A Closer Look At Decent Products



In this area of the site I intend to take a look at products that, in short, are pretty damn good. It might be cleaners, polish, oil, locks, accessories, anything.

Click any of the products below to take you to the reviews...




*Armorall Protectant* WD-40* Honda Accesories* Micron Exhaust*

* Billat Cleaning Brush* *Motrax Tank Protector*

*NWS Carbon Fibre Hugger* *Pyramid Plastics Fenda Extenda*

*TCP Aerodynamics Front Fairing*





Armorall Protectant



Armorall Protectant is a wonder product. You can use it on anything rubber or plastic.

I first discovered it in the early 90's when I used it on my car. It's particularly good for darkening up greyed and weathered rubber and plastic. It puts a real shine back into it. It's non-toxic and contains no alcohol or solvents, so it's perfect for bikes.

 

Product points…

  • Cleans and removes grime that can wear out the vinyl, rubber and plastic parts of your bike.
  • Protects from rain and saltwater.
  • Shines and restores that 'new' look instantly.
  • Guards against discolouration and cracking caused by ozone, UV radiation and extreme temperatures.
  •  

    Some of the countless uses on the Honda Hornet...

    Tyre walls. Seat. Dash, dials and ignition area. Painted plastic parts such as the rear seat surround and the front mudguard. Wires and cables. Headlamp surround. Indicators...the list goes on!

     


    Hornets Nest Rating:

    5/5





    WD-40




    WD-40 (water displacement batch number 40) is another wonder product...
    It cleans, protects, lubricates and penetrates. It basically has an infinite number of uses. Everything from starting wet engines to cleaning and protecting rubber to even, and get this, making fishing bait more attrative to fish!

    Refer to the Tips section of the Hornets nest to see the countless uses on the Honda Hornet.

    Hornets Nest Rating:

    5/5






    Honda Accesories




    The Honda Hornet Flyscreen.
    Well, it doesn't look bad as far as flyscreens go. A well-made, shaped section of tinted perspex. It's small, compact and fits like a glove. Personally though, I have to say, I prefer the bike without it. Why spoil it!
    But it does have a practical side. Good in the summer with all the flies and shit and good for a spot of wind deflection on those faster stretches.
    I only know one person who has fitted the screen. He says that the wind deflection is not massive, but it does help a bit. So there you go.

    Hornets Nest Rating:

    4/5







    The Honda Hornet tank protector.
    Well, it's not my cup of tea. It looks small and neat enough, but is it really up to the job?
    I fitted a shortened Motrax carbon fibre look tank pad to my Hornet (picture soon) because I doubted the protection from scuffing offered by the Honda version.
    Until someone argues otherwise, it's only worthy of a 3!


    Hornets Nest Rating:

    3/5






    Micron Exhaust




    Treat your ears to this. At last, a decent aftermarket can from Micron. Loud and fruity, this pipe is the same as the ones used on some of the Hornet Cup race bikes.

    Micron have designed the pipe to fit the Honda Hornet perfectly. They are available in both carbon fibre and alloy finishes. According to Micron the carbon fibre version is 50 percent lighter than the original Honda exhaust and better still, both pipes can boost power in the mid-range by up to 3bhp! They're pretty fruity too. So much so that there is a worry that they may not be road legal in the UK.
    And you care?

    The carbon Fibre can costs around £277.
    For details call 01773 836837

     


    Hornets Nest Rating:

    5/5




    Billat flexible cleaning brush






    This is a bit of a find.
    A flexible cleaning brush made by a French company called BILLAT.
    You can bend it into almost any shape to get into those awkward areas. It's got a rubber skirt around the handle and soft rubber tips at the and of each brush to prevent you from damaging anything as you scrub away.

    It really comes into it's own when you use it for things like the rear monoshock spring and the bottom half of the engine. It is originally designed for cleaning spokes and tubular frames. But this little baby is perfect for the Hornet's mucky bits.

    It costs £3.99 and is available from 'Wilkinson' homeware shops and other DIY chains.

    Hornets Nest Rating:

    5/5




    Motrax Tank Protector




    The Motrax tank protector costs less than £10. It's actually larger than this (It has two extra slats at the top) but I cut it down.

    It's carbon fibre look, although, you can get them in almost any colour. They're easy to shorten and fit. In fact, with a sharp stanley blade, you could change the shape of it to whatever you wanted.
    The adhesive is strong stuff! Once it's down, that's it. So you line it up from the bottom of the seat and slowly peel the backing off, working upwards. Then just rub it down with a clean cloth, and voila!

    Looks a bit cooler than the Honda job in my opinion.

    Available from most bike accessory shops and the M&P catalogue.

    Hornets Nest Rating:

    5/5





    NWS Carbon Fibre Hugger.





    The NWS Carbon Hugger is a highly recommended piece of kit.
    Thoughtful touches in the kit include a new rear brake pipe 'P' clip to redirect the brake pipe slightly and stop it fouling the hugger, and a longer mounting bolt to account for the extra thickness of having to go through the hugger as well as the 'P' clip. Nice.
    Even nicer is the small tube of loctite to stop bolts working loose, instructions you can actually follow, and an allen key that fits all the mounting bolts except the two large ones that must be undone to remove the lefthand pillion footpeg extension. This is necessary to expose a chain guard mounting bolt that is otherwise hidden.
    The fit is perfect, all mounting holes line up exactly first time, with absolutely no jiggery pokery being needed.

    Total time to fit - around twenty minutes or so.

    If this sounds like an advert - It is well deserved. Quality kit. A certain 5/5.

    Thanks to Steve Boreham who made this review possible.

    Hornets Nest Rating:

    5/5






    Pyramid Plastics Fenda Extenda.





    In my opinion, the Carbon Look Fenda Extenda from Pyramid Plastics is one of the best additions you can make to a Hornet for both winter and summer riding. £19.95 gets you a cleverly moulded piece of plastic to extend the front mudguard just enough to protect the radiator and upper part of the front downpipes (prone to corrosion) from stone damage and water spray.
    The Fenda is supplied with 4 self tapping screws - but the best way to do it is with the help of some strong silicon sealant. The best stuff is the UPVC kind they use to put Double glazed windows in. It's strong, slightly flexible and waterproof. Check out my tips and fitting guide in the Tips section.
    It's available in plain black too and possibly other colours soon.
    Well worthy of a 5/5!

    5/5





    TCP Aerodynamics Front Fairing.







    Review by Club member Steve Boreham
    The fairing shell is manufactured with thermoformed Bayblend, this being 60% ABS and 40% polycarbonate, as opposed to fibreglass. It is light, strong, and the finish on both inside and outside faces is perfect. No dodgy pock marks or loose fibreglass strands here!
    Comes prefinished in Honda colours, and lacquered to a very high level of quality. No paint blemishes, sags, or runs, and not even any overspray on the inside face, this being finished in matt black.
    The fitting kit is also well engineered, and beautifully made. With all cutting and drilling having been performed consistently by robots, everything assembled perfectly first time, too.
    Headlamp unit looks to me like it is ex KTM Duke, which gets my vote as being rare enough to be different, whilst common enough - it is a standard production item - to be easily replaceable in the event of a stone chip or whatever.
    As with all TCP products, the fairing comes TUV certified and with the ISO 9002 seal.
    UK list price is £320, but mention the Nest, and this can come down. Even at full list, it is cheaper than the price differential between a Hornet and a Hornet S last time I looked, and to my eyes at least, is actually more attractive.

    UK importer is Tippetts, contact is Mark.
    Telephone 020 8399 2417
    web: www.honda-tippetts.co.uk
    e-mail: sales@honda-tippetts.co.uk

    All in all, a Top Product that could easily pass for Original Equipment.

    5/5





    *Armorall Protectant* WD-40* Honda Accesories* Micron Exhaust*

    *Billat Cleaning Brush* *Motrax Tank Protector*

    *NWS Carbon Fibre Hugger* *Pyramid Plastics Fenda Extenda*

    *TCP Aerodynamics Front Fairing*






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