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Installing factory frame-sliders

57K views 82 replies 37 participants last post by  SabreWulf777  
#1 · (Edited)
Hey everyone. Signed up for the forum last week but thought I'd wait to post until after I had something to contribute. I bought a 300 last weekend to replace my wife's 250 Rebel. I ordered the Kawi factory frame sliders when we purchased the bike. After searching the forums, I don't really see anyone using them. I'm not sure if it's because they require cutting and everyone is reluctant to make an "irreversable" modification or if everyone just thinks they are ugly. Either way -for those contemplating the factory sliders here's what it took to install them and some pictures of what they look like on the bike.

Let's start!

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Used the service manual for fairing removal instructions...

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The sliders come with good instructions. Installation is fairly straightforward - support the engine with a floor jack, remove five engine mount bolts, install slider brackets with new longer bolts in their place. Bolts replaced marked with green dots. the upper ones (2 on each side) are short bolts with nuts behind them, the bottom one is one long bolt going all the way across.

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It was not in the instructions, but I had to lower the radiator to get the nuts on the upper bolts as the new brackets prevented me from reaching them.

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So after torquing the new bolts in place it was time to move on to the dreaded fairing modification. Kawi had these sliders in mind when they made the fairings - there are guides cast inside the fairing to mark the drill location. But first things first -I put on a couple layers of good painters tape on the outside to help prevent the paint from chipping where my holesaw was going to be used.

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I drilled a 1/8" pilot hole from the inside factory mark...

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There's no going back now!

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I used a 1 1/8" (29mm) holesaw. If I did it again I would have went with the 1 1/4" one... the instructions recommend making a 30mm hole and say some additional trimming may be necessary. The left fairing worked perfectly with the 29mm hole on their mark, but the right one needed some trimming. It would have been easier to drill a slightly larger hole than to do all the filing I did.

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Fairings were reinstalled, and brackets for the sliders were added...

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Plastic sliders bolted right up and I was done. Total time required was about 3 hours including picture taking and consuming an adult beverage...

Here's the finished product.

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#3 ·
Thanks!

Nice write up and photos! I was about to do a write-up myself as I just installed a set today as well. You've done a bang-up job!

Personally I like having them for the day the bike gets dropped, dumped or tipped over (and that day will come).

However, I do believe that Kawasaki could have done a much better job with the fitment of the plastic slider. It really should come a couple/few millimeters closer to the fairing and cover the end of the bolts that can be seen on the inside of the slider. It looks sloppy close up, but there's nothing we can do unless we go nuts with a Dremel tool. *sigh*

/rant

I'll include a couple pics of my install since you started it... :)
 

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#12 ·
That's not a stupid question. These things go by a lot of names; case savers, engine savers, frame savers. Or substitute 'slider' for 'saver' in there.

Their purpose is twofold; they act as a first point of contact for when the bike hits the pavement on its side hopefully limiting damage to engine cases and bodywork, and they transmit the force of impact to the points where the engine is mounted to the frame reducing the chances of the impact twisting the frame.

They work best with additional sliders placed on the swingarm and bar ends... a well designed set will keep the rest of the bike off of the pavement. (ask me how I know... :rolleyes:)
 
#14 ·
It doesn't protect the fairing seeinv as you have to destroy it to install the sliders. What it does is savd your frame from bending completely ruining your bike. And nice write up :)
I don't think that 29mm hole destroys the fairings. They do protect your fairings. I will bet that if you drop your bike your fairings will be scraped up and or cracked. Your brake lever will prob snap. Your bar ends will scrape. Your back fairings also may take damage and your mirrors will prob take some.

Now if you drop it with these huge beefy frame sliders none of that happens.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I'm having trouble removing the engine mount bolts. Those things are on tight!

Do you get at them from the nuts (inside) or apply the socket on the bolt (outside)???

I don't want to break of or seize any thing today.

Edit: holy s**t! I had to find a steel bar to extend the ratchet to get the bolts loose. To all that I panic PMed about this, please disregard.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Yoshimura Chassis Protector Installed

Bought my set from Hardracing for ~$180 shipped. Real kudos to these guys for the awesome service and shipping speed. Took a little under 3 days to get the package.

Here's some pictures. Hopefully it'll help someone make an informed decision for which sliders to get. I personally went with the cut sliders because all the no-cuts seem to compromise integrity to get it through the middle fairing's holes. Also all the no-cut sliders don't look like they stick far enough out to be effective. My 2 cents. Anyways, photos below:


Stripped her down. :D
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These 3 mounting bolts were a PITA to get loose. Whoever put it on went and ejaculated loc-tite all over it. I also had to lower the radiator to get to the bolts inside. Here's the Yoshimura mounting brackets. Pretty much identical to the OEM brackets.
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Finished product. Looks a bit less intrusive than the OEM sliders. IMHO, doesn't take anything away from the style of the bike.
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A closer look.
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The clearance between the fairing and slider also seems less than the OEM sliders. Much cleaner look. Tip to SE Green owners who want to do this: drilling the hole may screw up the green sticker a bit (middle fairing). Use a razor blade to clean it up before bolting on the slider.
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Tried my best to get some profile shots to show how far these stick out. Tried to also show what these sliders can protect in an event of a drop.
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Let me know if you have questions are want pictures of different angles. I'll try to oblige.
 
#41 ·
Let me know if you have questions are want pictures of different angles. I'll try to oblige.
Did you use a hole-saw to cut the frame AFTER the pilot hole?

The instructions say to
"Carefully open hole using a rotary tool while periodically checking with chassis protector spacer.
Widen hole just enough so the spacer clears the fairing. "

Or did you use a power drill until the spacer cleared the fairing?

Thanks in advance.:)
 
#28 ·
Re: installing factory frame sliders

For the people that have the kawasaki oem frame sliders, how are you liking it so far? Does it make the bike wider? Is it true that it'll cover more surface area than the other frame sliders?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#30 ·
For the people that have the kawasaki oem frame sliders, how are you liking it so far? Does it make the bike wider? Is it true that it'll cover more surface area than the other frame sliders?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Motorcycle.com Free App
I like them. I dropped my bike once and they saved the day. No damage. They are not round. They are longer and shaped with slopes to slide.