Back in 06 when I got the bike, I put them on before I had ever ridden it. My 650R has seen the ground 3 times. the first was my third time out on the bike, grabbed too much front going REALLY slow. the other two were while I was away from the bike (once hit by a car in parking spot, the other pushed over in an alley)
The only damage sustained was when it was pushed over in the alley, it was sitting about a foot from a curb, so when it came down, the curb was right between the wheels and the slider. Damage wouldnt have ococured on flat ground.'
install is pretty simple, I've heard of people doing it without taking the fairings off, but I've found it's easier to take them off giving yourself room to work/see.