The First Thing

I would say Sliders actually, for a new rider at least, but these days FE kits from cycle gear as so cheap that it might as well be the first thing, since they are already in stock while most Slider kits seem to be ordered online. Dont really see CG carrying sliders on the shelf. Do dealerships? Never really checked their parts department. That would be ALOT of different sliders at the dealership.

I am actually thinking about not using sliders anymore. I have literally broke every single one in every lowside I have been in. Sure they protect the fairings, but the frame is what really matters. On top of that, they usually replace engine bolts, so if it breaks, you no longer have a bolt supporting that side of your engine to the frame, and taking the snapped slider bolts can be a nightmare. Tip: if you have excess snapped bolt sticking out, use a dremel to cut a LARGE slot to fit a big flat head. EZ-outs never come in straight, and they can snap, then you are really screwed since the EZ-out is really hard to remove. Oh and use minimal amount of Loctite on installation. You dont need to cover the entire thread area. Red Loctite on the whole thing can be a pain when the bolt head snapped off and you are trying to remove it from a small, cramped space between the fairings/frame and have minimal surface area to clamp your vice grip onto. Hence using a dremel to cut a slot lol.