Frame sliders for my scratched up GS

[Straymonolith]

So I dropped the bike at about 20mph. Walked away just fine, but the bike got this nasty scratch:


So I'm wondering if frame sliders would prevent this sort of thing in the future? Can anyone recommend frame sliders for a '91 GS500 with no fairings?

Also, I've seen them called frame sliders, crash bungs and a few other terms, are they all the same, or is there a difference?

[makenzie71]

So I dropped the bike at about 20mph. Walked away just fine, but the bike got this nasty scratch:


So I'm wondering if frame sliders would prevent this sort of thing in the future? Can anyone recommend frame sliders for a '91 GS500 with no fairings?

Also, I've seen them called frame sliders, crash bungs and a few other terms, are they all the same, or is there a difference?

Frame sliders wouldn't have prevented that...and man that looks like you need a new cover.

To prevent that kind of damage you need something called a "case guard".  These are built to be little cages to protect your case covers during a slide.  They may be difficult to find, though, since you don't ride a GSXR, CBR or R6.  I've personally always made my own.

[Roadstergal]

Srinath is teasing us with the possibility of both.

[Alphamazing]

Case guards I recently installed on my bike.

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22851&highlight=case+guards

Crash tested already: worked great. Only minor scratches on them, no bends, breaks, or busts.

[Straymonolith]

So what would frame sliders protect against?

And where's a good place to get a new cover?

Thanks.[/b]

[makenzie71]

So what would frame sliders protect against?

And where's a good place to get a new cover?

Thanks.[/b]

Let me get this straight...you're asking what frame sliders are intended to protect?  Just trying to make sure I read that propperly.

Ebay.

[Straymonolith]

makenzie71
Well, it seems that in a crash the crank case is the first thing to hit the ground anyway.
Without fairings, would it even make sense to mount  sliders?

[makenzie71]

ON modern fully faired bikes, most sliders extend far enough out to protect the plastics to a certain extent, but frame sliders sole purpose is to prevent the frame from coming into contact with the ground.  The engine casings are usually the first thing to contact on naked bikes, but engine casings cost $25~100 for almost ANY bike.  Price a new frame...or, better yet, see what your insurance adjuster has to say about a little rash on the frame...

[JamesG]

The case guards (OEM bar that bolts to the front two engine bolts) would have prevented the damage you got. The GS is shaped and weighted such that most lowside damage is confined to the cases, bar ends, the headlight & instrument surround. If your unlucky, the tank and rear plastic also gets rashed.  I don't think I've ever seen a frame get damaged (other than bending).

Frame sliders (plastic tubes bolted to the upper part of the engine/frame). There is no where to really bolt them on a GS in the "traditional" places. I've seen some mounted to the widest point of the frame, but they require a hole to be drilled in the frame. This is the only way to really protect the new style, wider tanks from a crash. Also saves bar, tail, and front end damage because the bike skids on the slider with the body off the ground. But they look kinda odd.

[Jeff P]

You don't need a new cover.  Just a new sticker.  Should cost $8-10.  Slap it on and it'll cover up most of those scratches.  

jeff

[aevans17]

Srinanth or anyone else who has the technical know-how and tools to build. If you make frame sliders for the F I'm sure most people would be interested in buying them. So please invent something for us so that we F riders can save our plastics and case guards in case of accident.

[makenzie71]

if anyone would like to bring me an F for the weekend I'll design frame sliders for it...likely they'll require cutting the fairings to fit, though.

[aevans17]

Uhm I live in cold wet WA so I'm out. Come on someone in Texas do it!

[TarzanBoy]

I am of the opinion that frame sliders aren't worth the effort for the GS unless you're going to put your bike on the track.... mostly because you will have to cut a nasty hole in your fairing to fit it

Your skills would be much better put to use by fabricating a rear seat cowl... and you'll sell a lot more of them than you would boring frame sliders.

[makenzie71]

bring me a bike for a week and I'll make a fiberglass cowl...

[Roadstergal]

Ach, that brings up the specter of painting...

I'd rather have a solo tail and save a little weight.  I'd be willing to just slap on a gel pad.

[The Buddha]

I am of the opinion that frame sliders aren't worth the effort for the GS unless you're going to put your bike on the track.... mostly because you will have to cut a nasty hole in your fairing to fit it

Your skills would be much better put to use by fabricating a rear seat cowl... and you'll sell a lot more of them than you would boring frame sliders.

Yea My sliders will not need a hole cut in fairing. They will bolt on the case guards whihc will be made out of flat bar. prototype comming up in a few days.
Cool.
Srinath.

[makenzie71]

Yea My sliders will not need a hole cut in fairing. They will bolt on the case guards whihc will be made out of flat bar.

Please take this as speculative criticism, and nothing more...

I don't see how putting a slider in the case guard area is going to be of any benefit.  In the event that the bike goes down you're going to be leaving the entire upper fairing vulnerable to the exact same damage...unless you're going to make them 8" long, then steering geometry is comprised.

There's a reason why manufacturers that have been doing this for years have mounted their sliders as high up on the frame as possible since Day 1:  You want to put as many hard parts down in the propper pattern to prevent the frame (or fairings) from contacting the road.  In most instances the sliders work with the bar ends and pegs or exhaust to put a triangular steel cage of feet down so that soft and vulnerable parts aren't effected.

Not only will placing the slider over the cases pretty much eliminate any resemblance of effectiveness achieved by sliders, it will actually increase the vulnerabillity of the upper portion ot the bike...like the tank, frame head, bars, fairings, lights, mirrors and a number of other expensive goodies.

[gsJack]

The case guards will protect the engine covers on a 02 and earlier naked GS and also provide a place to mount forward pegs to stretch the legs a bit on those 400 mile days when the arthritis in the knees tightens up a bit.     Wouldn't have a full faired GS myself, the case guards and something like a Plexi 2 fairing provides good protection to the naked bike.  Worked well when my 97 was totaled a couple years ago, was easy to restore.  

[that_guy]

http://www.powerbronze.co.uk/home.html

this site sells frame sliders for the GS500