This might be a silly question, but here goes: Do naked bikes "need" frame sliders? I was under the impression that sliders protect fairings. Can I put sliders on to protect my naked GS? If so, what type do you recommend and where do they attach? thx!

On a naked bike and to some extent on a faired bike the frame sliders also protect the engine.

I've seen the frame sliders mounted to the top front engine mounting bolt. The one's I've seen on line have started around $65. You can get the case guards from Suzuki which are cheaper and will protect the cases a little better but are heavier.

The case guards run $50 full retail from a Suzuki dealer.

cool! Thanks.

Jean,
check out www.whaccessories.com.  They've got a lot of fun bits for the GS including the sliders....

Frame sliders are made to protect the frame in the event of a crash or drop as the name implies.  They do help protect the fairings, but they weren't "designed" to do this.  Even with sliders, the fairings will get scratched, but not all busted up.  The bike's frame goes untouched.

If you look under the fairings at the way some race replica bikes are laid out, you'll see that they have alot of sensitive bits hanging out, some of which extend past the engine cases. Electronics, coolant overflow tanks, even the battery in the case of Duc 916+.
Its was these components and the cases that sliders were designed to protect.