FZR600 Frame Sliders?

[fizzer6hundred]

Hi All and Happy New Year to you!!!!!

I am thinking about possibly going to the track and was considering putting some frame sliders on "just in case". I actually wonder if I should just buy a track bike but I don't have the time or money to get into all that plus I am to dam old .

So has anyone put any frame sliders on their bike and if so can you share how, what slider you chose and what modification was needed to accomplish this?

Cheers

[ragedigital]

Here you go >> viewtopic.php?f=42&t=941

(Read the full discussion)

[fzrbrandon]

I, personally, don't have any experience with sliders. That said, my thinking is that it would really be kind of a rare situation for them to be truly useful. I suppose in a "gentle" low-side where the bike stays on the track (unlikely since low-sides don't usually happen on straights), they might prove useful. Once the bike goes off the track, there's a good chance that it will start doing all kinds of cool trapeze artist looking type of stuff. At that point, I doubt the sliders will do a whole lot. I tucked the front on my 400 back in April at roughly 40-ish MPH. The upper was completely destroyed, the tail was pretty badly damaged, the sub-frame was bent, etc., etc., etc. My point is that it was a reasonably benign get-off and the sliders wouldn't have done anything. The funny part is that the lower suffered the least damage. There's a long crack along the bottom. But still, sliders wouldn't have protected the bike any more.

[fizzer6hundred]

Hummm not sure what to make of that thread other than to think its not worth the time to pursue any custom concept. For me I was looking for something to save the bike if I were to lay it down in a turn on the track. My bike is a mint low mileage example (12K) and I know not worth a whole lot other than to me. I guess I should just enjoy it while it lasts................

[fzrbrandon]

...For me I was looking for something to save the bike if I were to lay it down in a turn on the track...

Did you read my last post? LOL! Like I said, it's going to take a pretty special set of circumstances (and a LOT of luck) for frame sliders to "save" your bike. I suppose it depends on your definition of "save"...

...My bike is a mint low mileage example (12K) and I know not worth a whole lot other than to me. I guess I should just enjoy it while it lasts................

If it's mint and you REALLY care about it, don't ride it on the track. Unless, you're just parading it around, you run a good chance of throwing it away. Yeah, I know, not everybody crashes their bike on the track. The point of track riding though is to ride the bike in ways that are not legal on public roads, right? LOL!

All kidding aside, if you really want to ride on the track, try finding yourself a bike for that purpose. I suppose another good option would be to find some not so pretty bodywork to put on the nice bike along with some other less pretty "track day parts". That way, you can minimize damage to the "mint" stuff when it does hit the deck.

[sweekster]

[kiki231]

Further to Brandon's comments, I have rebuilt 3 crashed bikes (not by me). 2 of them had sliders, and it didn't make a pinch of difference in what i spent in repairing them. The idea is that they save the frame from scratches, but both of mine had some minor scuffs that i had to repair anyway. Both had VERY damaged plastic (unusable) and both were low-sides with no other impact. One other thing i didnt like was that the fairings needed holes cut for the slider on one side to stick out.

I watched a video on sportbike track gear , they were saying how poorly we racers protect our bodies, while throwing money at the bike. They made a specific example of buying a back protector instead of sliders. Or instead of the top shelf 1500$ exhaust system, buy a decent race suit.
I assume if you are an old timer like me, then you are probably paranoid, (like me!) about getting hurt and you probably already have a good set of armour.