Fairing Slider Options

Hello,


I just can't bring myself to cut holes in the fairing of my lovely candy apple '07. I've searched around but can't seem to find the 'no cut' style of sliders I once had on my cbr1000rr. Is there a no cut option for the Gen 6 vfr?

[image: View Post]LEGEND, on Aug 29 2009, 11:43 PM, said:

Hello,


I just can't bring myself to cut holes in the fairing of my lovely candy apple '07. I've searched around but can't seem to find the 'no cut' style of sliders I once had on my cbr1000rr. Is there a no cut option for the Gen 6 vfr?

Consensus around here is, if you use the "no hole" versions on the VFR - it ain't worth it.

If you cut the holes properly - it will not harm your bikes resale, or appearance.

I've dropped my bike instead of nailing some deer and if I hadn't had Radars Sliders - I would have had about $1200 worth of damage, and an ended bike trip.

I have a differing opinion of the frame bobins as most call the no drill "sliders". I picked them up of ebay for $29, and they already saved me ruinging my fairings. they mount to the fairing bolt. (the mount iunderneath is a 1/4 inch steel bracket, so it is a lot stronger than people think.

Make no mistake, if you drop your bike at any decent speed it is toast. BUT..... if you drop you bike when stopped or low speed as I did, the bobbin got a little scuffed up and nothing else was damaged. WELL worth it to me.

[image: View Post]Terminex, on Aug 30 2009, 12:07 AM, said:

I have a differing opinion of the frame bobins as most call the no drill "sliders". I picked them up of ebay for $29, and they already saved me ruinging my fairings. they mount to the fairing bolt. (the mount iunderneath is a 1/4 inch steel bracket, so it is a lot stronger than people think.

Make no mistake, if you drop your bike at any decent speed it is toast. BUT..... if you drop you bike when stopped or low speed as I did, the bobbin got a little scuffed up and nothing else was damaged. WELL worth it to me.


Good point, and I'd agree with you that a very low speed / no speed tipover can have less damage with SOMETHING on the bike.

I'll wait for the regulars that have wadded it up at higher or normal speeds - to comment on the value of a slider attached to an engine bolt / frame location.

[image: View Post]Kanadian Ken, on Aug 29 2009, 11:10 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Terminex, on Aug 30 2009, 12:07 AM, said:

I have a differing opinion of the frame bobins as most call the no drill "sliders". I picked them up of ebay for $29, and they already saved me ruinging my fairings. they mount to the fairing bolt. (the mount iunderneath is a 1/4 inch steel bracket, so it is a lot stronger than people think.

Make no mistake, if you drop your bike at any decent speed it is toast. BUT..... if you drop you bike when stopped or low speed as I did, the bobbin got a little scuffed up and nothing else was damaged. WELL worth it to me.


Good point, and I'd agree with you that a very low speed / no speed tipover can have less damage with SOMETHING on the bike.

I'll wait for the regulars that have wadded it up at higher or normal speeds - to comment on the value of a slider attached to an engine bolt / frame location.


Wow,

Fast replies here, keep 'em coming. OK so far e-bay is a source.....more specifics please. Thanks for the help, definately a great vfr site.

In case you didn't do a search - here is a link that might give you more specifics........

http://www.vfrdiscus...p...st&p=613155

[image: View Post]LEGEND, on Aug 30 2009, 12:21 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Kanadian Ken, on Aug 29 2009, 11:10 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Terminex, on Aug 30 2009, 12:07 AM, said:

I have a differing opinion of the frame bobins as most call the no drill "sliders". I picked them up of ebay for $29, and they already saved me ruinging my fairings. they mount to the fairing bolt. (the mount iunderneath is a 1/4 inch steel bracket, so it is a lot stronger than people think.

Make no mistake, if you drop your bike at any decent speed it is toast. BUT..... if you drop you bike when stopped or low speed as I did, the bobbin got a little scuffed up and nothing else was damaged. WELL worth it to me.


Good point, and I'd agree with you that a very low speed / no speed tipover can have less damage with SOMETHING on the bike.

I'll wait for the regulars that have wadded it up at higher or normal speeds - to comment on the value of a slider attached to an engine bolt / frame location.


Wow,

Fast replies here, keep 'em coming. OK so far e-bay is a source.....more specifics please. Thanks for the help, definately a great vfr site.

OK, after a while surfing the 'net it looks like Intuitive Race Products makes a no cut frame slider specifically for the VFR. I'll have to call them monday or shoot them an e-mail. Ebay has half a billion sliders listed for CBR's and the only thing remotely listed on e-bay for not cut sliders for vfr's looks like a "universal fit" device, not to promising.

I hear what folks are saying about Radars sliders but for now I want to exhaust the no cut option before I commit to holing my fairings. I knew the VFR was a rare bird but geez, it seems very few folks make basic things like no cut frame sliders for the bike.

Here are two options.
This 1st link has two different types... One is the mushroom that is fitted to side panel using panel to frame screw(as mentioned above for layovers/slow speed ; The other mounts to frame like most others but uses bolt just aft of side panel, and doesn't go though the panel.

On this 1st one if anyone knows how to order from this site other than phoning please let me know, thx.

http://www.thurn-mot...utz-rc46_1.html

These next three links look the same but they should open on different pages.
There's one that uses the frame swingarm axle to run a rod through so as to put sliders at the end.
But from seeing the aftermath of a few of our fellow members panels, and what it did to the slider base. Brings me this option
as to the design of some of the sliders IE; the long narrow ones vs the fat based ones.
Even the mushroom one above has a fat base to help from bending the slider support screw.
But there's one on here that has a fat base, which I'm thinking might work better without bending the slider which is moving into the side panel and cracking them.
These are some different options for thought.

I edited the other two out because they all go to the home page, as does this one.
So if you're interested you can fish though the site.

http://gsg-moto.de/

Any type of slider that does not mount through an engine mount bolt to the frame is all but worthless, and potentially a liability in any sort of a real get off. Just get a hole saw and drill the fairing, it is not difficult or complex in any way. Get Radar's sliders if you can, or if you are on a limited budget, the Motos are much better than any sort of "fairing slider" that mount to fairing stays. You can bend fairing stays with your fingers, and the areas they mount to are not designed to be structural supports so fortifying them is a really bad idea.

What about this one? It looks like it mounted to the frame.

http://www.thurn-mot...S036-gesamt.jpg

[image: View Post]Monk, on Aug 30 2009, 02:35 AM, said:

What about this one? It looks like it mounted to the frame.

http://www.thurn-mot...S036-gesamt.jpg

Mounted to the frame, but a terrible pivot point. All the weight is in front of that slider, so it will pivot the front down, and do little good, and potentially more damage than no slider at all. Won't do anything for your fairings in a 0 speed drop as they will still hit the ground, and will likely make the fairing crushing into the fuel tank, radiator, and frame effect during a real crash even worse.

The best frame slider location on a VFR is the front main engine mount bolt. It has a large ear off the frame, and goes through the engine (Radar and R&G use this). The second best place is the engine mount bolt slightly behind that one (Moto uses this). Anything else is just a waste.

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Aug 30 2009, 02:54 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Monk, on Aug 30 2009, 02:35 AM, said:

What about this one? It looks like it mounted to the frame.

http://www.thurn-mot...S036-gesamt.jpg

Mounted to the frame, but a terrible pivot point. All the weight is in front of that slider, so it will pivot the front down, and do little good, and potentially more damage than no slider at all. Won't do anything for your fairings in a 0 speed drop as they will still hit the ground, and will likely make the fairing crushing into the fuel tank, radiator, and frame effect during a real crash even worse.

The best frame slider location on a VFR is the front main engine mount bolt. It has a large ear off the frame, and goes through the engine (Radar and R&G use this). The second best place is the engine mount bolt slightly behind that one (Moto uses this). Anything else is just a waste.

OK... Thanks.... I was looking at the results of a couple of them, and the thing was ripped of at the base, and the other was bent into the panel..... It just seems that a fatter base may be a better answer..... I see what you mean about placement though. I've actually seen a few bikes that had more than one on each side.... and also these stunt bikes that have slider rails, If done right could possibly give the VFR a street fighter/sport look..... just thinking...

Here is another no cut option that you might have a look into...

http://www.promotome...a...C&Year=2007

[image: View Post]kirbster, on Aug 30 2009, 05:41 AM, said:

Here is another no cut option that you might have a look into...

http://www.promotome...a...C&Year=2007
Hard to tell without seeing one in person, but that looks like it is going to easily bend and puncture the radiator. A much better design with a similar concept are HPS sliders. They have a bar that mounts on both sides of the radiator and has a slider that sticks out in the same place. I was initially a bit skeptical, but Trace has them and said they are GTG. I believe he also put them up to a real world test.

I have been told that, like others have said, the sliders that do not use the frame bolt are inherently weaker, and may damage other components like the radiator.
I got R&G sliders and bar ends from ema-usa.com and am very happy with them. They're out of left-coast, but it was cheaper than buying them from England, where R&G stuff is real well known.

I understand that cutting into the frame is a pain, and truth-be-told, I started to dremel it on both sides, and wussed out and had a dealer in my area that I trust (amazingly there is ONE) do it for me. Unfortunately the cut is on a "crease" area so its a sort of 3-D, rounded-off-puptent-sort-of-affair. (OK so I quoted a Zappa song I like, but I digress)

good luck

ace57

I hope you weren't cutting your frame to install R&Gs :blink:

I found it was easiest to make the fairing holes with a hole saw. Mark the center location with the bolt, then drill through the spot with the pilot part of the hole saw, and it will keep the outside edges of the hole centered perfectly. Some marking tape on the paint side of the cut will minimize any paint breaking in the immediate area of the cutting.

http://imgs.tootoo.com/1c/28/1c2835f723d7e247c09b4ebe6a3468c1.jpg
I used one meant for wood with much finer teeth, but this is the first result on google images.

haha you got me jeremy, u know what i mean....! Fairings not frame :biggrin:

I also have Radar's sliders and when drilling the hole, I ran the drill in reverse and it didn't leave any rough edge like I was expecting. ANY slider can still fail if given the correct circumstances. But I like to support other members of VFRD if their services are equal to/or better than others.

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Aug 30 2009, 02:33 PM, said:

A much better design with a similar concept are HPS sliders. They have a bar that mounts on both sides of the radiator and has a slider that sticks out in the same place. I was initially a bit skeptical, but Trace has them and said they are GTG. I believe he also put them up to a real world test.
These are the HPS sliders, and yes, I "tested" the right side when I got on the brakes directly over that damned Caddy plastic hubcap and I slammed down hard and the bike slid 314 feet on concrete and never touched anything other than the concrete itself. Here's a pic from when I installed them.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p127/TracyValsi/BoltInterference.jpg
The heavy brackets on the HPS went in just far enough to touch the radiator but not really damage it. Fairings, bar end and case cover were trashed, slider was ground down to a nub. Here's the HPS unit just after my Caddy mishap.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p127/TracyValsi/CrashDamage.jpg
I did have a zero mph drop when four plumpish women dressed in pink on pink bikes came out of nowhere in a state park in Maine while I had the bars in full left lock to make a u-turn. Hit the brakes to keep from hiiting them (what a cluster that was!!) and couldn't get my left foot under me in time....dropped it to the left. Bike landed on slider and passenger peg....zero damage.

But I really don't think that bracket-type sliders are the way to go. It makes more sense to dril the fairing and fhave the slider take the load onto a solid frame/engine mount. I mean......if you want to protect the fairing from bullshieeot scuffs in garage drop scenarios, it's much better to have proper sliders. After all, what do you want....scuffed fairings and damaged pegs, exhaust, shifter, brake, or to you want to nicely drill the fairings and have nice looking sliders poking out? I put proper sliders on my RC and drilled those precious fairings, so you know what I think.

Oh....getting the HPS units in the USA is hard to do. I don't know anyone who sells them stateside. I got mine from a guy that ordered two sets from England for some reason, and sold me one of them at a discount price. But try getting replacements if you "use" the sliders!! I made new bobbins using some big replacements for a Yammie that I cut to the proper shape on a lathe.

I have the "Motovation" Frame Sliders, and they have already saved me in a 0mph driveway-drop.

These are fairing-drill specials though, but even then at high speed your fairing is still going to cop it. Somebody here posted about three years ago that during a high speed drop, the slider clipped a hole in the road and ripped off completely, taking a huge chunk of the fairing with it as it went.

You gotta consider them "damage minimisation" tools rather than "no damage". In a low speed drop, the damage bill can go down from $3,000 in parts to less than $500. Of particular benefit is not damaging the front fairing, because it costs as much as the side fairing and this is where you suddenly find the costs go through the roof.

[image: View Post]kaldek, on Aug 30 2009, 11:30 PM, said:

You gotta consider them "damage minimisation" tools rather than "no damage".
True that. And maybe it's better to say "Damage minimisation if you're really lucky and the ONE situation occurs, out of the hundreds of possible situations, that allows the slider to protect your precious fairings." But you can kiss the damn mirror goodbye! :laugh:

As one of my physics professors used to say: Gravity Sucks.

[image: View Post]kaldek, on Aug 30 2009, 11:30 PM, said:

I have the "Motovation" Frame Sliders, and they have already saved me in a 0mph driveway-drop.

These are fairing-drill specials though, but even then at high speed your fairing is still going to cop it. Somebody here posted about three years ago that during a high speed drop, the slider clipped a hole in the road and ripped off completely, taking a huge chunk of the fairing with it as it went.

You gotta consider them "damage minimisation" tools rather than "no damage". In a low speed drop, the damage bill can go down from $3,000 in parts to less than $500. Of particular benefit is not damaging the front fairing, because it costs as much as the side fairing and this is where you suddenly find the costs go through the roof.
+1 They are Frame Sliders, not Fairing Sliders. They are meant to minimize damage to the frame, radiators, fuel tank, and other, really expensive parts. If you have a get off above 5mph the side fairing is going to be trashed no matter what.

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Aug 30 2009, 11:39 PM, said:

+1 They are Frame Sliders, not Fairing Sliders. They are meant to minimize damage to the frame, radiators, fuel tank, and other, really expensive parts. If you have a get off above 5mph the side fairing is going to be trashed no matter what.
Yep. Totally agree.

I had a fairly slow speed drop...Slider killed fairing, but nothing else really touched.

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu93/tightwad/8-26-09wreck004.jpg

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu93/tightwad/8-26-09wreck.jpg

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu93/tightwad/8-26-09wreck003.jpg

[image: View Post]kaldek, on Aug 30 2009, 10:30 PM, said:

I have the "Motovation" Frame Sliders, and they have already saved me in a 0mph driveway-drop.

These are fairing-drill specials though, but even then at high speed your fairing is still going to cop it. Somebody here posted about three years ago that during a high speed drop, the slider clipped a hole in the road and ripped off completely, taking a huge chunk of the fairing with it as it went.

You gotta consider them "damage minimisation" tools rather than "no damage". In a low speed drop, the damage bill can go down from $3,000 in parts to less than $500. Of particular benefit is not damaging the front fairing, because it costs as much as the side fairing and this is where you suddenly find the costs go through the roof.

I agree with your point about the sliders minimizing damage. Tightwad just posted up a thread the other day where his right side fairing is now toast because the slider ccaught the ground in the fall and was ripped off.

I am OK with people shareing theior opinion about the different sliders they have used, but I do get a little pissed off when people say that the sliders I have are worthless. To me they are worth the cost of a new right side fairing since that is what they saved in a 2 MPH drop.

Will they save the fairing in a faster speed drop, NO. the problem with that logic though is that the full sliders like the Radar's sliders will not save your fairing either.

I think when someone is looking for these, they need to really examine what they want them for. If it is like me to protect from driveway drops (these are what i call any drop below 5 MPH) then the "bobbins" are great as they do not require any drilling, and give good cheap protection.

I cannot advise on what to get / use for higher speed incidents as I do not have any firsthand experience as to what will make a positive difference in these falls.

Good luck:-)

[image: View Post]Trace, on Aug 30 2009, 11:19 PM, said:

I did have a zero mph drop when four plumpish women dressed in pink on pink bikes came out of nowhere in a state park in Maine while I had the bars in full left lock to make a u-turn. Hit the brakes to keep from hiiting them (what a cluster that was!!) and couldn't get my left foot under me in time....dropped it. Bike landed on slider and passenger peg....zero damage.

OUCH! I must be tripping. Sorry that happened, Trace! :ohmy:

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Aug 30 2009, 02:16 AM, said:

Any type of slider that does not mount through an engine mount bolt to the frame is all but worthless, and potentially a liability in any sort of a real get off. Just get a hole saw and drill the fairing, it is not difficult or complex in any way. Get Radar's sliders if you can, or if you are on a limited budget, the Motos are much better than any sort of "fairing slider" that mount to fairing stays. You can bend fairing stays with your fingers, and the areas they mount to are not designed to be structural supports so fortifying them is a really bad idea.

J:

I assume you run Radar's sliders then?

P

[image: View Post]dendron, on Aug 30 2009, 11:48 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Trace, on Aug 30 2009, 11:19 PM, said:

I did have a zero mph drop when four plumpish women dressed in pink on pink bikes came out of nowhere in a state park in Maine while I had the bars in full left lock to make a u-turn. Hit the brakes to keep from hiiting them (what a cluster that was!!) and couldn't get my left foot under me in time....dropped it. Bike landed on slider and passenger peg....zero damage.

OUCH! I must be tripping. Sorry that happened, Trace! :ohmy:

Sondance was there. He saw 'em too, so both of us must havel been on the same mushrooms. It was VERY strange, and you can imagine the reaction of the Pink Gang when a dangerous, murderous sportbike guy, dressed in solid black (I didn't have my pink leathers on that Maine trip!) falls in front of them and goes tumbling off his bright yellow "Ninja" motorcycle, cursing as he tumbles a few revolutions. I wished I could have gotten a pic of their faces during one of those tumbles: Fear, loathing, disgust, hatred....and fear. And of course, they were suddenly all over the place, scattering, weaving around me, bobbling on their pink seats.....looking like four pink ducks that just had a cursing black dog land in the middle of them. It was a little bizzare. Bizarre stuff happens to me when Sondance is around.

http://www.oppracing...2-2007/#image_1


Thanks for all the advice. I'm looking for something that will minimize damage in a low speed spill. Frankly I'm a more concerned about my well being in the event of a high speed off rather than the state of my bike. My bikes have full coverage for that kind of action anyway. I also found the lightech frame sliders as well but from reading some of the previous posts there seems to be some disagreement as to their ability to provide proper protection. Thanks again for all the help, I'll check out all the options and make a move this week.

Some links in replies that got me to thinking. I had sliders on my ZRX1200R that I removed before I sold it. So I pulled them out and tossed one on. I'll need to get a little longer bolts but do you think they'd help? The side I'm showing is the most difficult side. I think I could grind an angle in the steel backing so that I could rotate it clockwise, which will then move it forward a little. I could add a half inch spacer to the barrel but that might make it a little weak, currently it's all one welded piece.

What do you think?


http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_180954.jpg
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_324295.jpg
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_356094.jpg
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_202561.jpg

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Aug 30 2009, 11:39 PM, said:

[image: View Post]kaldek, on Aug 30 2009, 11:30 PM, said:

I have the "Motovation" Frame Sliders, and they have already saved me in a 0mph driveway-drop.

These are fairing-drill specials though, but even then at high speed your fairing is still going to cop it. Somebody here posted about three years ago that during a high speed drop, the slider clipped a hole in the road and ripped off completely, taking a huge chunk of the fairing with it as it went.

You gotta consider them "damage minimisation" tools rather than "no damage". In a low speed drop, the damage bill can go down from $3,000 in parts to less than $500. Of particular benefit is not damaging the front fairing, because it costs as much as the side fairing and this is where you suddenly find the costs go through the roof.
+1 They are Frame Sliders, not Fairing Sliders. They are meant to minimize damage to the frame, radiators, fuel tank, and other, really expensive parts. If you have a get off above 5mph the side fairing is going to be trashed no matter what.

Motovations, here, too.
1, 0 drop, left.
1, 0 drop, (Run over by old pud, while in parking lot, at work).

One can always add automotive door trim, to the holes, to spruce it up.

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1166200462/gallery_2922_2278_127558.jpg

That whole damn, "sheer point", delema.

On topic.

To protect the frame, and possibly be able to pick it up and ride it home, there is no real choice. Cut the holes. Be careful, and you will never regret it.

All else if an issue of futility.

[image: View Post]Pete McCrary, on Aug 30 2009, 11:55 PM, said:

I assume you run Radar's sliders then?
R&G, which I think are the second best option as they use the same engine bolt as Radar's which I think it is the strongest and best balance point. I have had the R&G since before Radar started making them.

I like Radar's better because they are easily removable on the side of the road if you need to take off your right fairing to disconnect your fried R/R, and they have a larger surface area to slide on, so they should slide longer before being worn off (I wore off my R&G in a fast crash that the bike never left the track when sliding).

[image: View Post]coderighter, on Aug 31 2009, 12:38 AM, said:

Some links in replies that got me to thinking. I had sliders on my ZRX1200R that I removed before I sold it. So I pulled them out and tossed one on. I'll need to get a little longer bolts but do you think they'd help? The side I'm showing is the most difficult side. I think I could grind an angle in the steel backing so that I could rotate it clockwise, which will then move it forward a little. I could add a half inch spacer to the barrel but that might make it a little weak, currently it's all one welded piece.

What do you think?
They might help, but all of the weight is in front of the sliders, so the bike will tilt forward and I think the fairing will still get crushed into the frame, fuel tank, and radiator.

Had the slider not snapped, the damage would have been so minimal as to be impossible to see...only after the slider broke did the bar end, front fairing and side fairing touch the ground. Had I not had the slider the entire left side would be well rashed..I was going ~25 when the bike went down, so a fair amount of sliding happened.

I agree with Jeremy on the pivot point. If as terminex specified the drop is straight down, the bobbins may be all that is needed. I don't find the hole I had to cut to be very big, and they look pretty good.

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Aug 31 2009, 09:09 AM, said:

Had the slider not snapped, the damage would have been so minimal as to be impossible to see...only after the slider broke did the bar end, front fairing and side fairing touch the ground. Had I not had the slider the entire left side would be well rashed..I was going ~25 when the bike went down, so a fair amount of sliding happened.
Did the slider impact something on the ground when sliding? They have to be designed with a fairly low shear strength, otherwise you risk bending or breaking the frame when it catches a curb or some other immovable object.

[image: View Post]coderighter, on Aug 31 2009, 12:38 AM, said:

Some links in replies that got me to thinking. I had sliders on my ZRX1200R that I removed before I sold it. So I pulled them out and tossed one on. I'll need to get a little longer bolts but do you think they'd help? The side I'm showing is the most difficult side. I think I could grind an angle in the steel backing so that I could rotate it clockwise, which will then move it forward a little. I could add a half inch spacer to the barrel but that might make it a little weak, currently it's all one welded piece.

What do you think?


http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_180954.jpg
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_324295.jpg
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_356094.jpg
http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/uploads/1251607521/gallery_15527_4897_202561.jpg
It looks good enough, but there are several problems with these as far as I can see:
1 - Wrong place. As Jeremy's been saying, in a fall, these sliders will tip the bike forward onto the front of the fairing and the radiator, decreasing your chances of riding away.
2 - Too close to your ankles. I seem to recall one of the members here had his ankle broken by one of these sliders in a low-speed tip-over. Not fun.
3 - Not a straight-through design. This introduces a lever that will act to bend the part that attaches directly to the frame. It will work to some extent, but will bend more easily. This could however prove somewhat advantageous, b/c you want these things to brake off before any damage to the frame is done.

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Aug 31 2009, 08:28 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Aug 31 2009, 09:09 AM, said:

Had the slider not snapped, the damage would have been so minimal as to be impossible to see...only after the slider broke did the bar end, front fairing and side fairing touch the ground. Had I not had the slider the entire left side would be well rashed..I was going ~25 when the bike went down, so a fair amount of sliding happened.
Did the slider impact something on the ground when sliding? They have to be designed with a fairly low shear strength, otherwise you risk bending or breaking the frame when it catches a curb or some other immovable object.

Only the ground was impacted, then the dirt when it slid off the road. It is hard to say if it would have been better to stay attached, when shearing off it cause some damage to the mounting point as one would expect. I don't fault the design, and i will install another set....just noting my observations. I think a shorter slider would be better as it would provide less leverage for the shearing, and thus hopefully more opportunity to slide.

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Aug 31 2009, 12:16 PM, said:

I think a shorter slider would be better as it would provide less leverage for the shearing, and thus hopefully more opportunity to slide.
Which is exactly why the highly-engineered sliders that are UNDER the BMW K-bike's fairings would be so effective in preventing damage to the REALLY expensive and ride-ending stuff. The short, beefy, ugly, mushroom-shaped slider keeps those items from getting impact damage, and the fairing actually keeps the slider from digging into anything. Point is....BMW's take on the FRAME slider concept is the correct one: Sacrifice the cheap, easily replaceable plastics to save what really counts underneath.

Having sliders that are poking out in the breeze are going to get snapped off, period. There's tremendous forces at work when you have 450 lbs of bike sliding along the rough road surface, being supported by the sides of two tires (hopefully) and one slider held in place by a 3/8ths bolt screwed into a questionable location in the first place!

BMW K-1200S slider that is under the fairing:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p127/TracyValsi/bmwslider002.jpg
Notice how it's angled to the frame contact area so that the impact load will be spread over a wide area AND to add strength to the joint between slider and frame:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p127/TracyValsi/bmwslider003.jpg

[image: View Post]Rice, on Aug 31 2009, 09:55 AM, said:

2 - Too close to your ankles. I seem to recall one of the members here had his ankle broken by one of these sliders in a low-speed tip-over. Not fun.
+1. That's what I was thinking about some of the no-cut sliders. In certain types of crashes you might break your leg on one of the sliders, as they are too far rearward and very long.

+1 on sliders being damage 'minimizers' and not a total preventive measure. ;)

I have R&G sliders. Cutting the fairings is a PITA, but worth it IMO. I think Radar's and R&G's sliders look good, too, and maybe even make the bike look a bit sportier. Much better looking than the no-cut versions, but hey that's just my $0.02.

BTW, I used a Dremel on my fairings for this. Sand a little, check the hole, sand a little check the hole, etc. It took awhile but they came out perfect. Using a hole saw would be much better, but I was content to use the Dremel instead.

I've dropped my VFR twice on its right side.:
-1st drop was in the garage without the sliders - just bent front brake lever and rear brake pedal and one small scratch. But it was laying flat on its side and was tough to pick up alone.
-2nd drop was on the street at 1 or 2 mph with the sliders installed. Bent rear brake pedal but no other damage and the bike was much easier to pick up since it was laying mostly flat but at a bit of an angle.

BMW's idea makes a lot of sense, Trace. Nice bit of engineering there. :fing02:

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Aug 31 2009, 08:45 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Pete McCrary, on Aug 30 2009, 11:55 PM, said:

I assume you run Radar's sliders then?
R&G, which I think are the second best option as they use the same engine bolt as Radar's which I think it is the strongest and best balance point. I have had the R&G since before Radar started making them.

I like Radar's better because they are easily removable on the side of the road if you need to take off your right fairing to disconnect your fried R/R, and they have a larger surface area to slide on, so they should slide longer before being worn off (I wore off my R&G in a fast crash that the bike never left the track when sliding).

Jeremy:

Do you have a pic of your sliders you can post?

Pete

[image: View Post]Pete McCrary, on Aug 31 2009, 05:20 PM, said:

Do you have a pic of your sliders you can post?
Of course...
http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr260/Jeremy556/Jennings/PA210104.jpg
This is the first time I crash tested the R&Gs. Another thing I like about Radar's is it will be a lot easier to remove after a good slide. As you can see here, there is no longer a nut to remove the sliders from the engine mount bolt. Removal involved angle grinders, hammers, chisels, and lots of foul language.