Frame sliders - any good at all? (ride, bike, motor)

[Sayantsi]

I see lots of bikes with frame sliders, and lots of bikes that have gone down with and without them. The one thing I see regardless of whether the bike has them or not is damage in pretty much the same places - widest part of the engine, gas tank, rear fenders, handlebars, etc. The only additional thing I see is some engine blocks ripped open by sliders bolted to them.


Since the bike gets damaged anyway, why use frame sliders?

Thanks,

[mikeyyc]

Frame sliders are there to protect, as the name suggests, the frame.

You can ding a tank, plastics, bar ends etc. and insurance will replace them. Put a nick on a frame, and it's instant write off. That, and they do reduce the damage that a lowside does. Highside, it isn't going to matter.

[Gunluvver2]

I would want them to keep my leg from getting trapped between the frame and the pavement. Have you ever seen someones foot that slid across a hundred feet of pavement with a machine holding it down? Not very pretty.

GL2

[whiteboyslo]

Originally Posted by Gunluvver2

I would want them to keep my leg from getting trapped between the frame and the pavement. Have you ever seen someones foot that slid across a hundred feet of pavement with a machine holding it down? Not very pretty.

GL2

i don't think a frame slider is going to do much good for that unless a) it's about 6" long or b) you have a really narrow leg.

now, highway bars (aka crash bars) like those found on cruisers definitely help. that is, of course, if they're actually designed with any intent to hold up in a low-side. many arenot and come with all sorts of disclaimers to let you know as such.

Mike

[Gunluvver2]

Originally Posted by whiteboyslo

i don't think a frame slider is going to do much good for that unless a) it's about 6" long or b) you have a really narrow leg.

now, highway bars (aka crash bars) like those found on cruisers definitely help. that is, of course, if they're actually designed with any intent to hold up in a low-side. many arenot and come with all sorts of disclaimers to let you know as such.

Mike

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I guess I am not really sure just exactly what a frame slider is. I assumed it was some type of crash bar that helped protect the riders legs and the engine if the bike was laid down. I ride every day and I don't always keep up with the latest gadgets LOL.

GL2

[whiteboyslo]

Originally Posted by Gunluvver2

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I guess I am not really sure just exactly what a frame slider is. I assumed it was some type of crash bar that helped protect the riders legs and the engine if the bike was laid down. I ride every day and I don't always keep up with the latest gadgets LOL.

GL2

here's an example of a frame slider on a BMW K1200S:



(it's the black thing about the diameter of a silver dollar underneath the 'S' in K1200S)

i believe you're thinking of something more along the lines of this:




depending on quality of the bars, these MAY save your foot. my mother has a set on her Triumph America. she low-sided to avoid a car that ran the red light and almost t-boned her while turning left. she walked away without a scratch, but without the bar her foot would likely have been crushed.

Mike

[Gunluvver2]

Originally Posted by whiteboyslo

here's an example of a frame slider on a BMW K1200S:



(it's the black thing about the diameter of a silver dollar underneath the 'S' in K1200S)

i believe you're thinking of something more along the lines of this:




depending on quality of the bars, these MAY save your foot. my mother has a set on her Triumph America. she low-sided to avoid a car that ran the red light and almost t-boned her while turning left. she walked away without a scratch, but without the bar her foot would likely have been crushed.

Mike

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ThanksMike,
I have been riding for fifty years and I still learn something new every once in a while. I can see how those Sliders might save an expensive frame from damage. The crash bar in the second picture is what I thought everyone was talking about.

GL2

[ovcatto]

I tuned into the thread because I didn't recognize the terminology. Generally speaking you have more chance of being thrown from the bike than being pinned under it, but I think that they are well worth the investment just for the stupid low speed falling over that happens to the best of us from time to time, especially when you consider that most bikes these days have expensive fairings.

[kosuniverse]

For quite a few years now I have made and sold frame sliders for motorcycles of all kind. There are a couple issues with the ones you have described above. The plastic style ones are better suited for lower speed crashes, not sure how much releif you will get for your leg, but it is a though I guess.

The bar style on the larger bikes work well for slower speeds too, however at higher speeds metal doesnt really break down like plastic does (basically the plastic grinds away alowing the bike to "slide") the metal can catch and flip the bike more easily. That being said at higher speeds your last concern at that point is the bike protection as there is a lot more damage to yourself and the bike that will happen.

Stunt bikes have engine frames or a cage that protects them from frequent crashes, as sometimes the plastic can shatter with direct impact which is different from laying your bike down. I realize this thread is a little old but thought I would ad in my two cents here is a resource for information on different plastics and their wear qualities here www.kosracing.com under the slider tech info.

[motordavid]

Knock on wood, but have never been "down"/sliding in 47+ years of riding my fanny off...
I did tip over a couple times, forgetting to put the kick stand down on my Shovelhead,
back in the '70s, doing TT riding (Tavern to Tavern)...;>)

Be careful out there.
GL, mD