Crash Bobbins, Frame sliders opinions.

[cozza]

Hi All.
 
I'm looking at protecting  my GT from accident damage, please can anyone offer any advice about such protective devices without costing more than the bike he he  .
 
Thank You.
 
 
 

[BBB]

Crash bobbins or paddock stand bobbins are a simple, cheap way to get some protection on the bike. I have Evotech ones on each end and they are a doddle to fit.
 
After that I have engine guards from SW Motech, This is a more cosly add on, but are cheaper than the cost of replacing all the engine pieces that would otherwise get scraped if you’re unfortunate to drop the bike. Pretty easy to fit, you just replace engine mount bolts, one at a time, when you bolt up the guards.
 
I would imagine current FJ parts would fit the GT.

[washufiddyfo]

I went with a bit of a hybrid...they cost more than a set of plastic sliders, but they are far more stout with two mounting points. They also don't have near the expense of the full cage.  
 
https://fj-09.org/thread/4344/super-sliders
 
Made by a supporting vendor, there's a link in his post that takes you to his site that shows a bike resting on the side of one of these.  That alone made me feel way more comfortable if the bike ever has to go on its side.

[cozza]

Thanks for the info guys.
 
I think I'll give it some thought, so many options......
 
Cheers.

[norcal616]

Higdonion Cage will be the answer... Im not a big fan of frame sliders/bobbins, they work nice for under 5mph tip over's but not so much for actual riding speeds...Axle sliders/stand lift bobbins are a nice also

[Panther6834]

I agree with bbb. When I got my FJ, the first thing I installed were the GIVI Engine Guard Bars. They are among the beefiest bars available...plus, having considered other options, in regards to 'area of coverage', the GIVI bars protect more of the bike than anything else. Next, I installed spools (made of Delrin, not metal) front & rear, providing protection to the forks & rear swing arm. After that, I added bar ends, to provide additional protection to the "upper area" of the bike. All of the above is relatively inexpensive, and should provide more than "adequate" protection...but you can always add more, such as my final "protection" step, below.
 
Lastly...this will sound "strange" to some, and be completely understood by others...I added hard side cases. Obviously, the primary reason for side cases is transportable storage, and that IS why we get them...but, they also have an added benefit of providing additional protection. Depending on the design, while some are cheap, have barely-adequate rack attachment, have poorly-designed racks with weak weld points, and could be instantly destroyed the moment you go down, others (ie. more costly) have incredibly sturdy rack attachment, have strong & well-designed racks, are made of metal or higher-quality plastic, and will provide additional protection you might not have thought about.
 
In considering this last "option", you should ask yourself, "Do I care more about the look of my bike, or the look of my side cases?" If the answer is your bike, then, by all means, get yourself the highest quality rack & side cases you can afford, as you might find them protecting your bike just as much as the rest of the "protective equipment". On the other hand, if you prefer "pristine" luggage, best sell your bike, and buy yourself a motorcycle video game where you can crash as often as you like, and your bike always looks "new".

[redfjniner]

I must say that the saddlebag solution to protect the bike is a good one and I have had a couple crashes on the FJ where they came into play and helped save the bike's frame and engine, but not the plastics. In one case of a low speed spill, the bag got scratched up and needed to be repainted. In another case the left bag slid down the road for 250 ft and wore a hole in the lid, while the right side was smashed when the bike slid to the shoulder of the road and flipped on to the back right side and totaled the bag. Those were FJR bags that I got cheap many years before the FJ and used for years on a FJR. Although the replacement are also used FJR bags, and purchased at a good price of $450, they can be hard to come by these days as FJ owners find them to be better than the City Bags that are the FJ accessory which only cost slightly less.