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Chinese silicone hose sets?


SEBSPEED

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Has anyone tried as set of these? At half the cost of the next cheapest supplier I'm obviously skeptical, but I'm sure the markup is huge. 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-for-Honda-VFR800-VFR-800-FI-VTEC-Interceptor-02-08-Silicone-Radiator-Hose/232537491282?epid=3005059570&hash=item3624508752:g:JYIAAOSwl9RZ8U3Z&vxp=mtr

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I picked up the AS3 set based on another positive review on here. They're well crafted. The pound was a little weaker against the dollar when I bought mine, but it looks like they're bouncing back a bit from "Brexit", so the price probably won't get better soon. I looked at the Chinese set but as a complete unknown, it didn't seem like the savings were worth the risk of doing the job twice when the AS3 set had a good review.

 

Edit: I guess my memory isn't perfect (how is this possible?) but I looked up my eBay history and I paid $160, so I guess the exchange rate hasn't really changed.

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Seb, 

 

I just pulled the trigger on a set and the ss clamps from AS3 for my 5th gen. I will post up any thoughts once I have them in hand. 

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I purchased the AS3 silicon hoses and clamps for my 5th gen, couldn’t be happier with the quality. They will outlast the bike I imagine. 

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Reading this, I wonder if we have a risk of losing Coolant onto our bikes or worse, onto the tires. Silicone has high premeation rates it says, and fluid leaks through the hoses. Idk if I could take that risk. Someone please do some more research :).

 

 https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/r50-r53-hatch-talk-2002-2006/231898-why-you-shouldn-t-install-silicone-hoses.html

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Now that I think back, when I bought mine, I googled "chinese silicone radiator hose" or something to that effect, and found a few results from other bikes... The reviews were not what I would call favorable. I take online reviews with a grain of salt, but at the same time, I certainly didn't want to be the first one over the fence!

 

As for the permeability issue of silicone, I glanced at the Gates video in that link, but here's the thing: that video was obviously aimed at the big rig world. They tend to run those things virtually non-stop. As compared to our bikes. I'm betting the most avid rider here doesn't have his engine running more than 10% of the time your average big rig runs. I'm betting that very few of those mini drivers are anywhere near that either. Meanwhile, I don't know about you but I have the plastic off my bike at least a couple times a year, at which point the couple of ounces of coolant that I might have lost will be easy enough to notice.

 

Not exactly an apples to apples comparison.

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Well, in my case, I felt it was time for replacement of the originals since I was draining the system anyway for a sticking thermostat. When I looked for a complete hose set, the options that I found were silicone or used. What are there, ten of the little bastards? Call it lazy, but I wanted to order a kit and not have to track down individual part numbers. Also, going to my local dealership and asking for the parts would turn into five trips to return the wrong hoses.

 

Realistically, no good reasons. I'm sure you could spend an hour or so with the parts fiche and track down all the individual lines, price search them individually and possibly come up cheaper, but it sounded like more work and they wouldn't be cool red colored hoses!

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Look, I’m interested too, and 15x 0 is 0 too... maybe they don’t leak nearly as much as people make them out to be? I would love to have some silicone hoses too, but can’t have that be the reason my bike breaks down 300 miles away from home on a Sunday.

 

If we can get a long term review i’d be happy. And not just a “ridden gently on Sunday” review either. From a trackday Guy, or a commuter. 

 

Understand my concernv

 

That red would look very good too :). 

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Silicone hoses like Samco have been around a long time and have a great history of use. 

 

Im not questioning the use of silicone hoses, they are sound as far as I'm concerned. It's the cheap chinese version I'm seeking specific feedback on. 

 

I'm buying them for a project that won't see use right away, so not an ideal guinea pig.

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20 hours ago, Marvelicious said:

Well, in my case, I felt it was time for replacement of the originals since I was draining the system anyway for a sticking thermostat.

 

This x2. Sticking thermostat here, figured I'd give the sillycone hoses a whirl, plus I could get BLUE, so fly.

 

For what its worth, a quick look at partzilla makes it look like you can get OEM replacements for most of the hoses for a little less money (for my 5th gen at least): https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/honda/motorcycle/1998/vfr800fi-a-interceptor/water-pump

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My water pump on my 5 Gen started leaking so I decided to replace it, the hoses and thermostat all at the same time, since everything appeared to be original components. Figured if I was going to go through the trouble of draining the coolant and removing the TBs to access the thermostat, I might as well do it once and be done with it.

 

I’ll admit I thought about doing the Chinese hoses and even contemplated getting Samco but I decided to split the difference and went with the AS3 lines (Sorry Seb, can’t offer a review on the Chinese lines). Although I think the AS3 hoses look like good quality, there are two things I didn’t feel made them an awesome deal. The first, they provide 13 hoses, however, there is one hose that they don’t provide and the other is two of the lines are not quite molded the same as the OEM versions they replaced. Although I was able to get the latter ones installed I don’t like the way I had to get them to fit like OEM.

 

 

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14 minutes ago, SEBSPEED said:

Can you elaborate on which hoses were incorrect, and how exactly they differed from oem?

I'll start with the missing hose...See photo, it should be obvious which is the missing hose.

 

IMG_3760_zpsuyggcbwy.jpg

 

The two I remember not being quite the same shape are the ones that connect to the upper part of the right radiator. One goes to the thermostat housing (this one was not so bad) and the other goes across to the other side, I believe it goes to the over flow container.

(It's the upper hose in this photo, if I recall correctly)

IMG_3759_zpsbluaeq49.jpg

 

This one IMO, needs to be better shaped but to give benefit of the doubt, perhaps it lost some of its shape during shipping as all the hoses were packaged in a FedEx style padded envelope. Other than the fore mentioned gripes, I feel good about the hoses. I was actually thinking of writing to AS3 and see if they can make that missing hose. They would probably need a sample of it but since it's a long hose, I think it should be part of the kit.

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6 hours ago, Urbanengineer said:

@Duc2V4 If you could message them about this that would be great. Do we have anyone able to send that specific hose to AS3? I'd pay double what the ebay listing asks if we could get a full hose replacement. Mine are 15 years old also. Yours look phenomenal!

Ok. I’ll send them an email tomorrow when I get back on my computer, vice the iPad I’m on at the moment.

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4 minutes ago, Urbanengineer said:

@Marvelicious please show us your kit with the hose in question :). Would be nice to see they just messed up Duc’s!

Quite possibly it was just my order BUT their catalog says 13 hoses, that's exactly the number I received. https://www.as3performance.co.uk/honda-vfr-800-fi-1998-2001-high-performance-silicone-radiator-hoses-blue/

 

Which reminds me, I need to email them and see if the hose I didn't receive is even in their kit or if they would be willing to make it if it isn't.

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On 12/16/2017 at 2:14 PM, Urbanengineer said:

@Duc2V4 If you could message them about this that would be great. Do we have anyone able to send that specific hose to AS3? I'd pay double what the ebay listing asks if we could get a full hose replacement. Mine are 15 years old also. Yours look phenomenal!

I just sent off an email asking if the hose is supposed to be part of the kit and if not, could one be fabricated. I'll report back when I hear from them,.

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Well, before pulling plastic for pics, I have to note... AS3's listing for the 1998-2001 kit shows a pic with 13 hoses, while the 2002-2014 kit shows a pic with 14. You're speaking of a 5th gen, correct? I have a 6th.

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