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Another frame slider question...

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Trouble

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I low sided my bike last weekend at the track. It was maybe a 35mph slide in the rain on a wet track. I was geared up and just tumbled. The bike slid on maybe 15 feet of track before hitting the grass. I had a set of the delrin frame sliders from T-Rex. After all was said and done I was surprised at the amount of damage. The fairing and left side pod were broken. The bar end, front fork, clutch handle, crankcase cover, side stand, frames slider, rear cover, and seat handle were all badly scratched and shaved down.

I installed the frames sliders according to the directions - clearly labelling the left side (drivers side if it was a cage) as being the shorter slider. After the slide I re-assessed the logic and it doesn't make any sense to have the shorter slider on the left. The crankcase cover sticks out much further on the left side than anything on the right. Were the directions backwards? Has anyone else experienced this?
 
2-stroke went down on the right side. I bet I would have had similar results if I touched down on that side because of the longer slider. That slider sticks out way beyond all of my hard parts.
 
Trouble said:
Were the directions backwards? Has anyone else experienced this?
Click to expand...
Whaaaat? Get out! You mean T-rex slider instructions have it backassbackwards? Ahhh, geez. I JUST installed my T-rex sliders the other day. I used medium strength thread locker so I imagine it won't be too much of a pain. I've already had to improvise on the left side after having been supplied wrong-length bolts that ended up stripping part of left-side engine mount threads. I did wonder about the left side and right side...trying to figure out how it was decided to have one longer than other. I'm going to have look up other brand sliders on ebay to compare the longer side issue. Well, how about FZ Forum feedback? Which side slider do you have that is the longest? Or, do some of you have sliders that are both same length? Gawd, if this is true, that frame slider instructions are backassbackwards this would make now three (3) things that I found to be wrong with T-rex sliders/instructions. 1) Length of originally supplied slider bolts, 2) stated length in instructions (said they were 80 mm length but were actually 90mm..and should have been 100mm!) of slider bolts; and 3) now, possibly wrong directions again about what side different length sliders go in? Even just two wrong-ass things is too much. Reminds me of a travel company that I used to work for. Things were exceedingly sloppy, unscientific and shabby. It was a daytime nightmare to sort out the mess. (thankfully, I no longer work with this company set up by---get this---my brother) On a side note: T-rex did come back with great customer service and fixed me up. I was impresed with follow-up t-Rex customer service---it was outstanding. But when purchasing frame sliders: "Caveat emptor!"
 
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I emailed T-Rex this morning with my story, the bike pics (including some others), and a copy of their instructions. I'll let everyone know the feedback - I really don't want this unnecessary damage to happen to anyone else's ride.
 
Glad you're ok. Seems like your bike came out ok to me...afterall, you did slam it down and slide it across the pavement at 35MPH.

So how was the rest of the track day??? What caused the crash?

EDIT - I'd recommend removing your peg feelers and your sidestand before your next track day so that you can safely lean the bike a little bit.
 
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The extent of the damage surprised me - I expected the frame sliders to reduce or eliminate the damage to some of the more vulnerable parts (my crank case cover specifically surprised me).

You are right though - there wasn't much damage. I rode the bike off the track, was checked out by the medics (track protocol), ran the bike straight back through tech, and was back on the track for the next session. It took about 15 minutes of riding to get my nerves back straight and then I was back to really riding again.

On the way home (the track was 3 1/2 hours away) I was pretty bummed about the whole day. It rained hard all day long and I didn't feel I got as much out of it as I had hoped. I have since talked to the lead instructor for my group and some other guys who have been to other track days and learned the rain made a pretty big difference as to how the instructors were able to teach. I've ridden on the roads again, and I'm already looking forward to another track day. Probably later this summer...
 
Sorry to hear about your spill, I'm glad you're okay. For track days I think that something like the Woodcraft engine covers are the way to go. Frame sliders are good, however in a good spill you could crack, damage your covers. The Woodcraft have a replaceable slider. They ain't cheap but neighter is your engine or the cost of a lost track day.

Woodcraft-CFM :: Engine Covers
 
I think I'm happy to hear you say that. I'm frustrated with T-Rex for giving me the wrong directions. I hope that Tailgate and anyone else who followed the T-Rex directions reads this and corrects their sliders before it's too late.
 
As mentioned, Canadian had the same issue.

I too have the uncaged sliders and put the short one on the throttle side.

I can imagine how you felt on the way home, that sucks. Hopefully you got something out of it; some people say rain on your first TD is a blessing in disguise (forces you to go slow and work on the basics like lines and body position). My first track day was in the rain and was also cut short by a tornado siren!!! Just plan your next track day during July when it rains less.

No action shots?
 
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Has anyone read the directions for the uncaged cycle products sliders. These are the ones i have been leaning towards. I am sure someone here has tried them. :thumbup:
 
DefyInertia said:
As mentioned, Canadian had the same issue.

I too have the uncaged sliders and put the short one on the throttle side.

I can imagine how you felt on the way home, that sucks. Hopefully you got something out of it; some people say rain on your first TD is a blessing in disguise (forces you to go slow and work on the basics like lines and body position). My first track day was in the rain and was also cut short by a tornado siren!!! Just plan your next track day during July when it rains less.

No action shots?
Click to expand...

Good idea (earlier) on ditching the side stand. That'll come off (if it's not raining and I can lean).

The action shots were lame. They had a professional photographer there, but it was pouring out so the only people that had any kind of form had race tires and all that. I didn't buy any of the photos (at $25 each I decided to put the money into replacing the plastics:()

The best part about all the rain was that my little 600 ruled against the bigger bikes. It's a tight track, and I was passing 900's and liter bikes. :rockon: Of course not many of them wrecked... It was fun while it lasted though!
 
T-rex: not exactly a NASA-run organization I guess, huh? Geez. It's a train wreck with some companies or is it sometimes with some companies some of the time? I mean, how does one F'up soo badly? After all, the whole business of using frame sliders is to prevent damage. To get the sides mixed up is---or should be?---similarily tantamount to amputating the wrong leg. OMG. Of course, companies would probably be exempt from this kind of liability even though the instructions, evidently, are wrong?
 
Sorry to hear about this mishap! They definitely have the direction backwards because the longer one is clutch-side for sure. I had the Uncaged on my 2005 FZ6 and while (thankfully) I didn't have to test them, they were great. I would have bought them again but they didn't have any available in black for my '08 FZ6. Plus, their anodized black ones actually turn purple with sun fade and/or heating and cooling. So, I'm waiting on a set of Protek sliders and being very careful with the bike until they are installed.

Regarding track days, I would, if I were to go, take off the plastics completely and not only have frame sliders but front and rear axle sliders too. Also a spare set of levers and a cheap but heavy pair of bar ends to swap into. It's not a question of IF you'll go down, but WHEN because if you're trying to find the limits of yourself and/or the bike, you're bound to exceed them at some point. Thus you are best served to be prepared, mentally, mechanically and physically, for the possible drop. :thumbup:
 
I'd be pretty ticked if I installed Frame sliders, only to have them fail because the instructions were bogus. That's bad form on T-REX's part.

Let me know when you want to pillage their place. I'll bring the wrecking ball.
 
Well this is good information to know! Pretty sure I just ordered a set of T-Rex frame sliders about an hour ago. I'll have to keep all this in mind when I install them. Let's just hope they send me the right stuff, otherwise there will be a pissed off tubby dude on their hands!
 
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