (or others). PM me if you're interested. (I bought a second one from eBay just in case I screwed up the first time!)
[image: gallery_1904_2145_144125.jpg]
modded coolant bottle 1
[image: gallery_1904_2145_101624.jpg]
modded coolant bottle 2
Follow Ken's excellent instructions for how to drill the holes in your fairings for the arbor. It works well. Here you can see the drill rod sticking through the pilot hole. I added a few layers of masking tape just to help make sure the fairing chipped as little as possible. (I have no idea if it helped, but I can tell you using this tape method along with a new holesaw produced perfect, chip-free and tear-free holes.) Despite all my homework on this, drilling a hole that big in a ~$350 fairing just about gives me heart failure!
[image: gallery_1904_2145_35187.jpg]
tape prep
Here's a pic showing the arbor relationship to the modded coolant bottle.
[image: gallery_1904_2145_102197.jpg]
arbor
And finally the finished product. I think it looks GREAT. The arbors are just about hidden completely on the 5th gen. You can see them if you try, but you have to get your nose right on top of the slider to see them.
[image: gallery_1904_2145_24579.jpg]
finished 1
Here's a long shot showing the slider installed along with my new (to me) Renntec luggage rack.
[image: gallery_1904_2145_99255.jpg]
finished 2 w/ renntec rack
If anyone within a day's drive of Michigan wants some help with this install (on either 5th or 6th gens) I have the correct hole saw, drill rod, and long 1/4" drill to complete this job. Save yourself about $30 in tools, hand me a beer or two, and in about 2 hours your Radar Custom Sliders will be installed.
I only hope I never use them.
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.p...41&hl=radar
However, Ken's thread featured his 6th gen bike and I thought some of you 5th gen guys / girls might like to see how the project looks on a 5th gen bike.
Also, HUGE kudos to Radar...a great guy selling a top notch product, whose also willing to help anytime. He's also very up front and honest and willing to do whatever needed to make his customers happy. The sliders got held up in the transfer between the Canada PS and the USPS or customs or wherever...they took almost a month to get here. Radar was willing to send me a second entire set at his expense via UPS just to make sure I was taken care of. A total stand up guy you can trust completely.
On to the install. The first pics are my modded coolant bottle. I cut a notch and then used a couple pieces of the "didn't work for mirror extenders" HDPE I bought. The first glue application was CA, then second was acrylic weld, and the third was clear silicone sealant. It looks horrible but it works. I even squeezed the bottle in the middle to check flexibility, and although I heard a few creaks, cranks and moans, the joint is still water tight.
Note: I have an extra coolant bottle I would be willing to mod and send someone if they are interested in these sliders from Radar (or others). PM me if you're interested. (I bought a second one from eBay just in case I screwed up the first time!)
[image: gallery_1904_2145_144125.jpg]
modded coolant bottle 1
[image: gallery_1904_2145_101624.jpg]
modded coolant bottle 2
Follow Ken's excellent instructions for how to drill the holes in your fairings for the arbor. It works well. Here you can see the drill rod sticking through the pilot hole. I added a few layers of masking tape just to help make sure the fairing chipped as little as possible. (I have no idea if it helped, but I can tell you using this tape method along with a new holesaw produced perfect, chip-free and tear-free holes.) Despite all my homework on this, drilling a hole that big in a ~$350 fairing just about gives me heart failure!
[image: gallery_1904_2145_35187.jpg]
tape prep
Here's a pic showing the arbor relationship to the modded coolant bottle.
[image: gallery_1904_2145_102197.jpg]
arbor
And finally the finished product. I think it looks GREAT. The arbors are just about hidden completely on the 5th gen. You can see them if you try, but you have to get your nose right on top of the slider to see them.
[image: gallery_1904_2145_24579.jpg]
finished 1
Here's a long shot showing the slider installed along with my new (to me) Renntec luggage rack.
[image: gallery_1904_2145_99255.jpg]
finished 2 w/ renntec rack
If anyone within a day's drive of Michigan wants some help with this install (on either 5th or 6th gens) I have the correct hole saw, drill rod, and long 1/4" drill to complete this job. Save yourself about $30 in tools, hand me a beer or two, and in about 2 hours your Radar Custom Sliders will be installed.
I only hope I never use them.