Bike protection/crash protection what really works? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Bike protection/crash protection what really works?

Xrayhonda

Xrayhonda

Well-known member
Went over my buget buying my track bike (lol) and I still have parts to buy. Just don't want to waste money buying parts that just don't work. I have to change the clip-ons and was wondering if the clip-ons bar ends with weights are worth it? Also are frame sliders ok for a track bike and what your opinion on engine clutch cover/engine stator cover?

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Clutch and stator cover protection is a must since you can do costly damage to your engine if you smash them. Personally I like GB Racing covers. Bar end sliders and frame sliders, those are tricky because different crashes do different things. Sometimes they work great, other times they hook the ground or something and cause the bike to flip, causing more damage.
 
Clipon a with weights? That's added lbs you don't need, just regular clipons are fine.

Frame sliders are ok but they CAN cause damage to a bike sliding through the grass. Possible catch and flip the bike or break the mounting bolt/frame/engine.

GB racing covers are fairly cheap and offer great protection to your engine cases. $250 bought me a set of three that installed in minutes.

....I gotta type faster.
 
Weighted bar-ends are a street riding thing for touring, helps to dampen vibration. You don't really need it for track (may actually increase resistance to changing direction slightly).

Not all frame sliders are created equal, either. Some have extremely questionable choices for mounting points - if the slider is bracing itself on the side of your motor, you probably don't want that one (not making this up). R&G Racing is far from the only game in town but they usually pick strong places to put their sliders.
 
dricked said:
Clipon a with weights? That's added lbs you don't need, just regular clipons are fine.
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TwistedKestrel said:
Weighted bar-ends are a street riding thing for touring, helps to dampen vibration. You don't really need it for track
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I tend to agree in general with this, but on my old CBR-F4, with Vortex clip-ons the vibration was so bad (F4 is known for high frequency buzz) that it would start to cause numbness and pain in my wrists! Instead of bar-end weights I siliconed a small length of steel bar inside the hollow Vortex bar. Worked great and cost pennies.

dricked said:
....I gotta type faster.
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LOL... Funny how we said exactly the same thing.
 
You don't want no cut frame sliders from my experience. Depending on the bike, yoshi makes some great ones but you'll need to drill a hole in the bodywork to mount them. No cut sliders are a waste of money
 
Personally I am a big believer in axle sliders, bar end sliders and frame sliders, but yes the frame sliders need a truly solid mounting point to be useful. Depending on the bike and where the frame sliders are located, the cases may already be well protected. My bike is a twin with narrow cases so the motor doesn't normally contact the ground when the bike is on the sliders. The type of protection that will work is really bike-specific so it might be helpful if you indicated what bike you will be riding.
 
Thanks for all the info. I have a 2011 honda 1000RR and I was thinking of going with the woodcraft 1.5 clip-ons/weighted bar ends, woodcraft frame sliders(shorter than normal), woodcraft clutch/stator cover and the woodcraft swingarm slider spools. I guess I should be looking at other brands but my friend said woodcraft is a good name.

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I'd avoid those oversized spools. If you want swing arm protection, get some chain adjusters/sliders. All I have on my bike are frame sliders and case covers. Things like clip ons are just easier/cheaper to replace in case of a crash.

Aside from the trashed bodywork, a broken throttle tube and bent brake lever, I think it faired quite well. Not sure if less damage would have occurred if I didn't have frame sliders.

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Traditional "frame sliders" attached solidly to an engine mount bolt frequently do more harm than good. If the bike slides into the rough or across a kerb, irresistible force meets immovable object. They can easily bend frames and break engine mounts or engine cases, and bend/stretch engine mount bolts to the point that they can no longer be removed non-destructively.

Fiberglass bodywork is meant to slide and be at least somewhat repairable, or at least be somewhat-inexpensively replaced, instead of exploding expensively like OEM ABS bodywork tends to.

Toughened clutch covers - toughened stator / ignition pickup / crankcase end covers - or small guards that fit over those covers to discourage the stock covers from contacting the ground - No problem and highly recommended. Some bikes have specific issues. On a Kawasaki EX500, the water pump is one of the first things that touches the ground and it's guaranteed to go right through. Very easy to make a small guard that fits over it to prevent this from happening.

I've helped someone make some custom frame sliders for a bike that had nothing available. We intentionally used a strip of steel flat-bar that was strong enough to support the bike in a gentle low-side but weak enough to twist or bend if it took a major hit. Better to sacrifice that, than to bend the frame of the bike. He hasn't tested it.

My own race bike has the standard stock folding footpegs. Reason: the attachment points between the footpeg brackets and the frame is a known weak spot and the weak spot is the frame, not the footpeg brackets. Better to have the footpegs fold harmlessly away.

Swingarm and front-axle sliders should generally be good ideas, because the swingarm and front end normally have at least some "give" because of the steering and suspension motions.
 
Twotons said:
The only other item I would consider is tank sliders.
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This is a good point for certain models, but CBR1000RR doesn't have a tank dragging risk.


Xrayhonda, nothing wrong with Woodcraft. Also while you're getting ready for track, get spare brake and clutch levers, spare footpegs, shifters and rear brakes. FYI 1000RR is a handfull for a first track bike ;)
 
I also have a 1000RR as my road bike and this was actually my first bike and yes its a handfull. For the first two years I didn't ride with any groups and I had one set route that I rode. With a bike like this you have to respect the power and yes I'm still a newbie since I"ve only used 65% of the bikes potential; just wanted my track bike to be the same as my road bike and the price was right.

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Xrayhonda said:
just wanted my track bike to be the same as my road bike and the price was right.

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This was your decision making criteria?

You might find that the bike is simply too much for you on the track. It could actually slow down your learning and progression on the track, whereas a smaller cc bike could be a much better learning tool. I managed to learn how to do it on a 1000cc track bike but many will tell you that it's not the best way and usually leads to frustration and/or unscheduled dismounts.
 
I think you'll quickly learn that you are nowhere near 65% of what that bike can do Either way, I'm sure you'll have fun.
 
Hey everyone wanted me to sell my Gsxr 1000 for an sv650 to start racing.

Just be careful and get ready to buy rear tires lol.
 
Thats what its about, having fun. I'm not racing anyone I'm just about improving my riding and seeing what the bike can do. When you're in love, you're in love and I love the 1000RR. 65%, 10% it doesn't matter as long as I'm having fun and its safe. I'll progress at my own pace and take it one day at a time. Just going to have fun and meet some new friends and if I'm being passed by the ninja 250, its all good.:)

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dricked said:
Hey everyone wanted me to sell my Gsxr 1000 for an sv650 to start racing.

Just be careful and get ready to buy rear tires lol.
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I started on a 500 two stroke, I learned throttle control pretty quickly, helmets are expensive. Lol.
 
Xrayhonda said:
Thats what its about, having fun. I'm not racing anyone I'm just about improving my riding and seeing what the bike can do. When you're in love, you're in love and I love the 1000RR. 65%, 10% it doesn't matter as long as I'm having fun and its safe. I'll progress at my own pace and take it one day at a time. Just going to have fun and meet some new friends and if I'm being passed by the ninja 250, its all good.:)
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Just be sure to keep it at the track. What you learn at the track will certainly help you be a better street rider, but it's very easy to get excited on the street and start pushing harder than is safe. You might not even realise it at first because you'll be used to how it feels at the track.

gsxr guy said:
I started on a 500 two stroke, I learned throttle control pretty quickly, helmets are expensive. Lol.
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LOL... no kidding!
 
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