2016 RT pipes showing rust near head

[Mr. Mixer]

Hit the bucket and suds for the first time on my 11 month old RT (yeah, yeah, I'd rather ride) and noticed rust stippling on the front of the exhaust pipes at the point they make the curve back into and under the bike. Did a quick search of the forum with no results, but maybe my search terms weren't the greatest?

 

I do store my bike outside, under a cover, and I don't cover it if I get home and the bike is wet. I do ride full time, year 'round. Seems premature to me, what do you all think?

 

Anyone else heard of this?

[dirtrider]

Hit the bucket and suds for the first time on my 11 month old RT (yeah, yeah, I'd rather ride) and noticed rust stippling on the front of the exhaust pipes at the point they make the curve back into and under the bike. Did a quick search of the forum with no results, but maybe my search terms weren't the greatest?

 

I do store my bike outside, under a cover, and I don't cover it if I get home and the bike is wet. I do ride full time, year 'round. Seems premature to me, what do you all think?

 

Anyone else heard of this?

 

Afternoon Mr. Mixer

 

Sure we have heard of it as it happens to most of the single wall pipe BMW boxers if they get road salt or even dirt road chloride on the pipes.

 

 

I presume that your bike has the stainless steel, not the optional chrome front pipes (if chrome then not much can be done)-- if they turn purple/blue then they are probably chrome, if they turn sh!t brown then they are probably just stainless steel .

 

The pitting is what it is as that is permanent but the corrosion/discoloration can be mostly removed with a lot of work.

 

Their are a lot of home concoctions that sort if work like lemon juice brews & other acidic remedies.

 

My personal favorite over-the-counter product is Wizzard's motorcycle metal polish (not the liquid one as that doesn't work but the pink saturated cotton pads in the band aid looking can.

 

Or just remove the pipes then send them out to be bead blasted then hot coated about any color that you want. (that holds up pretty good)

 

 

Edited April 15, 2017 by dirtrider

[realshelby]

^ What dirtrider said!

 

Even stainless steel can corrode. The stainless used in these exhaust isn't known as a high grade as far as corrosion. It is probably chosen for ease of bending, heat tolerance, and resistance to cracking over cosmetic gain. BMW loves them some discolored pipes....

[farmerboy]

I got so fed up looking at my brown/rusty pipes and cat that I ended up spraying them with VHT matt black paint! A bit drastic for a bike of your vintage though!

 

 

 

Shelby - eventually worked out how to embed a picture...yippee...

 

Edited April 15, 2017 by farmerboy

[realshelby]

Shelby - eventually worked out how to embed a picture...yippee...

 

There won't be no stopping you now!

 

Next you'll be on Twitter, Instagram, and so on.

[WBinDE]

I have a '16 GSA so it's kind of like "What is this 'washing' you speak of?" Still, the chrome on the front (where the bend is) is pretty much gone so all I see is the sh*t brown stainless underneath. No rust, though. 50,000 miles so there's that, too. I haven't paid attention to high mileage BMW's so I don't know if my experience is typical.

[Mr. Mixer]

I have a '16 GSA so it's kind of like "What is this 'washing' you speak of?" Still, the chrome on the front (where the bend is) is pretty much gone so all I see is the sh*t brown stainless underneath. No rust, though. 50,000 miles so there's that, too. I haven't paid attention to high mileage BMW's so I don't know if my experience is typical.

 

Time to wash is most certainly better spent riding, WB - RT, GSA, whatever. you're absolutely correct!

 

 

[sardineone]

A buffing attachment + metal polishing compound + cordless drill on my 11 year old (44k mile) head pipes. Granted I keep my BMW pretty clean when parked in an unheated garage.