Just wondering what everybody thinks about frame sliders. I'm fairly new to the sportbike world (picked up my f4i in may). Do they really protect the bike. Are they designed to protect the frame or the fairings or both?[sm=feedback.gif]

 

They are designed to protect the frame. If they happen to save plastic, well you got lucky. In some instances they actually make things worse. I have seen the long frame sliders dig into the dirt when the bike leaves the track and start it tumbling, which as you can guess made the crash 10 times worse. I have them only because my bike came with them. And I've thought about taking them off. It's a tough call. Some swear by them. I have seen them save plastic too.........so it's hard to say. My advise would be dont fall over.

 

same concept as seat belts, yeah sometimes they cause more damage than if you didn't have them but MOST of the time they will save your bike
I've had two huge crashes on the track and wouldn't have a bike anymore if the frame sliders hadn't been there

 

I had a 45 mph highside on an SV and the frame sliders limited the damage to a broken shift lever and ding on the tank. I couldn't stand the first couple weeks riding my F4i without them. I thought for sure I'd do something stupid.

 

whats the best frame slider for the f4i i know you have to drill holes in the ferrring to put them on but metal or plastic how long should they be? i have seen the ones that bolt to the frame rail in the hole openings on the side of the bike but i would think those would bend back when you lay the bike over.

 

i've got way too much experience with frame sliders lol
Vortex are great, ONLY get sliders made of delrin (plastic) sliders are made to grind down in a lowside so they don't catch anything or "bounce" if you hit a bump, aluminum doesn't have any give to it but plastic does
(click) here is a pic of how they mount (click) (most sliders for the F4i will install in the same engine mount location) and as you said stay far far away from no-cut sliders; those are marketed for posers who want to make their bikes look safe without all the hassel of actually protecting it
kinda like putting a Jardine logo on your stock exhaust and telling people your "new pipe" added 50 HP

 

My bike was backed in to and ended up on its side. If I had frame sliders it would have saved about $1500 of damage. From what I have researched and seen (by the people who know on this forum), the Vortex are the most popular and trusted.

 

The best kind would be the fairing cut required kind. The 'no drill' type work, but not quite as well. I had the 'no drill' kind that just replaced a fairing mounting bolt. In a stationary drop any kind would work well. With my highside, the left side slider got snapped off and was never to be found again, with the remainder of the bolt stuck in the frame.
Basically they're good for drops and that's about it. High speed slides can result in the bike flipping and tumbling, and with a highside right off the bat, forget about it.
Personally, I won't bother with them from now on.

 

Actually I am concerned with the stupid driveway, boo boo's where you think the side stand is down and it is not, or the bike just plain gets over center for you and you have to let it down. Any advice on this kind of protection? If a guy goes with actual frame sliders and is really interested in protecting the plastic, are the extended ones the way to go?

 

that is ridiculous, they aren't made for driveway drops, they are designed to protect your frame in the event of a large crash, unfortunately some crashes are two massive and they do occasionally get broken off but for the most part they'll keep your bike from getting totally f'ed up
I've had one 80mph lowside where the fairings would have been totally destroyed and the frame would have been left sliding along the track if I had not had sliders and another 130+ mph crash end over end bouncing flipping etc where nothing and the frame sliders saved 95% of the bike yet again
they aren't perfect but most of the time they do their job very well