Exhaust pipe polishing procedure

[vtech007]

My deepest thanks again to 50dro, www.5-0dro.com, who was the second member to reply to my first-ever post as a new member. I had asked him for a procedure how to polish the tarnish or corrosion or "whatever" on the exhaust pipe header of my 2005 Firebolt XB12R, 15K miles. He told me, "To clean up the headers, you can use a green ScotchBrite pad (from Wal-mart, etc.) and WD-40. It's amazing how fast they clean up! I finished mine off with the Wicked Metal Polish. The final result will have a slightly gold tint to it after you warm them up." Well, I did what he said, and it worked PREFECTLY just as he described. I couldn't believe the results.

I have to say, when I saw the bike for the very first time, before I bought it, my eyes went RIGHT TO those less-than-nice-looking pipes - that was like THE main thing that I saw - and I was thinking to myself - well, I guess I could cover them in Volcano tape (exhaust wrap) to hide that nastiness. So that was like THE major thing that was turning me off about the entire bike. I'm glad I got past that - I bought the bike - and I'm glad he told me how to take care of it and make those pipes look like BRAND NEW!

Thanks again to 50dro!

You guys need to do this to your pipes!

I'm sure this has been posted here numerous times before. But I was just so pleased with the results, I just had to share it again.

 

[twoguns]

i do it all the time mate...

post a pic of your effort!

 

[williegoat]

Scotchbrite pads work great, and I just use water instead of WD-40. Each time you do it, they get a little brighter.

the day I brought it home:

after a few times with the Scotchbrite and water:

 

[50dro]

Great vtech!! You're very welcome! Let's see some pics!![up]

 

[CowboyKS]

Looks nice.
Is that a buell race can?

 

[kab]

Very nice pics. When you polish them do you scrub them long ways? From like top to bottom, whats the best way?

 

[1972c10]

When I polish metals I use sand paper, it works really good at getting the stretch marks out of the tight bends like the one on the front cylinder pipe. depending on how bad it is I start well under 1000 grit and work up to 1200 and then hit it with some mothers

 

[vtech007]

post a pic of your effort!

Here's how mine look after polishing...

I like how they get a little of that gold look back after they heat up.

Sure can't hurt to try it with water next time - water is (still) cheaper than WD-40...I understand either way the idea is the same as wet sanding...having a carrier for the loose particulates...

I also don't mind experimenting with some 1000-1200 grit paper...

I'm sure if you look closely enough you would see swirl marks, but I think I mostly used motion in the direction of the length of the pipes (length-wise) - some circular motion, especially as I concentrated on removing some "deeper" corrosion - the result of apparent longer-term neglect on the part of the previous owner.

 

[crxtasy169]

Did you guys take the pipes off to do it or did you leave them on the bike?

 

[williegoat]

I don't take the pipes off the bike, I just put some rags behind the pipes to keep from getting slop on the motor; then I sit down beside the bike with a cup of coffee, a small tub of water, a green pad and another rag to wipe up the drips.
A nice relaxing way to spend a little time.

 

[buell05]

Looks goooooood.

 

[vtech007]

I didn't take the pipes off to do it either. Of course you could (and would want to) do the entire pipe while you had it off the bike, where all sides are accessable, but it is sufficient to do just the areas that are exposed and visible.