2013 honda hornet 600 PC41 suspension upgrade query

[legendracer]

Dear bikers

I own a honda hornet 600 for the past 4 years. I will be getting Yamaha MT 10 SP in near future but I think it's better to keep this inline 4 600cc as a commuter city bike.

It has been weeks since I'm thinking whether to sell off or not, but the relaxed city commuting and corner thrashing is easy on this 600 cc.

Hence I'm thinking of keeping this bike with me for a very long time. I don't know if this worth financial hurdles.

This hornet 600 was designed for relaxed riding and not sharp handling. I know that chassis plays more role.

I'm thinking of Getting adjustable front and rear suspension from nitron UK. Also, akrapovic exhaust decat is in mind. But I'm unsure if I should get a new set of headers, link pipe and slip on our just cut off stock and bolt in link pipe and akrapovic slip on.

Feel free to tell your opinions. I don't mind if you convince me to keep only the MT10 SP and sell off this. Let me know what suspension upgrade options I have in the UK.

Thank you
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There is always a surprise waiting on the road which can take you off saddle , no matter how old or experienced you are.

[stinkwheel]

Or if it's a commuter, does it need a lot of money spending on it. They are pretty good bikes as-is. Does the exhaust need replacing? If not, why bother?

Shock will be tired after 10 years so probably worth servicinging/upgrading.

Fork-wise, is it just the sag that's getting to you? They were soflty sprund as new and a new shock will only amplify that feeling. You could just order up a set of linear springs correct for your weight and riding style and set the sag properly. That's an upgrade that's enormously beneficial and not particularly expensive.

If you wanted a hornet with sportsbike performance, should've bought a CBR6. Are you trying to make it into something it's not? I'd say there's a strong case for appresiating it as it is.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[legendracer]

[MarJay]

I think any Hornet has the basics, i.e. a reasonably fun engine and a decent riding position. If you took the bike to a suspension specialist would it be better? Undoubtedly. As good as a Street Triple 765R? Probably not but it would cost you about half the price in total I think.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[legendracer]

[MarJay]

[Polarbear]

[Easy-X]

There is something to be said for improving and refining an existing product, taking an off-the-peg and making it a tailor-made.

On the Husky I've done all sorts of things that are barely value-for-money on the face of it but I am now very familiar with the bike's construction and running.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stinkwheel]

I find suspension is very much a case of diminishing returns. The first bit you spend gives you the most benefit, then it both peters off and gets progrssively more expensive for each increment of further improvement.

Start getting the correct spring rate and setting your sag. That's the most important. After that you get more progressively more fiddling and expense for smaller benefits.

I'll give you the example of my VFR750 which I had the shock rebuilt and sprung for my weight and typical luggage load. I set up the static sag, it had various damping settings, all of which I left factory.

I went on a three day trip to the Highlands on it and towards the end of day 1, the shock shat itself* . I mean it totally shat itself, no damping at all, just a spring. I was still able to ride the bike on twisty highland roads at a fair percentage of my normal speed for the rest of the trip, certainly quickly enough to keep up with the pace of the group. It wasn't fantastic but it was perfectly rideable, even quite enthusiastically. Tendancy to get a bounce-on if you hit a big compression or a double bump but with a bit of fine throttle and rear brake control, it was far from unmanageable. Even got into a race with a random powerranger on a fireblade on the Darva Moor road and while I didn't pass him, he didn't shake me either. It'll have been a 1000 mile weekend and was thoroughly enjoyable.

My point? If I have one. Get the basics right, beware of guilding the lilly on what was a fairly moddle or the road sports commuter bike. Spend the extra on good tyres.

* Later turns out the re-chromed damper rod had de-laminated and blown chrome flakes throughout the internals, tearing all the oil selas and blassers the pressure bladder to shreds. Effectively became a spring with a guide-rod attached.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[legendracer]

[ThunderGuts]

Just to sort of tie into the above, I recently had a vaguely similar situation where I was getting a bit dissatisfied with my VFR and toying with changing bikes. In the end I took it to a local suspension specialist (near Manchester, so no use to the OP). He visually grimaced at the general state of the suspension, although said it's partly wear and partly just slightly budget spec from the factory. He did some adjustments there and then, but we discussed an upgrade (Hyperpro front spring kit and Nitron R1 rear shock) and I decided to go for it in the end. The work has literally just been finished and I'm getting the bike back on Saturday!
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TG.

[stinkwheel]

[PotatoHead202...]

Yes, it's worth it to a degree.

I can't fathom how so many people will spend hundreds if not thousands on exhausts and remaps but fuck all on suspension that was pretty shit to begin with.

I fitted a YSS shock on my CBF500 which transformed it from feeling like there was a hinge in the chassis to feeling reasonably good.

I then fitted hyperpro springs and about a year or two later a YSS PD valve kit and had the damper rod modded to suit. That vastly improved the front - albeit it still majorly lacks feel compared to a cartridge setup.

I fitted a custom Nitron R1 to my VFR1200F which stopped it feeling like it was dragging it's arse around the whole time. Shortly after I fitted K Tech linear springs and about 3 months after that I had a K Tech Fork Piston Kit added. Again, this vastly improved the handling and general comfort.

More recently I fitted a Nitron R1 ADV 46mm shock to my V Strom. The original wasn't terrible (like the other two above) but it wasn't great. The Nitron vastly improved the damping over rough ground however and has allowed me to be comfortable at much higher speeds.

Everyone I spoke to about the above bikes regretted going for the more advanced Nitron stuff as they simply never adjusted it more than to set the initial sag etc - it coped admirably as it was so would have gone for the R1 instead of the R3 etc.

I asked about having my shocks rebuilt but most recommended getting an aftermarket replacement as the oem stuff was so poor and not a lot could be done to improve them.

I'd thoroughly recommend Lukas and T Tech Suspension in Croydon. I'll guarantee he'll be cheaper than any of the main culprits, he'll send you picture and video updates of any issues (he has one of those fancy machines that measure all the stuff to measure) and will take on jobs others can't be bothered with. I noticed pitting on my VFR1200F fork stanchions and he was the only person to agree to replace them - which he did successfully.
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Suzuki V Strom 1050XT, Honda CBF500 ABS,

[Robby]

[legendracer]

[ThunderGuts]

[stinkwheel]

[legendracer]

Could anyone give some guidance for aftermarket exhaust too please?
New akrapovic system costs £1000. I can go used route too, but couldn't find anything for this bike.
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There is always a surprise waiting on the road which can take you off saddle , no matter how old or experienced you are.

[rpsmith79]