[MaximX]

I know that the prevailing opinion is to buy rearsets and bigger bar ends.

HOWEVER, I picked up some regular frame sliders for $50, which is the price of the bar ends by themselves.

So, the guy at the shop told me to drill a hole for the bolts through the center of the frame member just below the gas tank (see attached - red circle). This hole would be a little bigger than 1/4" diameter.

I was thinking this was not a good idea because it could lead to fatigue cracking of the frame even if I never laid the bike over. If I did lay the bike over, it could crack the frame immediately.

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance.

 

[dad1]

I don't know where you're planning on drilling but this frame doesn't have enough cross section ANYWHERE I can think of, for even its OWN rigidity, much less the strength to support a hit with a chunk removed. As a matter of policy, don't ever drill a frame, ANY frame.

You could look into extending a bolt, making a clamp, or some other method of attachment. Also, if you know what they're for, maybe you could sell them, turn a buck, and start over with the right parts.

 

[MrSciTrek]

Agree. My understanding for tube-type frames is that even a small hole (or crack) drops the strength a lot. I'd be careful even putting on a clamp that could dent the frame. But if some wide flat stock was bent to closely conform to the frame shape, and you mount the slider to that...

 

[bitzz]

You see part of he reason that bar ends and solid footpegs are the answer is because the frame isn't very tough, quite weak actually. So now you are going to put sliders on the bike that will centralize all the force of the fall on one small area of this already weak frame.
So with a "light" fall all is good, saved your body work. If you fall hard you bend the frame.

Bar ends and solid pegs are mounted to the two strongest places on the frame.

 

[OreoGaborio]

I have sliders that bolt into the engine mounts... that's the proper place for them. I've crashed a bunch of times & the bolt has bent a little but other than that they've worked flawlessly

 

[MrSciTrek]

I have sliders that bolt into the engine mounts... that's the proper place for them. I've crashed a bunch of times & the bolt has bent a little but other than that they've worked flawlessly

Would you grab a couple of pics of those puppies?

 

[fog]

No

FOG

 

[OreoGaborio]

I have sliders that bolt into the engine mounts... that's the proper place for them. I've crashed a bunch of times & the bolt has bent a little but other than that they've worked flawlessly

Would you grab a couple of pics of those puppies?

This is the only high-resolution pic of them I have online that shows em well.... HUGE pic

They were "custom made" by the previous owner. Just some aluminum and delrin plastic milled down on the lathe. They're more for crank case & water pump protection than anything else. Case guards are sturdier, but these also protect the body work to an extent. That bike's been down a few times since that photo was taken & I still have the same upper fairing. My teammates have done down & they've all had to replace their uppers.... only damage is some skuffs & small cracks on the body work & the bolt that holds the engine in is a little bent

 

[bitzz]

Here is a pic of what you want for frame sliders...if you aren't going with bar ends and solid pegs.

http://www.ex-500.com/index.php/topic,629.0.html

 

[fog]

The best Idea I've seen for frame sliders on an EX is the ones that Screw into the inspection port on the left side of the engine. Never tested them though. On the right side I welded a ring of thick aluminium onto the water pump cover , (I tested that one).

FOG

 

[McBiggity]

On the right side I welded a ring of thick aluminium onto the water pump cover , (I tested that one).

FOG

tested in turn 3? ;D

I have the steel case guards and they are awesome. crashed 4-5 times and haven't had to replace a case cover yet.

 

[fog]

I don't remember, Mots likely. I had a set of them (steel case guards) on my bike for my very first race ever. I wheelied on the start and crashed, the case guards punched right through the cases. I never made it to the start line.
They are a royal PIA when you need to work on the engine or remove it.

FOG

 

[MaximX]

I have sliders that bolt into the engine mounts... that's the proper place for them. I've crashed a bunch of times & the bolt has bent a little but other than that they've worked flawlessly

Would you grab a couple of pics of those puppies?

This is the only high-resolution pic of them I have online that shows em well.... HUGE pic

They were "custom made" by the previous owner. Just some aluminum and delrin plastic milled down on the lathe. They're more for crank case & water pump protection than anything else. Case guards are sturdier, but these also protect the body work to an extent. That bike's been down a few times since that photo was taken & I still have the same upper fairing. My teammates have done down & they've all had to replace their uppers.... only damage is some skuffs & small cracks on the body work & the bolt that holds the engine in is a little bent

Oreo - can you tell how they are mounted? We looked at that location, and it looks like the bolt going through would be hard to replace with a new one. It looks like a custom Kawasaki bolt. Did the PO find a longer one?

 

[fog]

My objection to using the engine mount bolts is that when you go to the trouble of fitting solid mounts(you should) inserting a piece of compressable plastic into the joint is softening the connection of the engine to the frame thereby reducing the engines contribution to frame ridigety. Loard Knows the EX need all you can get.

Unless you have special bolts made that have a head in the center and threaded portions sticking out both ways.


FOG

 

[knightslugger]

FOG, a 1-pc solid delrin... i'd agree with you. however there are frame sliders that mount to the engine mount that are two piece. Vortex makes a solid aluminum base with a replaceable delrin puck. the mounting screw isn't the same one that keeps the delrin on the post. is this maybe what you were drifting twords?

 

[fog]

Whatever does not diminish the holding power of the mounting bolts. This only matters when you use solid engine mounts. Because the point of them is to stregnthen the frame. They work too.

FOG

 

[bitzz]

I don't like the idea of putting a slider in the inspection hole on the left side. If you go down hard you will break the cover. Isn't that what you are trying to avoid.

I have solid motor mounts with a through bolt, made from threaded rod, that goes all the way across, from one mount to the other. I put 2 nuts on either side in the middle to put the mount in compression. (I'd post a picture but the motor is in the basement and the bike is in the garage. It is a royal PITA to remove the motor but it seems to work well).
You could do something like that, but make the through bolt long enough to have some sticking out to mount the slider on. You would have to countersink the motor mount nut into the back of the slider.

I don't run any kind of slider...but then I never crash.

 

[fog]

I'm not sure if that cover slider would in fact break the cover that cover is pretty strong and the load is spread out over a fairly large ares, But I don't know I never used them. The one like you describe on the motormount bolt I've just sheard them off. there isn't enough surface behind the pad to properly support it and they just pop off.

FOG

 

[AntiAndy]

http://www.brgracing.com/ex500Sliders.html
They make them for the EX.
Only $85.00 for the front racing set!
Only $85.00 for the rear racing set!
Only $95.00 for the front street set!
Only $95.00 for the rear street set!

lucky wins, i cant believe noone else posted this before.

 

[McBiggity]

I don't run any kind of slider...but then I never crash.

knock on wood buddy