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Header pipes
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:49 pm
by hank
Can anyone tell me if the header pipes on the 2002 r1150r are chrome plated or stainless steel?
I have been using my bike all winter now my pipes are brown and rough looking. What is the best way to restore them?
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:58 pm
by sjbmw
They are supposed to be blue more than brown.
They all do that.
If you must clean the blue off: It's called Blue Away.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/blue-away/
But the blue comes back anyway.
The bluer the pipes, the greener the envy.
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:59 pm
by DJ Downunder
Stainless...you can get stuck into them with sand paper..steel wool..and still buff them up to a chrome like finish with some metal polish and elbow grease.
Stainless steel seems to do something called 'skining up' or something like that once it's been polished..and it can sometimes seem like you are wearing through a layer of some kind..but you are not..I think this is why some people think that its chrome plated.
I've pollished mine up a few times and they look great..untill my next ride..
DJ
Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:37 pm
by Rog(UK) - Yorkshire Dales
Yep, did mine today. Abrasive foam pad followed by household abrasive cleaner ('Astonish') followed by Duraglit to polish.
The technique is to make sure that you execute each stage thoroughly. By that, I mean that you have to get out ALL the nasty marking with the first stage. When you have managed this using a fair bit of pressure, gradually lower the applied pressure on the abrasive you are using at that stage so that the scratches you are making are a little more shallow and will therefore be easier to eradicate when you use the next finer finish and so on. Unfortunately, there is no shortcut. It's hard work, unless you take the pipes off and have access to a 3HP double ended polishing spindle....!
Rog
head pipes
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:13 pm
by BlueBlurr
Unless you want to spend more time cleaning than riding I’d suggest ignoring the problem or having some type of ceramic / metallic coating applied to the head pipes.
That’s what I’ve done to mine two years ago & they still look fine!
A little bit darker in the curve of the head pipe area but not too bad at all. I sent mine to a place here in the states called ‘Jet Hot’ cost about $150.00 to have the head & Y pipes (I have an aftermarket exhaust) done in this material.
Good turnaround time & the coating is supposed to help scavenge heat from the exhaust ports & increase efficiency.
I can’t verify the increased efficiency or horsepower claims but I can tell you they cool off much quicker & look much better!
Only real question is if it’s worth the money (to you) and if you can find a place to do it.
Good luck