Why Are Frame Sliders Not Popular For Vfrs?

[Guest 23sigma]

I'm fairly new to VFRs but I've noticed that most of the bikes here do not have frame sliders. Is there a particular reason for this? Coming from a SS bike, everyone seemed to have sliders...

I searched around and found Oggy Knob Sliders to be pretty good. Are they worth the $300?

[Duc2V4]

To answer the $300 question here is a post on their capabilities. http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/75005-do-oggy-knob-frame-sliders-workyes-they-do/?hl=knobs

Not sure why they are not as popular as on SS bikes, as the cost to replace fairings on these bikes can be pricey. I was thinking about getting the Oggy knobs for my '09, but decided to get other mods done as well as acquire other needed items first. Most of the other options do require cutting the fairings.

[Olive]

I think the main reason is that most options require cutting the fairings. I know at least three members here who have purchased frame sliders and have been a little shy to install them when they start to think about cutting into their pristine fairings. (quite understandably).

The no-cut option definitely makes it a lot more tenable.

[Guest]

and if you do happen to drop the bike they would damage the alloy frame and the insurance would right it off

[Guest]

and if you do happen to drop the bike they would damage the alloy frame and the insurance would right it off

Interesting comment. I wonder how true this is.

Maybe I should just get ebay fairings and keep the stock fairing stored at home. If anything happens the ebay fairings will be cheap to replace. But the side mounted radiators won't be cheap to fix.

[vfrmike06]

I installed a set of R-G Racing frame sliders on my 06 VFR. Dropping the bike on its right side while in my garage the first day I got it convinced me it was worth it =( I get where people are coming from in terms of cutting their fairings, but to me, frame sliders aren't things you'll put on and take off on a whim. If I'm getting frame sliders, once they're on, they're on, I'm committed. As long as the install is clean, it doesn't make a difference to me whether or not the fairings were cut.

There's a couple of really good install guides on VFRD, and I took their advice on using a Dremel instead of a hole saw like R-G says. As long as you mark the lines, cut a bit, check, cut a bit, check, etc. and proceed slowly, you should be able to get a nice, clean install that doesn't look cut at all. I can post pics later if you want.

eBay fairings - I've read a lot of stories on the poor quality of eBay/knock-off fairings, holes don't quite line up, fit isn't right, etc., so wouldn't necessarily count on using those. Do a quick search on the forums and you'll probably find those stories.

[emoyer]

I have the R&G ones. I installed them myself. I am not a wonderful mechanic but it was not too bad. Yes, you have to make holes in the fairing but the instructions are pretty good about helping you get the hole in the right place, and for cutting it I recommend using are large spade bit and just turning it with your hand, not putting it in a drill. I think they cost about $225 delivered, from twisted throttle. The kit comes with a replacement coolant bottle to provide clearance, and doing that was not bad either.

I don't mean to argue, but I question whether a low speed drop with the frame sliders would actually damage the frame, because the sliders mount on a bolt that goes all the way thru the engine. In a high speed drop you have lots of other kinds of damage anyway. They are meant to lessen damage to plastic, levers, turn signals, etc in minor incidents and I can say from first hand experience that they do.

[luvtoleanit]

I have them on mine and every bike I own.

[Rice]

I think that by the time you buy them, cut your ferrings to install them, and considering the fact that they are only really meant to protect from a tipover, it is almost not worth it on the VFR.

On other bikes, the installation may not call for cutting holes in the ferrings, which is a big advantage.

I had them on my old VFR. Bought them not because I needed them, but because I was impressed by the workmanship and ingenuity of one of the members here who made them at the time.

They were extremely effective at doing what they were designed to do - saving the bike parts fromo tipopver damage. But when it came time for a more serious test, one of them folded. As was expected, BTW.

So, if you are going down at speed, don't expect any slider to hold up.

[vfrmike06]

There's a thread floating around here of someone who low-sided with the R-G sliders at the track doing something like 90mph. Pics showed the sliders ground down to the bolt but the rest of the bike looked amazing. I'll try to dig it up, but I was sold after seeing that.

[carlgustav]

I'm a believer in frame sliders as well. 3 low-sides at the track on my Aprilia and the frame mounted sliders did a great job, didn't hurt the alloy frame so I don't know what that post is about? One low-side on the street on my VFR and its frame slider helped minimize damage, although this crash was very minor, low speed, & I ended up in a field of grass . Neither set of sliders require cutting the bodywork ...

I have these on my VFR:

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/lightech-frame-sliders-honda-vfr800-interceptor-20002-2006

[ridered]

I would rather spend time and money riding. I'm short (5'5"), so I dropped the bike twice, but on a 13 year old bike, what is a few scratches? Also, I would say most VFR owners on here are more experience riders who are probably more careful and reserved due to their years of riding (we are older in general).

That being said, I would get them if they were 30 bucks and bolt on. Not worth 300 on an older bike, and I'm too busy to fuss with a complicated install.

[Guest]

The Oggy Knobs are no cut and as Duc2V4 mentioned, a member here lowsided at around 50mph the sliders held up well. It's about $270 shipped from Australia, $50 more than R&Gs, but it's no cut so it might be worth the extra $$$.

I will probably get it to protect against tip overs. I ride to work, last month some idiot on a bicycle fell into a scooter and knocked over 3 other bikes (the 4th one was a Harley it held it's ground even with a BMW R1200R leaned against it)

I'm a believer in frame sliders as well. 3 low-sides at the track on my Aprilia and the frame mounted sliders did a great job, didn't hurt the alloy frame so I don't know what that post is about? One low-side on the street on my VFR and its frame slider helped minimize damage, although this crash was very minor, low speed, & I ended up in a field of grass . Neither set of sliders require cutting the bodywork ...

I have these on my VFR:

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/lightech-frame-sliders-honda-vfr800-interceptor-20002-2006

Edit: Some members said these sliders mount too far back which from the pics I can find appears to be true.

[Duc2V4]

I would rather spend time and money riding. I'm short (5'5"), so I dropped the bike twice, but on a 13 year old bike, what is a few scratches? Also, I would say most VFR owners on here are more experience riders who are probably more careful and reserved due to their years of riding (we are older in general).

That being said, I would get them if they were 30 bucks and bolt on. Not worth 300 on an older bike, and I'm too busy to fuss with a complicated install.

Being more experienced does help, but that does not guarantee that you won't go down! I think the Oggy knobs are only available for the 6 Gens so, a lot newer than 13YO, and if your a non US resident, that could meant you have a 2013 VFR800, as they are still being sold outside the US and Canada.

[vfrmike06]

Sigma23 - looks like you're in my hood, let me know if you want help/advice on the install when you get them.

[luvtoleanit]

I knocked my R1 off the rear pitbull trying to torque the rear axle down once. Yamaha's torque figures for some things are absurd (I was trying to get to the service manual stated 100 ft lbs) so I was applying some force. the bike fell over and into my Zuma. It busted the windscreen and put a scratch on the swingarm (The pitbull was wedged in between the concrete and the swingarm) but the fairings didn't get touched, neither did anything else. I'm a firm believer in frame sliders and axle sliders. Decent insurance.

[DucatiTerminator]

I think that by the time you buy them, cut your ferrings to install them, and considering the fact that they are only really meant to protect from a tipover, it is almost not worth it on the VFR.

Not sure if I agree with that statement.

[carlgustav]

"Edit: Some members said these sliders mount too far back which from the pics I can find appears to be true."

Uh huh. Well, unless those members have crashed with these sliders, I'm not too concerned with that observation. The sliders on my Aprilia also sit back towards the rear of the tank on the frame. I have video of that bike sliding down the track on the slider, and while there was some additional scratching of the bodywork, it was minor. On the Ape, I have axle sliders & muffler sliders as well as the frame sliders, after all, it's primarily a track bike . I have seen slider setups where one has two sliders per side, up towards the front, and towards the middle. My primary purpose is not to protect against a tip-over on either bike, however.

You could always adapt a 'stunt cage' to your bike ...

ACE

[vfrmike06]

VFR with the R-G sliders tossed down at track at 100mph: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/65746-rg-frame-sliders-installation-guide/?p=778908

Also, a very handy install guide =)

[Guest]

"Edit: Some members said these sliders mount too far back which from the pics I can find appears to be true."

Uh huh. Well, unless those members have crashed with these sliders, I'm not too concerned with that observation. The sliders on my Aprilia also sit back towards the rear of the tank on the frame. I have video of that bike sliding down the track on the slider, and while there was some additional scratching of the bodywork, it was minor. On the Ape, I have axle sliders & muffler sliders as well as the frame sliders, after all, it's primarily a track bike . I have seen slider setups where one has two sliders per side, up towards the front, and towards the middle. My primary purpose is not to protect against a tip-over on either bike, however.

You could always adapt a 'stunt cage' to your bike ...

ACE

That's good to know. The sliders you got are a lot cheaper and seems to be easier to install. Do you think they will protect the fairings reasonably well by themselves?

[Rice]

I think that by the time you buy them, cut your ferrings to install them, and considering the fact that they are only really meant to protect from a tipover, it is almost not worth it on the VFR.

Not sure if I agree with that statement.

I need to elaborate here.

Sliders are not designed IMHO to protect from a low/high side at speed.

BUT if you happend to lowside leaned over in the turn, you are already 3/4 of the way on your side any way and when you loose traction, the bike doesn't have far to fall. Then it's only a matter what comes to an end first; the slider material or the inertia of the bike.

My experience was different and the slider that failed got a Very hard knock with very little sliding.

[Beck]

Look where most 4th gens have them and you will understand why at least, 4th gen owners don't really run out to get them....

It ends up cutting across the top rear corner edge of the much prized NACA side ducts where the middle top main engine mount bolt is located. Putting a hole saw to a 4th gen side panel in that area will be as painful as cutting your toes off for most 4th gen owners, especially as those side panels now cost hundreds of dollars these days.....if you can even find them....So it's a "damn if you do and damn if you don't" situation....

[JETS]

I had sliders on the 4th gen when I low sided on a track, and it was sliding with little damage until it left the pavement and hit the grass infield, at which point the slider dug in and flipped the bike. I also high sided once and the sliders never touched the ground...useless when your bike is endo'ing away a$$ over tea kettle. I think sliders work in low speed tip-overs, lowside crashes (if you stay sliding), and are beside the point if you tumble or drive off the road. To make it all work, you also need bar end sliders, and best to add bobbins on the rear passenger bracket.

Now that I have said that, I don't use the VFR on the track and have no sliders on it for the road. Don't want to cut into it, and I am not supposed to crash. That's my .02 worth, in full denial.

[Ultimatevfr]

Sliders saved my zx9r more then once, a high speed drop included with no frame damage and $1000.00 custom paint job intact .I plan on installing them on my 07'.

Not a plug , but a community reach out, I am a professional painter (24 yrs) in the Atlanta area if any members need help painting their bikes.

[CHUCK2]

I just ordered a set of R&G's thru Twisted Throttle. $232.88 shipped. ETA...3-4 weeks.

[tbzep]

If I drop my bike in the garage, I deserve a few scratches. If I lowside out on the road, it's not going to slide very far down the pavement. It's going to slide off the curve into a ditch, barrier, or tree. There ain't a slider been invented that will keep my bike from severe damage if that happens. Anything out on the road that isn't a simple drop at an intersection or a lowside is probably something physics majors would love to analyse. Both my body and my bike would likely be written off.