Hi everyone, I am new to this forum. I have been interested in motorcycles for years but it wasn’t until recently that I started looking into purchasing one. My budget is low so I was looking into a totaled bike and fixing it up. I started visiting salvage yards and I noticed that about 50 percent of the bikes had sliders on them but the bikes were still getting damaged. I thought the whole idea of a motorcycle slider was to save your bike. What I believe people over look the fact that by adding a motorcycle slider you are GREATLY increasing the force of the fall onto one point; your slider. So I have designed a spring assisted motorcycle slider. I have researched springs and have found that I am able to mount a 400 pound spring into the slider, which I feel is plenty. I am currently building a drop testing device and have built a prototype slider with a 200 pound spring. Soon I will upload pictures of the prototype and when I’m finished testing I will upload a video of the testing taking place. The prototyped slider diameter is 2 ¾ inches I think I can make the diameter closer to 2 inches. The design is “Patent Pending” but I would love to hear suggestions and comments about the design like the mounting base or the sliding puck holding device. It seems like depending on the bike it needs a spacer or something so the mounting base can be bolted to the frame. Is that correct? Thanks for your time and happy riding.

 

While I think its great you are thinking about improving on something, I think the design you show needs improvement. The clip on the outside would fail after the first impact. You would probably be better off using a 2 piece slider. Have the lower half of the slider mount permantly to the bike. Then have the bolt that attached the lower piece have threaded hole in the center. then take a shoulder bolt, spring and upper half of the slider and bolt it to the lower piece. At least that way if the system failed, you would still have the lower piece still on the bike to protect it. You have to remember, the initial impact is only part of what the slider is designed to do. It is also suppose to slide. If your slider cannot withstand lateral force, it will fail.

having said that. I don't think the spring would be required. Most sliders are made from a material that while it withstands an impact, it also reduces the shock to the bike as it deforms. The other good thing about it is that it doesn't matter what direction the impact is coming from, it will protect the same. Your spring design is only good for direct inline impacts. That is not the typical impact a slider would encounter. Most impacts are going to be from the side as the bike falls over at speed. Also, Im not sure 400lbs would do anything even if the impact were inline. A 400lb bike traveling at 60mph is a lot more force hitting the ground than 400lbs.

Im not trying to diss your design or thought. Just throwing some idea's your way to consider.

 

The bike is moving forward at 60 mph, but it's not headed toward the ground at anywhere near that speed. That would only be if you slid sideways into a brick wall. Then sliders wouldn't even be a consideration

Yes the slider does make the impact point concentrate in one spot, but it's being directed to the strongest part of the bike. That part of the frame is generally reinforced and more likely to be able to absorb that impact. It's also strong enough to support the slider when it's being subjected to the lateral forces when it's sliding. These are naturally just my opinion.

 

The sliders are only meant to protect the engine, not the fairings. The part of the bike where the sliders bolt on is plenty strong to handle the weight of the bike falling onto that point. In some rare cases the "no-cut" sliders can cause frame damage, but that is because they are not mounted in a good place and the force is nmore directed in that design. If you want to invent a new type of slider there are many better ideas IMHO, but best of luck to you anyway, I am sure there is a market for it.

 

I see what your trying to say, but the puck itself is in fact hitting the ground at that speed. It may not recieve the force of a sudden stop as it slides along the ground, but the lateral force on the slider is much greater than the inline force its going to see. that was the point I was trying to make. An inline spring won't do anything to help save anything.

Ever put your foot down on the ground while your still moving and feel how bad it is pulled? That is a light load. Just imagine the force of the bikes weight pushing down on your foot and the amount of force against it. I realize the material used is designed to peal away so the force is not so great, but the initial impact is pretty severe.

 

You certainly won't get any argument out of me there.