Swingarm Spools vs. Sliders A few months ago I installed a set of Shogun swingarm sliders:



I needed spools to use a rearstand, so I figured I might as well get the combination spool/slider things to protect my swingarm in case of an accident. What I failed to realize is that the relatively thin 6mm spool bolt combined with the large Shogun spool is not ideal for withstanding impact.

When my bike went down during a 10 MPH spill (see the post here: http://www.startriding.com/blog/ray/2006/06/my-first-motorcycle-crash.html), the swingarm slider bolt snapped like a twig and my swingarm took some damage. Fortunately it was nothing major but it was still disappointing nonetheless. The large size of the Shogun spool obviously creates too much leverage on the 6mm bolt during any impact of moderate or greater strength.

I've since replaced them with standard spools:





They probably won't offer a lot of protection if I crash, but there's much less chance the Paris Hilton-esque skinny 6mm spool bolts on my Yamaha will snap. The Shogun spools may work a little better if you have a Honda, Kawasaki or Suzuki - their spool bolts are 8mm wide.  ¶ 6:28 PM