cut vs no cut frame sliders.

[zeniceguy]

Some people ask if theres any diff?
here is a real life study.

The frame slider on a 98 gsxr right side bolts straight to the frame. the left side has a small bracket to get around the fairings (making them no cuts). bike fell over after a stoppie to the right side. no damage, just a scratch on the bar end.

another gsxr went over on the left side at about 5kmh. the bracket that holds the frame slider broke off. this left the bike to fall straight on the fairings. damage was the front fairing scratchs, broken ram air duct, busted left side fairings, side engine cover is also cracked.

if the left side had cut to fit sliders, everything would of been ok.

I have ordered a new set of fairings $$$$, new carbon ram air ducts $$$$$, mirror $$$, Turn signals $$$.

i would suggest to everyone to buy the cut to fit sliders, my next ones are.

 

[Rossi86]

I had a Vortex "No Cut" left frame slider on my 2003 GSXR750 a long long time ago. When I dumped the bike on the left side at Cayuga it broke right off, taking the rearset bracket, fairing stay, and tail plastic with it. Which ruined the day as the spill happened on the first session. The right slider on the other hand that mounts directly to the engine, was proven to be solid in another occasion when the bike slid for like 30-40 meters and not even any cosmetic damage other than a light scrape on mounting end of the exhaust.

Moral of the story is: if you're going to put frame sliders on, put good quality ones with enough mounting support for them to do their job

 

[GagguP]

I've always gone with cut frame sliders. Better to go straight into the engine mount rather than use a lower strength/quality bracket.

 

[Baggsy]

I have no cut sliders on my K9 Weestrom. They have been fine. The only issue was where it hit the edge of the curb once and ended up scratching the tank, scuffing the bar end, and breaking the turn signal lens. 5kmh is pretty darn slow on a motorcycle.

Edit: Then again, I think mine might both mount on to a single bolt that goes right through.

Edit (2009 V-Strom 650)

 

[frekeyguy]

I am gussing this is not a SRAD (gsxr 600 or 750) ?

 

[zeniceguy]

98 gsxr 750
2001 gsxr 1000

 

[Rossi86]

98 gsxr 750
2001 gsxr 1000

You don't need to cut the fairings for the 98 on the left side, there is enough space depending on what slider brand you use. I had Vortex sliders on the 1999 750 and there is enough space between the engine mount bolt and left fairing to fit the aluminum Vortex base:

 

[Brian P]

Beeee carefullllll ...

In a tip-over, it's all well and good that the frame slider doesn't budge.

Low-side at speed and have the bike slide into something solid (curb, rocks, etc), and what would you rather have happen ... something expendable give way, or bend the frame or break your engine cases because the frame slider wouldn't give way??

Granted, an offset frame slider bracket that is made of something that will snap rather than bend (e.g. cast aluminum), it's not going to help.

I helped someone make some frame slider brackets for a bike for which off-the-shelf frame sliders were not available, and we used a steel bar going between two engine mounts with a nut welded to the back for the frame slider to attach to. I WANT that frame slider bracket to bend or twist if it gets a hard hit. And because it's a hot-rolled-steel strip (not cast aluminum!) it won't just snap - you could fold it in half without breaking it, as long as you don't fatigue it by bending back and forth (which won't happen in normal use).