Samco Sport Motorcycle Hose Kits Review

Race teams don’t rely on OEM hoses. Neither should you.

The factory teams of Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam (to name a couple) trust Samco hoses to keep coolant in their bikes, and they really hate breakdowns. That should say it all.Jeff Allen

Coolant hoses are a thing we think of when they fail. When they do, it can be a real mess, leave you stranded, or even lead to a crash. The latter nearly happened at the end of my block when my 11-year-old stock hoses failed in a big way. Standard OE hoses are typically made from EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber, which is used in a multitude of applications from door seals to O-rings. It's great stuff, but if you've ever bought an old bike and noticed old, cracked rubber bits, you know EPDM doesn't last.

Samco went a different route, building its coolant hoses out of layers of silicone and fabric. It allows for hoses in a rainbow of colors and patterns. On the inside, Samco applies coatings for each application (oil, coolant, air, fuel), which provide chemical resistance to the chosen fluid, and therefore less turbulence, better flow, and more cooling. The resulting product is highly regarded for its pressure resistance and durability, and Samco backs up its hoses with a lifetime warranty.

Samco also offers application-specific hose-clamp kits from JCS High Performance Hose Clips, which are wider than stock to provide better sealing, and made of marine-grade stainless steel for corrosion resistance. They feature rounded edges—to keep from cutting the hose—internal rolled band threads to prevent loosening over time, and a straight-line screw housing that allows each thread to engage the band to prevent slipping.

Verdict

Grade: A
Summary: Samco silicone coolant hoses are much better than stock
Price: Hoses $179; damps $62 (varies by model)
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