Heat Tape (header tape)
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06xbss
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Use this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dei-010129/overview/
Stainless steel hose clamps work better then locking ties holding it on your header.
Don't need to remove the header.
Stainless steel hose clamps work better then locking ties holding it on your header.
Don't need to remove the header.
Internet Annoyance
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UGGGHHH[down][mad]
Sorry, do what you want, but consider NOT doing it. Its bad for the pipes, looks like crap (My opinion) and a lot of work for a step backwards.
Its been proven that Header wraps area bad idea because it concentrates the heat into the metal. studys show that the pipes break down, and deteriorate. Some people use it to hide damage or banged up pipes, or crappy welds, but at the end of the day, you will be needing to replace your exhaust SOONER rather than LATER.
Car guys figured this out a long time ago, and there was a lot of magazine articles about it which is why you dont see wrapped pipes in performance car applications anymore, was all the rage for a little while, I dont know why the bike people are so slow to catch onto this.
Do yourself a favor, Look into Ceramic coating the pipes, It totally is an upgrade with a win win all the way around, availible in many finishes (Flat, satin, or gloss) and colors, often with a lengthy or lifetime warranty.
The heat goes OUT the pipe, not radiating thru the pipe, good news for your engine, and related parts, often times a power increase results.
Im sorry,,,,, and Im not directly trying to insult people, But when I see a wrapped pipe, it screams out to me incompetence or ignorance.
Rant mode off, but you DID ask on here for peoples opinions.
Sorry, do what you want, but consider NOT doing it. Its bad for the pipes, looks like crap (My opinion) and a lot of work for a step backwards.
Its been proven that Header wraps area bad idea because it concentrates the heat into the metal. studys show that the pipes break down, and deteriorate. Some people use it to hide damage or banged up pipes, or crappy welds, but at the end of the day, you will be needing to replace your exhaust SOONER rather than LATER.
Car guys figured this out a long time ago, and there was a lot of magazine articles about it which is why you dont see wrapped pipes in performance car applications anymore, was all the rage for a little while, I dont know why the bike people are so slow to catch onto this.
Do yourself a favor, Look into Ceramic coating the pipes, It totally is an upgrade with a win win all the way around, availible in many finishes (Flat, satin, or gloss) and colors, often with a lengthy or lifetime warranty.
The heat goes OUT the pipe, not radiating thru the pipe, good news for your engine, and related parts, often times a power increase results.
Im sorry,,,,, and Im not directly trying to insult people, But when I see a wrapped pipe, it screams out to me incompetence or ignorance.
Rant mode off, but you DID ask on here for peoples opinions.
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^This
10k miles and not one problem.
10k miles and not one problem.
Zeroflat24
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Yeah my buddy has over 32,000 miles on his heat wrapped XB and swapped it out for new tape (it was looking funky) and the headers looked perfectly fine underneath.
All opinions are respected Annoyance (well, almost all). While I understand the point you're making it is sort of an apples & oranges thing.
As far as looks go obviously it's a personal taste thing. Many like the looks of the wrap, including myself. And as 06xbss pointed out, ceramic is a lot more expensive and WAY more labor intensive.
Camiroi: no it's not hard at all, you can totally do it yourself. I just re-wrapped mine last night as a matter of fact. To do a really good looking wrap only takes about an hour, and that's being anal with spacing. The main thing is to continue pulling the wrap tight through the whole process. Otherwise it'll loosen up and look crappy and probably start to fall off. In addition it really does help a bit in keeping the heat off your leg.
Personally I recommend the DEI Titanium wrap. It's not expensive and it's easy to put on (don't have to water soak the Titanium stuff like you do some of the others). Be aware, the first time you start your bike after wrapping it the wrap will burn off some chemicals and smoke a little for about 3-5 minutes. It's normal. I did my entire pipe with about 30ft (which means you'll need to buy a 50ft roll.) If you like the look I say go for it.
Here is the wrap:
DEI Titanium wrap (Google shopping)
Here's a couple pics of it on my bike...
As far as looks go obviously it's a personal taste thing. Many like the looks of the wrap, including myself. And as 06xbss pointed out, ceramic is a lot more expensive and WAY more labor intensive.
Camiroi: no it's not hard at all, you can totally do it yourself. I just re-wrapped mine last night as a matter of fact. To do a really good looking wrap only takes about an hour, and that's being anal with spacing. The main thing is to continue pulling the wrap tight through the whole process. Otherwise it'll loosen up and look crappy and probably start to fall off. In addition it really does help a bit in keeping the heat off your leg.
Personally I recommend the DEI Titanium wrap. It's not expensive and it's easy to put on (don't have to water soak the Titanium stuff like you do some of the others). Be aware, the first time you start your bike after wrapping it the wrap will burn off some chemicals and smoke a little for about 3-5 minutes. It's normal. I did my entire pipe with about 30ft (which means you'll need to buy a 50ft roll.) If you like the look I say go for it.
Here is the wrap:
DEI Titanium wrap (Google shopping)
Here's a couple pics of it on my bike...
I was going for thickness. 
On a serious note, the pics above are from last year when I wrapped it the first time.
When I re-wrapped it last night I just wrapped OVER the original layer (which still looked pretty good). I'm curious to see if the dual-layer thing reduces the heat more. Riding in TX in the summer I'd rather divert as much heat away from my thigh as possible. I'll re-install my muffler tonight and find out I suppose.
On a serious note, the pics above are from last year when I wrapped it the first time.
When I re-wrapped it last night I just wrapped OVER the original layer (which still looked pretty good). I'm curious to see if the dual-layer thing reduces the heat more. Riding in TX in the summer I'd rather divert as much heat away from my thigh as possible. I'll re-install my muffler tonight and find out I suppose.
I've wrapped 3 HD's and a '07 ULY. Going real slow it only took an hour/ hour and half. I used the DEI also. It came w\ wrap,ties and paint allin one box. People differ but I have always soaked the wrap in water befor using. To me it gives a tighter wrap where both headers come together. Then I use the heat paint. This gives the wrap a good hard finish so it don't have any flapping or fraying on the ends. I've got 15 k on the ULY and a little over 20 k on a softail.
So far no problems. Also did not remove the pipes on ULY , did them on the bike.
So far no problems. Also did not remove the pipes on ULY , did them on the bike.
BuddhaBuell
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I have thought aboot doing this for awhile now for purely cosmetic reasons as I think it tends to lend towards that old school muscle car look that imho our XB's seem to emanate.
[smirk]
thank you LeFox for providing the link to this thread
Header Wrappin'
in another thread
[smirk]
thank you LeFox for providing the link to this thread
Header Wrappin'
in another thread
No he did NOT. You might want to re read his post.
I have 39,000 on my 2005 XB12scg with wrapped headers and have had no bad effects.
Thats 39,000 miles for anyone like annoyance who didn't get that the first time.
39,000 miles with wrapped headers and the only mechanical failure was a clutch cable. I doubt the header wrap caused that.
Zeroflat24
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Dont hold your breath. He will probably post a 37 paragraph reason why it caused your clutch cable to fail.
Headers are pretty easy to keep in good condition aside from rust and physical damage. The rust you can even treat to a certain point so, if you want to wrap them but also maintain them. Re-wrap every riding season or so, take the headers down, do some work, clean them up, and re-wrap them.
It's really not that big of a deal but that's just my .02.
It's really not that big of a deal but that's just my .02.
Internet Annoyance
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Its true that header wrap is a lot cheaper than ceramic coating, but the coating shop i have used in the past offers a lifetime warranty on their coatings. http://.www.finishlinecoatings.com Tested by NW racers and proven on the Bonneville salt flats.
Show me one single exhaust manufacturer that will honor their warranty with a header wrap, None i am aware of. Look up any of the Auto exhaust company's and most clearly state that warranty is voided by using wraps. The exhaust system im buying for my wifes 69 Chevelle isnt cheap. NASCAR teams figured this out as well. wraps were very popular for a short period of time and they found they were replacing exhausts too often, a custom made race car exhaust costs thousands of dollars. Hot Rod magazine, Car Craft magazine, Super Chevy Magazine ALL Had articles about the problems with exhaust wraps and the deterioration it causes. (I guess they failed to check with you guys, instead they consulted metallurgy engineers and race car builders)
The mileages you guys are quoting is a reflection of the quality of the part thats endured, Not a endorsement of wraps.
Its simple physics and logic. Metals that are wrapped cant dissipate the heat, the more heat, the quicker they break down. Study's show linear metal erosion based on temperatures.
A ceramic coating properly done, coats the inside and outside, Heat doesn't absorb into the metal, it flows out the end,Which scavenges the combustion chamber resulting in a power increase. While a wrap might insulate surrounding parts from the heat, so does Ceramic coatings, but without the damage to the pipes.
Physics, not just a good idea, its actually the law. Another way of looking at this might be what my Instructor once asked me in Aviation mechanics school, I had rebuilt the ignition system in a 18 cylinder radial Aircraft engine, I was very proud of myself. But he asked me "Does it run BECAUSE of you, or in SPITE of you?"
YRMV (Your Results May Vary)
Show me one single exhaust manufacturer that will honor their warranty with a header wrap, None i am aware of. Look up any of the Auto exhaust company's and most clearly state that warranty is voided by using wraps. The exhaust system im buying for my wifes 69 Chevelle isnt cheap. NASCAR teams figured this out as well. wraps were very popular for a short period of time and they found they were replacing exhausts too often, a custom made race car exhaust costs thousands of dollars. Hot Rod magazine, Car Craft magazine, Super Chevy Magazine ALL Had articles about the problems with exhaust wraps and the deterioration it causes. (I guess they failed to check with you guys, instead they consulted metallurgy engineers and race car builders)
The mileages you guys are quoting is a reflection of the quality of the part thats endured, Not a endorsement of wraps.
Its simple physics and logic. Metals that are wrapped cant dissipate the heat, the more heat, the quicker they break down. Study's show linear metal erosion based on temperatures.
A ceramic coating properly done, coats the inside and outside, Heat doesn't absorb into the metal, it flows out the end,Which scavenges the combustion chamber resulting in a power increase. While a wrap might insulate surrounding parts from the heat, so does Ceramic coatings, but without the damage to the pipes.
Physics, not just a good idea, its actually the law. Another way of looking at this might be what my Instructor once asked me in Aviation mechanics school, I had rebuilt the ignition system in a 18 cylinder radial Aircraft engine, I was very proud of myself. But he asked me "Does it run BECAUSE of you, or in SPITE of you?"
YRMV (Your Results May Vary)
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