Review: Ixil Hyperlow XL

As almost everyone knows, stock exhaust systems never sound good on bikes, especially for commuters.

As an old saying (and also controversial saying): Loud pipes save lives.
This is partially true. I never get noticed by cagers unless I have a loud as f*ck exhaust on my bike.
Never had problems with an exhaust that is too loud, they always hear me coming from a mile away.

Now, the original exhaust (muffler) on the NC700X is so silent, that a cooling fan from a car makes more noise. I thus bought a second hand Ixil Hyperlow XL.

The seller (and also my motorcycle dealer) wanted to have 250€ for it, which was way to high since it was also second hand.
I paid 170€ for the Ixil and cleaned it up some more, and it’s shiny again.

Sound:
The sewing machine sound is gone, and when I start the bike, it gives a nice low growl. When increasing the RPM (going at speed) the bike sounds a lot better.
Keep in mind that I ride without the dB-killers, because it is silent enough to ride without, but still loud enough to keep getting noticed by cagers.

Look:
I really like the look of the Ixil pipe, it reminds me of the Hurric Pro 2, but it looks more sporty.
It definitly makes the bike look good, but I’m a bit worried that water droplets get into the pipe when it rains and the engine is off.

Fit:
You need spacers to get the Hyperlow on the right place. Fitting the muffler onto the header pipe was a bit difficult. But it fits nicely. There’s also a center stand buffer on the pipe present.

Performance:
There is no noticable performance increase, because the catalytic converter still obstructs the flow. A decat header pipe and air filter should work.

Problems:
– Water can get into the exhaust when parked in the rain
– Centerstand buffer is too weak and bends on impact

Here’s a video of the sound recorded with the Tascam DR-05 V2

Review: Givi HP1111 Handguards for Honda NC700X

I like the look of riding without handguards, but the weather just doesn’t get better, and it even started hailing in April!
I thus impulse bought some Givi HP1111 handguards that will fit my Honda NC700X.

Having a windscreen also from Givi (D1111ST), I looked up if they fit, and they did.

Fitment:
The fitment is so precise that it has around 1cm (and less) space between handguard and windscreen.
The handguards mount to the bar ends and mirrors. You can still use the original bar ends.
The other side mounts to the mirrors using a metal bracket and some washers.

Installation
I struggled with the install because there were no instructions, only numbered parts and an exploded view, but it is possible to do it only with the exploded view.
There are also a lot of different parts, which is totally unneccesary and can be made much simpeler when combining 3 different parts into 1.
There is also a third bracket for the DCT version marked with an “A”.

Protection
The Givi HP1111 handguards are mostly to use for wind protection and not for branches or trees. They do have an aerodynamic design, but they don’t wrap around the controls.
I hope I don’t have to make some handguard extensions just like with my old handguards :’)

Cost vs performance
I hope a lot of R&D went into making these handguards, because 100€ for 2 pieces of plastic and some miscellaneous hardware is to my taste a bit overpriced, but I’m happy these fit in combination with my Givi windscreen.

Pros:
– Keeps some wind from your hands, but not all of it
– Protects the levers a bit
– Fits perfectly in combination with other Givi accessories

Cons:
– Expensive (but they are cheaper than barkbusters and Touratech stuff)
– Unclear instructions
– Too much hardware
– Isn’t sturdy enough

A few pictures

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