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Thread: Frame Slider Q&A

  1. #1
    Senior Member Vellos's Avatar
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    Frame Slider Q&A

    Would like some educated input into this topic as I believe it will help many understand the purpose and protection of their frame-sliders. From what I understand frame sliders should be designed to absorb the initial impact to protect the frame, just as a helmet would for your head. There are many different types of frame-sliders so I'd like to review and revise the different types. I'll update this post as more information is gained, please correct me if something is wrong, and let me know if you want something added.

    Standard: Ones that bolt onto your side engine mount frames and stick straight out, which may require the fairings to be modified.

    Q: What are the qualities of different pucks? Plastic, rubber, metal.
    A: Plastic or rubber is good at absorbing an impact. Metal ones transfer the impact into the frame which is bad.

    Q: Is it okay if a frame slider snaps off during a crash or does a good frame slider stay bolted on?
    A:

    Q: Will a longer frame slider protect my fairing as well as my frame?
    A: At low speeds a longer slider that protrudes past the fairing will protect it. At high speeds the longer the frame slider is the more likely it is to "catch" while sliding and cause the bike to flip, assuming it doesn't snap off.

    No-Cut Sliders: Similar to a standard frame slider, but has a bracket that attaches to the engine mounting frame and relocates the slider so no fairing cuts are necessary.

    Q: Does the bracketed frame slider provide equal protection as a standard slider?
    A:

    Q: Can an impact on the slider bend the bracket inward and cause damage to internal parts?
    A:

    Race Rails: Are a bar that extends from the standard or no-cut engine mounting frame spots to the mid-frame near the rearsets.

    Q: If there is no puck will the distribution of the impact be mitigated into the two points and have equal, if not better, protection as a standard slider?
    A: The impact will transfer to two spots on the frame, but it is not a good form of protection and can directly cause damage to the frame while sparing the plastics.

    Q: If there is a puck, then is it better?
    A: A proper puck will absorb the impact, but this is similar to having an extended slider that may catch and cause the bike to flip.

    Q: Can having a rail protect myself from getting my leg caught under the bike?
    A: Depending on the crash it could save you from being crushed by the bike, but in other cases it may cause more damage to you than if you didn't have them.

    Stunt Cages: Comes in a triangle mounting form, with the same two positions as the race rails that then meet at the bottom underneath the bike.

    Q: Do these offer better protection than a standard frame slider?
    A: The cages have no pucks, and are designed to protect the internal components by sending the impact into the frame. This is good for low-speed drops, specifically on a bike that isn't meant to go at high speeds (where frame integrity matters). Stunting yes; racing no.
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  2. #2
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    Re: Frame Slider Q&A

    There are also under-body frame sliders. I chose these for my new race bike for one reason specifically. It applies to the Q/A 3 under standard. With the fairing over the slider, I feel it will help reduce the chance of the slider snapping from getting caught or the sheer force (shorter slider, less leverage) and reduce the chances of it flipping from this, but will still provide protection to integral engine components.

    You could also add to the composition of plastics. There are nylon, delrin, and other composites.

    I've also experienced no cut sliders failing when the bracket breaks.
    Last edited by TransNone13; Tue May 31st, 2011 at 03:57 AM.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Sarge's Avatar
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    Re: Frame Slider Q&A

    For the most part, sliders are intended to SLIDE and NOT specifically to absorb impact from falling. A good slider will grind across the pavement for a distance at speed and (ideally) will be the only part that wears.

    No-cut sliders generally don't hold up as well as the straight bolt on ones, mostly because of the extra hardware. I've got a pair of no cut bolt on sliders that are almost 5 inches of straight ABS plastic with a single bolt down the middle. About an inch or so of the plastic actually fits into an indent in my frame. I have no doubt in my mind that these aren't bending or breaking off small mounting hardware if the bike goes down, especially at speed.

    This same sliding principle applies to your gear as well. Go do some research with gear manufacturers like AlpineStars. The hard plastic "pucks" on shoulders and elbows are NOT for impact absorbtion, they're for sliding, and NOT to prevent sliding, but to encourage it. All of the impact rated padding is actually inside the jacket, those hard plastic sliders on the outside are designed to keep you sliding and to absorb the slide damage. Bringing you to a slow stop prevents all sorts of other potential injuries/damage.

    All that crap about "oh, if it stays on it might catch and flip the bike" is pretty much crap. Sure, it CAN happen, especially on the street, but only if there's something to catch on to. It's almost just as likely that a clip on, bar end, rear set, peg, etc cause the bike to flip. If you do a lot of track riding its even less of a concern. Frame SLIDERS are designed to SLIDE and grind away. And if they do their job, the SLIDER will be consumed in the SLIDE, but your plastics/frames/bars/clutch covers/engine/etc will not.
    Last edited by Sarge; Tue May 31st, 2011 at 09:24 AM.
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  4. #4
    Gold Member Bueller's Avatar
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    Re: Frame Slider Q&A

    Slider guarantee nothing, every slide is different, sometimes they work out sometimes the can cause more damage then using nothing.
    On a pavement slide they will hopefully promote sliding and save your frame from taking the abuse, but as soon as you hit irregular surfaces such as dirt, grass or even rough pavement you are looking at the possibility of causing the bike to start rolling/flipping.

    The metal "bling" sliders will/can bounce across the pavement.
    I would never personally waste time and money on no cut, they are cantilevered to a convenient spot. That makes it into a lever, and stress to the mounting point becomes greater with this action.


  5. #5
    Jenny's Pet Monkey Ghost's Avatar
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    Re: Frame Slider Q&A

    Quote Originally Posted by Bueller View Post
    Slider guarantee nothing, every slide is different, sometimes they work out sometimes the can cause more damage then using nothing.
    Having worked at a bike shop, I've seen my fair share of wrecks. I'd say sliders are really only effective in relatively slow/controlled low-sides on pavement.

    Any significant impact will usually bend the sliders and/or break them off. The longer the slider the more leverage it has and thus the more it can damage whatever it's mounted to. Same with going off pavement where they typically dig in and either break off of bend whatever they're attached to.

    On my old track bike I ran SharkSkinz without sliders and they and the bike held up through a few low sides with typical scrapes/scratches but no penetration (other than the clutch cover with probably would've been hit even with sliders). Clearly I don't know what would have happened with sliders on, but my feeling is that they would have simply bent more shit than they would have helped.

    So, FWIW, I don't run sliders. Most times even with sliders you'll be replacing street plastic anyway, so I'd rather do that than replace fairings AND whatever they were mounted to that's now bent/tweaked/broken...

    my 2c...
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