Re: [ST] Frame Sliders Question

[Lex Offer <reffoxel@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Erik,

This is what I was told to me by my mechanic.  
1) body work is made of ABS plastic is not really all that strong nor are the brackets that hold it in position. So they wouldn't really absorb much force.  I'd have to agree with that, for I have fixed a couple of my fairing brackets with nothing more than a pair of pliers. 

2) The frame sliders generally are mounted at a Frame and engine mounting point.  This is considered the strongest points on a bike.  It would take alot more force to damage this area from the force of a bike going down produces.  It would take flipping end over end or striking a solid object in the direction of travel to damage the frame at this point. A policeman in my area who rides a Sprint ST T-boned an idiot who made a sudden U-turn in front of him.  The bike has been totaled because the yoke was bent and all the body panels cracked or severly scratched and the instrument cluster destroyed, but the frame appears to be undamaged except for some scoring. Which, according to my mechanic is the main reason for totaling the bike. which brings us to the next point.

3) a frame slider not only protects the fairing but also protects the frame.  If a frame gets a deep scratch or a serious scoring, a bike will be declared total because that scratch or scoring creates a weak spot, kinda like when they want to cut glass.  The glass cutter only has to score a line then rap the glass to get it to break in a straight line or however he wants it to break.  a scored frame will be more likely to bend at the score than anywhere else.  So a Frame slider tends to keep the frame off the ground thus preventing it from getting scored.

At 08:48 PM 3/26/01 -0500, you wrote:
>This maybe a dumb question but I'll ask anyway... If the sliders are 
>attached to the frame/ motor mount if one where to have a get off or 
>have the bike fall over onto the slider wounldn't the force of the 
>impact be transmitted to the frame? If so, then isn't it possible 
>that instead of just buggering up some body work that one might 
>instead damage the frame?? I'm just figuring the force of the impact 
>has to go some where.. I'd rather the body work absorb the impact and 
>get trashed figure $300-$400.00 for a body panel than bend or tweek 
>the frame which I'm SURE would cost more than a body panel to get 
>repaired or replaced...If I'm wrong someone PLEASE let me know :-)
>
>Erik

Lex "Digital Dawg" Offer
reffoxel@xxxxxxxxxxx
2000 Saphire Sprint ST
1986 VF1000 F-2 Bol d'Or

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