Chrome Exhaust Pipe on an RT??

[s3steve]

I have a question for the people who bought the chrome exhaust pipe for there R1200RT.

 

I ordered the chrome pipe on my '06 RT and I'm thinking I got the standard stainless steel pipe instead. It was polished but when I put a magnet on it, it didn't stick. The pipe I have is stainless.

 

Is the chrome pipe plated steel or can they chrome plate stainless steel?

 

Can someone with a chrome pipe please put a magnet on there pipe to see if it sticks.

 

If the magnet sticks to the chrome pipe I think I will be paying a visit to the dealer!

 

My "chrome pipe" never blued it just went brown like a stainless pipe would.

 

Thanks once again!!

[aggieengineer]

Only the muffler on my bike was chromed. It is non-magnetic and very shiney, as opposed to the rest of the exhaust plumbing which became dull within a few days. It's possible that BMW only makes one muffler, and chrome plates them as necessary. Stainless steel can be chrome plated. If your muffler has a fine brushed appearance, I suspect you didn't get a "chrome exhaust".

[RoadJunkie]

My "chrome" pipes discolored pretty quick as well. I'm not sure why BMW offers the chrome option, there appears to be no benefit.

[bobbybob]

My "chrome" pipes discolored pretty quick as well. I'm not sure why BMW offers the chrome option, there appears to be no benefit.

 

The chrome option only applies to the muffler itself. If they chromed the actual pipes as they leave the cylinders, they would turn blue very quickly. I think their description of this option is misleading.

[St0nkingByte]

My "chrome" pipes discolored pretty quick as well. I'm not sure why BMW offers the chrome option, there appears to be no benefit.

 

I discovered, accidentally, that if you scrub the chrome can with chrome polish it will eventually come clean. I was touching it up when I scrubbed on the black ring around the exhaust outlet and discovered it would indeed come clean and shiny again. Of course I had to scrub with the polish for a *really* long time before I was done. I probably won't do that again because I really don't care what the pipes look like as long as there's not mud caked on them.

[s3steve]

The chrome option only applies to the muffler itself.

 

I always thought it was an option on the head pipe only and the muffler was the same on all RT's. Hmmm.

[John in VA]

[ If they chromed the actual pipes as they leave the cylinders, they would turn blue very quickly.

 

Instead, they turn caramel brown in the first 10 miles. Fortunately, there are polishes that help.

[bobbybob]

The chrome option only applies to the muffler itself.

 

I always thought it was an option on the head pipe only and the muffler was the same on all RT's. Hmmm.

 

My dealer told me (yeah I know) that the chrome option only applied to the muffler. However, they *may* chrome the actual pipes but I've never seen any that looked chromed. Without a double-wall system (like on Harley's) it would start to discolor the minute you cranked it up.

[BobsST]

My brother-in-law has chrome headers on his '07 RT. Turned blue close to the heads as opposed to the brown color on my ST.

[Effjay]

My newly acquired '07 RT has the chrome option. Yes, the head pipes are turning bluish. While I would not have specified this as one of BMW's ala carte options, it is part of the #435 package which saves $250 compared to ordering eveything included separately. As such, it was a no-cost item. I think the chrome looks sharp and is chrome over stainless rather than over mild steel.

 

Jeff

[Richard_Spag]

I was also told that it was chrome over stainless - but 40,000 miles on I can tell you that it takes on a corroded appearance just like chrome on mild steel pipe. Given the option of a trip in a time machine I'd go for stainless with no chrome.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[bakerzdosen]

My 05 r1200st has chrome headers. They're blue. I know that some folks (1bmwfan comes to mind) hated how their headers turned brown immediately (he had his coated).

 

This is with probably 2.5k miles on the bike, (and it had never been washed at that point) but they don't look dramatically different now with 17k.

 

 

I don't know why mine would be different.

[duckbubbles]

My ST came with the $100+ option of chrome and the head pipes are the brownish color. Did I get ripped off? The muffler is "chrome" and I've looked at the options list on different bikes at the dealer and can't tell the difference between the two options on the brand new bikes.

 

Frank

[Ben_Ricci]

My ST's pipes look like Bakerzdozen's did, but at 7K. I have the chrome pipe option, too. Nothing is brown, just blue near the cylinder heads, then chrome the rest of the way:

 

[St0nkingByte]

My pipes are terrible looking. They're blue which fades to icky brown/gold. Also my bike was a front-of-the-showroom bike when I bought it and didn't think to wipe down the pipes before I rode off with it. So I have all sorts of greasy finger prints sort of burned in the blue on my pipes. Lots of them.

 

I don't really much care what the pipes look like but I have been wondering if the fingerprints would scrub off with chrome polish? Or maybe some sort of de-bluer? I don't care if it turns blue/brown again it'd just be nice if the grossness was a bit more uniform

[Firefight911]

What Matt said:

 

 

Ceramic coated!!!!

[ZoomX7]

Very spiffy!

I wish BMW offered THIS as an option.

Cost?

Colors?

Durability?

[Firefight911]

Info on ceramic headers is HERE.

[Effjay]

My pipes are terrible looking. They're blue which fades to icky brown/gold. Also my bike was a front-of-the-showroom bike when I bought it and didn't think to wipe down the pipes before I rode off with it. So I have all sorts of greasy finger prints sort of burned in the blue on my pipes. Lots of them.

 

I don't really much care what the pipes look like but I have been wondering if the fingerprints would scrub off with chrome polish? Or maybe some sort of de-bluer? I don't care if it turns blue/brown again it'd just be nice if the grossness was a bit more uniform

 

Mine too has some "burned on" spots. Today, I stopped at a local Cycle Gear store and spotted the stuff in the link below. Somewhat pricey but I bought a tin and will experiment in an inconspicuous spot to see what happens. If it cleans off those marks, I'll go slowly and when finished, clean the pipes and let the finish develop a natural patina.

 

Jeff

Blue-Job

[BeemerLover]

As an ex Chromehead (R1200C) we covered the subject of ceramic coating headers ad nauseum. It works well and worth the cost. Some vendors have a chrome ceramic that looks 95% as good as chrome (slightly duller). Jet Hot is a mail order brand but you can get this done locally -- just call your local automotive "speed shop" and they will know who does this in your area. An additional benefit is that there is less heat from your pipes as the ceramic coating keeps the heat inside. It increases horsepower slightly too. Hot rodders coat their headers to keep heat down in the engine compartments. Gael.

[ZoomX7]

Effjay,

Let us know what you think of that stuff after you've tried it.

I guess the "Sand Beige" RT owners are the luckiest of all, 'cause the color I've seen (some of) the pipes turn, match nicely.

(I recently searched out a S.B. RT and have to say, I like that color, but some dealers doubt it's return for '08).

[Effjay]

Effjay,

Let us know what you think of that stuff after you've tried it.

I guess the "Sand Beige" RT owners are the luckiest of all, 'cause the color I've seen (some of) the pipes turn, match nicely.

(I recently searched out a S.B. RT and have to say, I like that color, but some dealers doubt it's return for '08).

 

I spent about 10 minutes on the RH header pipe this evening and the stuff does remove stains (and blue), however it will take more work to get the pipe back to an even baseline. My RT has just 950 miles presently, so the amount of blueing and burned on stain is likely less than some of yours. My plan is to coninue work to remove evenly on headpipe only, then leave it alone to take on a natural color (whatever that might be). You don't get much "Blue-Job" (what a name!) for $13, but if it does the "job" for me once, I'll be satisfied! I'll take before and after pics after I finish the RH compared to "as-is" LH pipe.

 

BTW, the BMW demo RT I rode last April was Desert Beige and I liked the color. Maybe just a little conservative for an RT? IMO, I think it would look great on an LT.

 

Jeff

[StuGotz]

Seems like we are dancing the fine line here...Either you are riding it or you are standing there and looking at it..

 

I like the look of blued pipes. Old school.

 

After many years of different BMW models (all of them blued) I wouldn't know what to do if I had a bike that had chrome pipes.

 

Maybe get a Harley.

 

MB>

[s3steve]

My point is my pipes never turned blue, just the brown color a stainless pipe would turn after a very short time.

 

If I payed for chrome I want chrome or a $200 credit/refund that they charged me for the chrome option.

 

My head pipes never looked like the blue & silver ST pipes a few posts back.

 

I'll post a pic tonight.

[Effjay]

Here are before and after pics. The stuff didn't remove all staining, but that wasn't my intent anyway. There is no indication of the chemical attacking the chrome luster as I believe some products do. I'm going to do the other side tonight, then be done with it and let "The Blues" begin!

 

Jeff [/img] [/img]

[Ben_Ricci]

My point is my pipes never turned blue, just the brown color a stainless pipe would turn after a very short time.

 

If I payed for chrome I want chrome or a $200 credit/refund that they charged me for the chrome option.

 

My head pipes never looked like the blue & silver ST pipes a few posts back.

 

I'll post a pic tonight.

 

Sounds like you definitely got the stainless pipes instead of chrome. Somebody goofed and owes you shiny pipes or cash.

[motoguy128]

My RT came with the #435 package. They also have jsut turned brown only after riding in some extreme heat that turned the chrome pipes on my 1150R blue.

 

Personally, I don't really care as long as they don't rust or corode. My muffler is mostly covered by the side case. It would be nice if the muffler was as shiney as my 1150R's. It was a nice looking stock pipe. The RT's is a little boring, but much better than most of the cheap junk the Japnesse typically stick on their bikes.

 

I will ask the dealer about it next time.

[s3steve]

Here's a pic of my "chrome" pipe.

 

 

It sure doesn't look like the other chrome pipes with the bluing on the head section!

 

The bike is an '06 with just over 12000 Kms on it.

 

I think a trip to the dealer is in order!

 

[skinny]

Yep...that's definitely stainless...looks just like my RT1150 did...you can take some scotchbrite pad and polish the brown off a lot easier than you can remove the blueing from the chrome pipes...My RT1200 has the chrome pipes and I've not found anything that will remove the blueing...quit being so anal-retentive and ride the damn thing...

[s3steve]

The point is I paid $200 for the chrome pipe and didn't get one!!!

[ZoomX7]

Point well taken.

It does seem confusing, and if I pay for that option, I'd like to get what was paid for.

I've been looking at many RT's on showroom floors and it seems the "chrome option" pertains to the muffler.

If the header pipe turning brown = stainless, or it turning blue = chrome, then I'd have to say I've only seen stainless headers with BOTH chrome or stainless mufflers. Not sure if BMW changed this along the way or if it's always been this way with the "new" RT.

My 99 RT's exhaust is chrome from beginning to end. I've got the "blue" to prove it.

 

Right now I'm looking at the "Available Equipment" sheet for the 2007 RT, and it states: option #350 = $135.00 = Chrome Exhaust Pipe.

I asked this question of one knowledgeable salesman, and he said "muffler only".

As listed on the options for the bike, I would take that as meaning from header thru to muffler, but I'm not sure I see the world as BMW does.

[ZoomX7]

Oops!

Looks like Effjay has chrome headers.

Now I'm totally

[s3steve]

If you scroll do to the exhaust section you will see the header has the chrome option as well as the muffler.

 

http://maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/MainDiagrams.asp?mospid=48423

 

I could care less how it looks it's the point my dealer charged me $200 CDN for the chrome option and it looks like I didn't get it. I'll be dropping by next week.

[Draig]

I'm interested in what the dealer has to say.