Polished headers

[marko138]

I was told by some fellow Buell riders that polishing the headers will achieve a nice gold shine to these bad boys. So yesterday I went at it....and put aside real work...of swapping brake fluid.

Step 1. Wet Sand

Step 2. Polish

Step 3. Polish again

Step 4. Polish

Step 5. Ride


Here are a few pics. The 1st is un-sanded. 2nd is rear pipe polished. 3rd is both polished.

Haven't rode yet...but they should turn a pretty sweet color when I get some heat in them.

[OneSickPsycho]

Looks pretty good...

[marko138]

Can't wait to get heat in them and get the blueing up near the jugs too.

[Mr Lefty]

nice! wonder how long they'll stay that way before blue'n again...

honestly though... I like the blue'n... Becca's (can't remember the rest of her username) Z1000 has blueing and it looks awesome...

:lol: damn me and my slow type'n!

[marko138]

I like the blue too. That engine gets hot in a hurry. I dont expect them to look like that for long.

[OneSickPsycho]

I don't like the bluing... It happened quick on my shit, I'd expect the same within 300 miles...

[marko138]

Not much you can do about it is there?

[z06boy]

Looks good but looks like a lot of work to keep them this way. I had polished wheels on a Vette...looked good but were a pain in the azz to keep that way. These pipes may be easier though.

[OneSickPsycho]

Not much you can do about it is there?

Other than coating the headers... nope. Even if you chrome them, they are so thin they'll still blue...

[Mr Lefty]

I liked your exhaust wrap... I think they'd look pimp ceramic coated black

[Phenix_Rider]

How long did that take you?

My pipes are totally filthy. Caked with burnt on road grime from riding in the rain.

[Rider]

I kind of like the bluing. My Kawi blued up quite a bit.

[marko138]

How long did that take you?

My pipes are totally filthy. Caked with burnt on road grime from riding in the rain.
Didn't take too long. I probly coulda spent a little more time wet sanding. And I did 3 rounds, maybe 4, of the polish. Probly took about an hour or so.

And I use Mother's Billet Polish. Best shit around.

[Mr Lefty]

what was that shit that gas used... zoop or some shit...

edit: I think that was more for chrome now that I think about it

[Dnyce]

zoop is for after u polish un coated metal-not chrome, chromes a coating. zoop seals the metal, so u have to polish it way less, somethin like that

if you ceramic the inside, supposedly it wont blue

[marko138]

what was that shit that gas used... zoop or some shit...

edit: I think that was more for chrome now that I think about it
I'll stick with the Billet. It's never done me wrong...but it is expensive.

[t-homo]

Looks good to me.

[rider76]

Ebbs, I have been to Korea there are lots of bitches there to polish your head...LOL

[Mr Lefty]

:lol: yeah... there's one or two... :lol:

[Cutty72]

Here's a link to a guy that ceramic coated the headers on his 1125R.
Scroll down 10 posts or so for a pic.

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290431/362396.html?1212012168

I'll look around, there was someone that polished theirs too, seems that they stayed shiney for awhile, even with some blueing.

[nhgunnut]

Not sure if it would suit your purpose but in the cruiser world I believe they use muratic acid to "Wash" the bluing off. I guess I am kind of old school in that I think the bluing give the ride character

[marko138]

I like the blue. So I'm not worried about it.

[Gas Man]

I liked your exhaust wrap... I think they'd look pimp ceramic coated black

Agreed... wrap is cool. High gloss silver ceramic would be PIMP!!!

But Marko... mucho better polished!!

[Phenix_Rider]

Agreed... wrap is cool. High gloss silver ceramic would be PIMP!!!

But Marko... mucho better polished!!

Says the king of chrome :lol:

I agree though. If mine weren't semi hidden, they probably would have had the same treatment a while ago.

[marko138]

I hate hate hate the look of wrap and will never do it....regardless of whatever performance gains there are to be had.

[Dnyce]

rumor has it that the wrap can actually destroy the pipe-thats in the car world tho, bike pipes are "in the wind"

plus wrapped dnt look to hot

[Cutty72]

I seriously need to do something with mine.
After an hour or so of riding, you can barely touch the frame...

[Mr Lefty]

cutty... do you have the issue with the fuel boiling too? been reading alot about that...

[OneSickPsycho]

rumor has it that the wrap can actually destroy the pipe-thats in the car world tho, bike pipes are "in the wind"

plus wrapped dnt look to hot

That's what they say... My dad made a good point about it when we discussed it for my bike... "with the amount of riding you do, do you really thing any moisture is going to have time to build up?" Probably not.

I seriously need to do something with mine.
After an hour or so of riding, you can barely touch the frame...

Wrap 'em. After I did mine the frame stayed cool... as did my right leg... In fact, you could ride for 6 hours and reach down and grab the pipe bare handed... It was hot, but wouldn't burn you...

[marko138]

cutty... do you have the issue with the fuel boiling too? been reading alot about that...
Apparently on the 1125 the fuel pump is known to cycle for up to 10 minutes after the bike is shut off to avoid such problem.

[Cutty72]

cutty... do you have the issue with the fuel boiling too? been reading alot about that...

Like marko said, I don't think it's actually fuel boiling. Do I hear something from the tank area on occassion... yes, like twice I've heard it. But I do belive it has to do with the fuel pump keeping propper pressure on the fuel lines, as it really doesn't sound like "boiling"


And osp, I may have to try that wrap. How thick is it though? There isn't a lot of clearance between frame and rear header.

[Dnyce]

That's what they say... My dad made a good point about it when we discussed it for my bike... "with the amount of riding you do, do you really thing any moisture is going to have time to build up?" Probably not.



Wrap 'em. After I did mine the frame stayed cool... as did my right leg... In fact, you could ride for 6 hours and reach down and grab the pipe bare handed... It was hot, but wouldn't burn you...


what i heard wasnt based on moisture. based on heat. but like i said, the examples i saw were in the car world (under the hood), and bike pipes are usually in the wind

[OneSickPsycho]

Like marko said, I don't think it's actually fuel boiling. Do I hear something from the tank area on occassion... yes, like twice I've heard it. But I do belive it has to do with the fuel pump keeping propper pressure on the fuel lines, as it really doesn't sound like "boiling"


And osp, I may have to try that wrap. How thick is it though? There isn't a lot of clearance between frame and rear header.\

Thickness is comparable to an ace bandage... You get a couple wraps around and with the overlap it can get relatively thick... I'd say if you had 1/16" of room you'd be ok...

what i heard wasnt based on moisture. based on heat. but like i said, the examples i saw were in the car world (under the hood), and bike pipes are usually in the wind

I've only heard it based off moisture...

[marko138]

Rode to work today. A whole 4 mile trip. They are turning gold and they look badass!

[Dnyce]

\




I've only heard it based off moisture...

its debateable, just like engine break-in

wraps suck (http://www.centuryperformance.com/exhaust-header-heat-wraps-do-not-use-spg-138.html)

i dont like the fact that he mentioned appearance. shows that hes slightly biased against the wrap before he explains facts, and thats counter productive to any argument.

wrap that bitch (http://www.1tail.com/sa/c/Exhaust_Wrap_Heat_Protection.htm)

this isnt really convincing, and its right above ads to sell exhaust wrap. but its another side to the story i suppose

this is from doug thorley headers warranty stuff
"1) The utmost care is taken at Thorley Headers to maintain the highest standards of quality.
However, Thorley Headers cannot control the installation of the product. For this reason, the
Thorley Headers warranty covers only the replacement of the components - not the labor for
the installation.
2) The use of any type of “header wrapping” voids the warranty. Using any sort of wrapping
material on the headers destroys the tubing’s ability to dissipate heat, causing very rapid
deterioration of the metal and the subsequent failure of the headers."

the general idea seems to be that while wrapping it does keep it cooler, it keeps all the heat in the pipe, and destroys it from the inside out. ceramic coating doesnt have the negative effect the wrap does because its coated on the inside as well as the outside.

it also seems that most of the destroyed pipes/headers were race pipes, which can be very slightly thinner walled material. but whens the last time some1 payed attn the "for race use only" or "not for use on public streets" tag when you buy stuff?

imo-wrap looks wack on some pipes, cool on others. some guys get creative with it and weave patterns into their stuff. for perfomance reasons, it makes sense that ceramic would work better than wrap just becuz ceramic is inside and out.



haha-thread jacked

[Mr Lefty]

Apparently on the 1125 the fuel pump is known to cycle for up to 10 minutes after the bike is shut off to avoid such problem.
from what I've read... the ECM flash resolves the issue about the fuel pump priming for 30 mins... brings it back to 10 (another issue they were having)

but even after that... people were having issues with fuel boiling while riding... usually after a spirited run and then coming into traffic and sitting at a light... they'll hear bubbling and see spirts of liquid in a blow off hose... (one guy said it was spitting fuel all over his exhaust!)

[marko138]

from what I've read... the ECM flash resolves the issue about the fuel pump priming for 30 mins... brings it back to 10 (another issue they were having)

but even after that... people were having issues with fuel boiling while riding... usually after a spirited run and then coming into traffic and sitting at a light... they'll hear bubbling and see spirts of liquid in a blow off hose... (one guy said it was spitting fuel all over his exhaust!)
I hadn't heard that. But it's interesting. 1st year bugs.

[Mr Lefty]

lets hope!

but yeah I read about it on buelletinboard.com and a few on Badweb...

[marko138]

I'm reading through buelletinboard right now.

[OneSickPsycho]

I haven't been to that board in a while... I didn't even know you fuckers were over there...

[Mr Lefty]

I haven't joined... just troll'n... been doing my research... it's still a couple years away... but I want a VTwin

[Cutty72]

from what I've read... the ECM flash resolves the issue about the fuel pump priming for 30 mins... brings it back to 10 (another issue they were having)

but even after that... people were having issues with fuel boiling while riding... usually after a spirited run and then coming into traffic and sitting at a light... they'll hear bubbling and see spirts of liquid in a blow off hose... (one guy said it was spitting fuel all over his exhaust!)

I heard it once before the reflash... like I said, didn't really sound like boiling :idk: Since I haven't heard it. and yesterday bike was running about 215, and said 223 after sitting a bit turned off.

I haven't been to that board in a while... I didn't even know you fuckers were over there...


I'm not yet... should check it out tho.
been on badweb since you linked me.

[marko138]

I haven't been to that board in a while... I didn't even know you fuckers were over there...

I'm on various Buell boards quite often...there's alot less Buell bashing on there. Go figure. :idk:

[OneSickPsycho]

I'm on various Buell boards quite often...there's alot less Buell bashing on there. Go figure. :idk:

I guess that makes sense. :lol:

[Cutty72]

I'm on various Buell boards quite often...there's alot less Buell bashing on there. Go figure. :idk:

There is still some, mostly by non owners... or for specific models.

[t-homo]

Marko, I think that if every post of yours wasn't "if you don't ride buell, then fuck you," there would be less bashing.

[marko138]

Marko, I think that if every post of yours wasn't "if you don't ride buell, then fuck you," there would be less bashing.
I've never said that. Most of you clowns can't handle the Buell. Fuck everyone regardless of what you ride. Fuck you most of all.

[Gas Man]

Says the king of chrome :lol:

I agree though. If mine weren't semi hidden, they probably would have had the same treatment a while ago.


King of Chrome... I like it!!! :rockout: