MXA TEAM TESTED: FLY RACING HOSE BENDER

WHAT IS IT? The Fly Racing Hose Bender is designed to make filling the fuel tank of your bike easier, reduce spilling and angle the gas can hose towards the bike.

WHAT’S IT COST? $5.95.

CONTACT? www.flyracing.com or (208) 319-3079.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Fly Racing Hose Bender.

(1) Design. This is such a simple idea that it’s amazing no one thought of it 30 years ago. The Fly Racing Hose Bender is a thick ABS plastic hook that you clip onto the filler hose on your VP, Pit Posse, LC, KTM, Slasher or Matrix gas can. The plastic attachment forces the flexible filler hose to bend downward at a 30-degree angle.

(2) Installation. It couldn’t be simpler. You don’t have to remove anything from your gas can; you just slip the Hose Bender on the filler hose. All that is left to do is slide the Hose Bender up and down the filler hose to get the maximum bend.

(3) Performance. When your motorcycle is on a 17-inch-tall bike stand, you have to lift a 5-gallon gas can almost 4 feet off the ground to pour gas into your bike’s fuel tank. Worse yet, with the standard straight filler hose, you run the risk of spilling fuel while trying to get the end of the hose into the gas tank opening. A full 5-gallon gas can weighs 35 pounds, and when you add a 13-inch filler hose that doesn’t want to go into the 3-inch opening in the tank, you have trouble on your hands. But, once you install the Fly Racing Hose Bender on the gas can’s filler hose, you only have to lift the gas can to the height of the gas cap. Because the filler hose bends downward, you can easily slip the hose into the gas tank opening without straining. Plus, you can pour the fuel as fast or slow as you like, because the majority of the fuel in the gas can is being held level with the bike’s fuel tank.

(4) Track Performance. We love the Fly Racing Hose Bender, and we think that every motocross racer will love it too. Plus, at $5.95, it is the cheapest performance product that MXA has ever tested—and perhaps one of the most useful.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? Be forewarned that the Hose Bender will only work on new or still-flexible gas can hoses. If you have an old, stiff, yellowed filler hose, it won’t bend. It also only works on 1-inch-diameter hoses, which does leave out a few models of gas cans.

MXA RATING: This is the greatest $5.95 you will ever spend. Every time you pour gas into your bike, you will appreciate the Fly Racing Hose Bender more and more.