Header pipe cleaning

[Grouchy]

Any one have an easy method for taking the color off of the exhaust headers?  I've tried some metal polish and had some minor success but its a lot of work for very little gain.  I'm reluctant to use anything too abrasive as it would probably make the headers look worse than the original blueing. 

I also wonder if it's a fools errand as it will probably just turn again as soon as the engine heats up.

Thanks all.

[konacyclist]

The short answer is that it is indeed a "fools errand". Blue or straw colored pipes are a "badge of honor". If you do manage to make progress removing the color you will also likely damage the finish of the pipes.

[Grouchy]

42 minutes ago, konacyclist said:

The short answer is that it is indeed a "fools errand". Blue or straw colored pipes are a "badge of honor". If you do manage to make progress removing the color you will also likely damage the finish of the pipes.

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed to be a waste of time.  No point in talking about poor materials and bad engineering. It is what it is😕

[Hosstage]

All single wall exhaust pipes will discolor, it is not about poor materials or bad engineering.

[bhulse]

I've resigned my 'keep-clean-and-shiny' efforts to washing off the road grime, removing the tar bits and pieces and LIGHTLY using a chrome polish on the surfaces and sides that can be seen by the casual passer-by.  I then admire and accept the progressive blueing knowing it's clean, and the 'discoloration' is just another example of how good my life is at this time and my good fortune to be still riding a motorcycle! 

[Grouchy]

19 minutes ago, bhulse said:

I've resigned my 'keep-clean-and-shiny' efforts to washing off the road grime, removing the tar bits and pieces and LIGHTLY using a chrome polish on the surfaces and sides that can be seen by the casual passer-by.  I then admire and accept the progressive blueing knowing it's clean, and the 'discoloration' is just another example of how good my life is at this time and my good fortune to be still riding a motorcycle! 

I hear you. I like riding a lot more than I like cleaning, but when the snow gets too deep to ride I often go to the motor pool to rub on it (the bike that is). It's just a little annoying that I can't do anything with the headers. For the money you'd think double walled quality plated headers would be a thing.🙄

[dirtrider]

18 minutes ago, Grouchy said:

I hear you. I like riding a lot more than I like cleaning, but when the snow gets too deep to ride I often go to the motor pool to rub on it (the bike that is). It's just a little annoying that I can't do anything with the headers. For the money you'd think double walled quality plated headers would be a thing.🙄

Afternoon  Grouchy

 

Double wall pipes are HEAVY,  & don't always control the bluing plus are not easy to get flowing bends. 

 

BMW spends a lot of effort to reduce the weight in their motorcycles so I seriously doubt BMW would ever add heavier pipes. 

 

Possibly some lightweight chrome covers but those still  allow the pipes to get cruddy, then they are much more difficult to clean.  

 

Bluing pipes are part of motorcycling & to me look proper, now cruddy brown I don't care for.  

[9Mary7]

1 hour ago, Grouchy said:

For the money you'd think double walled quality plated headers would be a thing.

Careful.... you could be mistaken for a Harley rider

[Hosstage]

Everybody knows we Harley riders have nice shiny chrome heat shields over the entire length of our exhaust pipes, not just the contact points. We can't have blueing pipes show, what would people think?

 

At one point I had super cheap drag pipes, no heat shields, they turned yellow, blue, and black, I liked the look, for me it meant the bike was ridden, hard and often.

My friends were not real happy riding near me, they were LOUD.

Man I was cool!

[Grouchy]

34 minutes ago, 9Mary7 said:

Careful.... you could be mistaken for a Harley rider

Ouch!

[Rube]

I've used wd40 on a rag to get the buggers and stains off then a then a dry rag to get the wd40 off. No fires yet and works pretty well. 

[Lowndes]

There was some discussion on the board here several years back abot this topic (polishing headers) and Jet-Hot came up.  I read all their stuff and looked at the pics .  It seems to be some kind of coating or plating that polishes and looks very much like chrome.  The prices didn't seem to me too bad but I never did it.  Only have one bike with headers even show.

 

Jet-Hot, Burlington, NC

 

Looks like a very long link for a business home site:

 

https://get.jet-hot.com/?utm_campaign=Branded&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3-yQBhD3ARIsAHuHT64vxaIX7jwKMG1lEVrEPBWN3_0QixF6wwDLnkknekmLEawAKjiBY5MaAlLyEALw_wcB