Motovation frame sliders fitted

[kaldek]

I have just finished fitting my Motovation brand frame sliders to my VTEC. It was a pretty easy job in the end - so long as you have the cojones to drill your fairing you should be right as rain.

Here is a quick rundown.

Tools you will need:

- Dremel with grinding wheel or sanding drum

- 54mm hole saw (for radiator bottle)

- 51mm hole saw (for fairing)

- Some silicon sealant

What you will receive:

Two frame sliders (identical)

Two mounting bolts (one longer than the other - this is normal!)

Make sure the bike is on the centrestand on a level surface so that you don't drill holes on funny angles!

Stage 1 - The coolant bottle!

Fair dinkum, this is the hardest part of the job, which is a good thing because your fairings are what you want to worry about.

First, start by removing your fairings. On the left-side of the bike, we need to mark where to drill the hole in the coolant bottle, so remove the bottle and then loosen the engine mounting bolt. Mark the tip of the bolt with paint or something else that will create a good mark, and spin the bolt out a little. Re-mount the coolant bottle and push it up against the bolt-head so that the bottle gets marked with the paint. Remove the bottle and then mark the middle of the circle of paint.

Take the bottle to a flat surface, and use a 54mm holesaw to drill a hole right through the bottle - using the centre of the painted circle as your pilot marker.

You now need to fill this hole in with a cylinder/sleeve of some sort. I used the cap from a spray can, which I cut down to size by slicing right through it and sliding it into the hole even though it overlapped itself a bit. Once I could see how much to remove, I cut it so that there was only a 5mm overlap, and then glued this cylinder of plastic back together before sliding it back into the coolant bottle.

It is unlikely you will find a plastic that will readily glue to the plastic that the coolant bottle is made of, so I recommend using silicon. It's waterproof and rubbery so that the join won't crack during vibration. Once the silicon dries, fill the bottle with water and see if it leaks. Note that if your cylinder/sleeve is made of thick plastic, you may need to enlarge the 54mm hole in the bottle so that the frame slider still fits through it!

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Radiator bottle - drilled with 54mm hole saw

Stage 2 - the fairings

Remove the existing engine mounting bolts and install the new bolts. The long bolt goes on the left-side by the way! Leaving the bolts loose, put the fairings back on the bike but only secure them using the bolt at the bottom of the fairing. This will ensure the fairing is in the right place and secure, but can still be "lifted away" from the frame so that you can get your hands behind it. You will also need to remove the coolant overflow bottle at this time if you have re-fitted it.

Using a soft-lead pencil, get your hands behind the fairing and spin out the new bolts until they touch the inside of the fairing. Carefully use the pencil to mark around the bolt head. Remove the fairing and then mark the centre of the circle you have just drawn with the pencil.

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Pilot Hole marker

Now drill from the inside out using a small (3mm or so) drill bit as your pilot hole. The picture below shows the hole after I have just re-mounted the fairing.

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Pilot Hole - drill from inside out

Have a close look at the picture below. The hole saw centre bit fits inside the head of the bolt. This is an excellent way of centering your drill bit! With the new bolts still installed, mount the fairings securely and drill your pilot hole out to about 6mm. If you've marked the pilot hole correctly, the hole should be perfectly in line with the frame slider mounting bolts. If the hole is off a little, slowly grind your way towards lining up with the bolt by pushing the the 6mm drill bit sideways. Be aware that this takes a little while because the drill bit is obviously not designed to cut sideways! However because it's so slow, it's quite safe.

Also, you may note that the bolt has "12.9" stamped on it. This refers to the strength grading of the steel, which you can read more about at the Motovation website.

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Centering your drill

Ensure the bike is on its centrestand and on a level surface. Using your pilot holes you made in the fairing, drill the final hole in the fairing using a 51mm (2 inch) holesaw. This is the perfect size (and I mean perfect) for the motovation sliders.

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Left-small.JPG

If your new hole is a bit off-centre or a bit tight, use your Dremel to make the hole slightly larger or to add a bit of clearance. Personally, I found that I drilled the holes about 1mm too far forward and had to grind the back of the hole out a bit. The hole ended up a tad elliptical, but you can't tell!

Looks good!

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Right-small.jpg

You can see the slight imperfections in the hole at this distance.

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Closeup of left slider

Many thanks to Das Bone for the advice on fitting methods!

Kaldek

[Guest oz-e]

Must be the season. I also just fitted mine after having them for over 9 months.

The only difference I did was that I used 'Blu Tack', I think you guys might know it as 'Silly Putty' or similar, to mark where to drill. Just stick it lightly on the engine mount bolts, refit the fairing or bottle & tap them against the bolt with 'putty' on it. It then sticks to the fairng/bottle with a neat impression of the bolt hole. Just use a straight edge of some sort to draw a few diagonals to find the centre & then drill a small pilot hole.

I'm now waiting for my fairings to be returned from local smash repairers after having the rash from 2 stationary drops, filled & painted. The reason for the sliders after all ... :D

Oh BTW I've told the repairers to spray the black section between the headlights red as well. So I'll have the new '06 body coloured section ... :wheel:

Dave

Edited October 24, 2005 by oz-e

[apj]

I fitted mine about 2 months ago and boy I am sure glad I did since I dropped it about 2 weeks later while waiting at some lights (I had dropped it a number of times before fitting the sliders but always got away with minimum damage).

The only thing is, when I drilled the fairings I missed the mark by about 1 cm on the right side and 0.5cm on the left. I had to dremel the holes a bit wider but now they look fairly poxy. Given the angle of the fairings at the point where the sliders go I'm almost certain they can't be repaired. Oh well :wheel:

One piece of advice for anyone going to fit them, you should be able to get PVC piping from your local hardware store that exactly fits the frame sliders through with no room to spare. This is what I used for the coolant bottle mod.

[kaldek]

One piece of advice for anyone going to fit them, you should be able to get PVC piping from your local hardware store that exactly fits the frame sliders through with no room to spare.  This is what I used for the coolant bottle mod.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah that's standard 50mm PVC pipe. I went through the local "Bunnings" (the biggest hardware chain where I live) with one of the sliders, looking for solutions. The PVC pipe seemed to be the best solution at the time, but then I decided not to use it for the following reasons:

1. The fit was so tight that any mistakes in fitting it would cause problems

2. The PVC pipe is very rigid and has no give in it. Coupled with the extremely tight fit, I was worried that vibration might break whatever glue seal I put in place to keep the coolant water in.

Kaldek

[Guest zenwhipper]

I thought there was an option to purchase a smaller coolant bottle with these sliders? No? Was it some other companies sliders?

thx

zw

[chonsey]

Has anyone used the smaller bottle and had any over heating issues?

[ProMed]

Thanks for the great article! I purchased a spare coolant bottle a few months ago off eBay and plan to do this mod in the future. I appreciate it!

[kaldek]

Has anyone used the smaller bottle and had any over heating issues?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Moko brand (GSG Moto) frame sliders have an optional coolant bottle mod - it's a very small (less than 500ml) tank. Every time I've read about installation, people seem to have decided not to use the small tank because they are worried about overflow. I think the only way to be sure is to get your bike really hot (so that the fans are seriously working out) and watch what happens to your existing coolant bottle; i.e. does it fill up or do nothing.

Kaldek

[kaldek]

Just use a straight edge of some sort to draw a few diagonals to find the centre & then drill a small pilot hole.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Geez, Mr. Technical! I was lazy and just guessed the center of the circle by eye. I bet your holes were a tad more accurate than mine though.

By the way, did you use anything to seal the inside of the hole where the paint meeds the bare plastic? I'm a bit concerned that over time the paint will start to peel away because it finishes at a hard edge rather than wrapping around?

Kaldek

[kaldek]

I fitted mine about 2 months ago and boy I am sure glad I did since I dropped it about 2 weeks later while waiting at some lights (I had dropped it a number of times before fitting the sliders but always got away with minimum damage).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you dropped it with the frame sliders on, what parts of the bike touched down? I assume it would have been mirror, bar-end, and the slider?

Kaldek

[kaldek]

I thought there was an option to purchase a smaller coolant bottle with these sliders? No? Was it some other companies sliders?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, it's the GSG Moto (Moko) frame sliders that come with the optional bottle.

Kaldek

[Das Bone]

The Moko brand (GSG Moto) frame sliders have an optional coolant bottle mod - it's a very small (less than 500ml) tank.  Every time I've read about installation, people seem to have decided not to use the small tank because they are worried about overflow.  I think the only way to be sure is to get your bike really hot (so that the fans are seriously working out) and watch what happens to your existing coolant bottle; i.e. does it fill up or do nothing.

Kaldek

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've got one that I didn't/haven't used and it holds about 300ml at the top which is the amount that the OEM bottle holds at the "low" level mark.

[chonsey]

I've got one that I didn't/haven't used and it holds about 300ml at the top which is the amount that the OEM bottle holds at the "low" level mark.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not to hijack the thread, but has anyone actually known someone who has had their smaller bottle explode, ignite or fail in some way?

[Guest steveefer]

Nice write-up. I preformed this install this past Spring but didn't think to take photos, so nice to see a well done example like yours. My sliders fit great but luckily never had to test them yet. Cheers.

[teleskier]

WOW...these sliders must use a different engine bolt than the one on my 03 VFR. Your hole in the bottle and fairing is a lot different than where mine is. Is there more than one engine bolt? My hole takes out the upper left corner of the water bottle as you are looking at it on the bike. Mine were the R&G sliders.

[Guest Bodie]

WOW...these sliders must use a different engine bolt than the one on my 03 VFR. Your hole in the bottle and fairing is a lot different than where mine is.? Is there more than one engine bolt?? My hole takes out the upper left corner of the water bottle as you are looking at it on the bike.? Mine were the R&G sliders.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, the R&G sliders use a bolt in the forward bank of cylinders and the MV sliders use a bolt in the rear bank. I did mine this weekend also, taking the hole saw to the fairings was scary but it came out great.

Edited October 25, 2005 by Bodie

[Guest Swiffer]

What kind of steel are the bolts made of? Are there any markings?

Any pics of just the kit uninstalled? Or know where I can find one?

[Guest oz-e]

What kind of steel are the bolts made of? Are there any markings?

Any pics of just the kit uninstalled? Or know where I can find one?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unlike the standard bolts the MV bolts have a 8mm hex socket head. Although difficult to make out with my old eyes, the markings appear to be FKE & 12.9 ... or something like that : P

I got mine from

AF1racing.com

There's a good pick of the kit there.

They shipped to Australia no probs

Dave

[Guest none]

I had 2 50km/hr+ & 80km/hr+ low skid on my vtec with the motovation sliders.

Luckily I was without my panniers.

The damages I had were:

Scratched LHS head cowling and side cowling.

Scratched front brake lever.

Bent rear brake pedal.

Slider mounting screw was bent.

I think a quarter of the slider was gone.

Surprisingly mirror, bar-end and tank were not affected.

The main impart were on the slider and head cowling.

When you dropped it with the frame sliders on, what parts of the bike touched down?  I assume it would have been mirror, bar-end, and the slider?

Kaldek

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[kaldek]

I had 2 50km/hr+ & 80km/hr+ low skid on my vtec with the motovation sliders.

Luckily I was without my panniers.

The damages I had were:

Scratched LHS head cowling and side cowling.

Scratched front brake lever.

Bent rear brake pedal.

Slider mounting screw was bent.

I think a quarter of the slider was gone.

Surprisingly mirror, bar-end and tank were not affected.

The main impart were on the slider and head cowling.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you say "LHS head cowling and side cowling", do you mean the very bits of fairing that the slider is supposed to protect?

I suppose as long as the tank isn't damaged that takes a lot of the worry out, but then 80km/h is pretty fast and I'd expect to see major damage regardless at that speed.

[Guest VFRFun]

Question for those that bought the Motovation kit for 02+ VFR. Did you have two different length bolts in the kit.

I got mine several days ago and have two different length bolts. Just wanted to confirm before I go through the installation and realize I have to get other parts and drive around with holes in my fairing.

Kaldek, thanks for the photo write up. It's especially welcome since we lost Das Bone's from the database.

[kaldek]

Question for those that bought the Motovation kit for 02+ VFR.  Did you have two different length bolts in the kit.

I got mine several days ago and have two different length bolts.  Just wanted to confirm before I go through the installation and realize I have to get other parts and drive around with holes in my fairing.

Kaldek, thanks for the photo write up.  It's especially welcome since we lost Das Bone's from the database.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes the bolts are meant to be of different lengths. The left-side bolt is longer due to the way the engine bolts to the frame there. I have updated my HowTo post above to make this more clear.

Honestly, Motovation USA really need to state this on their website because I think a few people have asked them this question repeatedly!

Kaldek

[Guest oz-e]

Yes the bolts are meant to be of different lengths.  The left-side bolt is longer due to the way the engine bolts to the frame there.  I have updated my HowTo post above to make this more clear.

Honestly, Motovation USA really need to state this on their website because I think a few people have asked them this question repeatedly!

Kaldek

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmmm ... Kaldek I honestly thought that it is the right side bolt that is the longer one. But then again it could be another case of old age short term memory loss. Anyway, they are definately different lengths & you'll work out which one fits where easily enough.

Dave

[Das Bone]

Kaldek asked me to put some of the pics form my MV install up so here's a few.

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

100_0010.JPG

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

100_0008.JPG MV Frame slider install

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Finished MV slider install

He also asked for a pic of my coolant bottle so I'll put the original one up here, but I did have to redo the sealant as the stuff I used started to leak after a while <_<

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Coolant bottle mod #2

border='0' alt='user posted image' />

Coolant bottle mod for MV frame sliders

[kaldek]

Hmmmm ... Kaldek I honestly thought that it is the right side bolt that is the longer one. But then again it could be another case of old age short term memory loss. Anyway, they are definately different lengths & you'll work out which one fits where easily enough.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nup, definitely longer on the left-side. If you try and use the shorter bolt on the left, it won't even screw in because the thread on the bolt doesn't reach the thread in the engine casing. This is with the frame slider in place of course.

Kaldek