I never considered myself much of a modder. The Rebel never gave me the urge to make any changes aside from a few practical additions such as a magnetic drain plug and inline fuel filter. That all changed when my dream bike, the SV650, came to stay in my garage. It’s a blank canvas in the guise of a thoroughly naked motorcycle. I soon found myself faced with a surprisingly long wishlist of modifications and a bank account paralyzed with terror. Perfection will have to be made one purchase at a time!
Despite some outrageous wants, my wishlist includes some practical needs. First on the list was a set of frame sliders. There are too many horror stories of a simple drop causing hundreds of dollars in radiator and other repairs to simply ignore the possibility, and while I’d love to say that two mishaps on the Rebel are the only ones I’ll ever have on a bike, I’d rather be safe than sorry when it comes to my dream bike.
Product Information
Manufacturer: Motosliders
Model: Motosliders frame sliders
Year of Manufacture: 2008
MSRP: $69.95
Purchased From: Blair at SV Racing Parts
Manufacturer’s Description
Our SV sliders are long enough to help protect the radiator on 03+ SV650s and SV1000s, and feature a single bolt that goes through the entire frame on both sides, as well as the engine. This creates a VERY strong mount at the strongest possible point on the SV. No cutting or holes necessary for SV and SVS bikes with stock bodywork.
The 12mm custom made 8.8 grade hardened bolt is zinc plated for corrosion resistance, and stronger than
some of the competitors’ bolts without adding any risk of frame damage. All other hardware is also zinc plated.[sic] steel.
Initial Report
Motosliders has a significant presence on the SVRider forum, both as a sponsor of the site and as a product highly recommended by forum participants. I decided to go with the predominant recommendation and order my Motosliders from Blair at SV Racing Parts. I placed the order through his eBay store on Sunday and received the package on Tuesday, with a nice email confirmation in between asking me to email him when they arrived. That’s what I call outstanding shipping and customer service.
The Motosliders arrived in a padded shipping envelope. The included instruction sheet was tucked in a plastic baggie. The frame sliders were packaged as a single unit: two spools and a washer sliding freely down a long bolt with a loose nut holding it all together.
I’m not sure what specific material the spools are made out of. They appear to be a very hard plastic and are slightly scored in concentric circles down the shaft of the spool. The spools are solid and a bit bigger than I expected: approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and 4 inches long.
The instructions start with a list of tools required to install the sliders. A copy of the instructions can be found here: Motosliders Instructions for SV650, SV1000, V-Strom. My first gotcha was not reading the instructions carefully enough — two socket wrenches, 17mm sockets, 19mm sockets, and 3″ extensions are required. I had the wrenches and the extensions, but needed another 17mm socket and the 19mm ones. Luckily, I was able to borrow the necessary items from a friend who lives down the street!
The rest of the installation was easy. Simply locate the main engine bolt using the pictures in the instructions, remove the bolt using the two socket wrenches, and replace the bolt with the Motosliders bolt and spools. The Motosliders spools are “keyed” to fit specific sides of the bike, and it’s important to make sure you have each spool on the correct side to ensure a correct installation.
Once installed, the Motosliders are rock solid, look good, and don’t interfere with riding the bike.
Update: Motosliders, Crash Tested
June 7, 2010: I had the unhappy experience of crashing my beloved SV a few months ago no thanks to my own stupidity. Long story short: I rear-ended a car at 20mph. The Motosliders saved the engine from damage, but not much else. You can see photos of the damage here. Yes, the bike ended up totaled.
Summary
Motosliders frame sliders are highly recommended in the SV rider community. A single bolt design and large spools provide protection for the engine and frame. Installation is easy, and the spools do not detract from the bike’s looks. Though they won’t protect much more than the engine in a crash, I feel they are still worth the money and your time.
If you’re looking for a copy of the installation instructions, click here: Motosliders Instructions for SV650, SV1000, V-Strom
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Recent Comments
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I bought them after reading your recommendation and those on SVRider. When I installed mine, the right side sat deeper in the frame than the left side so that the right one measured ~4″ from edge to frame and the left ~4 1/4″. How did your set fit? Mine also came with nylon lock nuts and didn’t reference using loctite as in your instructions.
@Stephen: The slider spools are “keyed” — one fits into a wider recess on the left side and the other fits into a smaller diameter recess on the right side. I measured my sliders and the left side measures 4 1/4″ while the right measures 4 3/16″.
The nylon lock nuts are new to me. It’s likely they are a new change to the kit. I suggest following the instructions included with your sliders and not using Loctite if it isn’t mentioned.
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