2011 R1200GS TC ADV Exhaust Options

GBDamo

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As title really,

I'm looking for options to replace/polish/paint/coat my exhaust both headers/collectors and silencer. Whilst I don't really have a budget set I want value for money., as in something that will look good and remain looking good with minimum of effort on my part.

I have looked at the Akrapovic titanium full system and while it's seriously :drool I just can't justify£1500+ my head.

I'm not really too fussed about squeezing another few HP out of the old girl but if that is a side effect then so be it. Similarly with weight, between me and the old tug a few pounds will make little difference.

So if anyone has any pictures for inspiration or recommendations please enlighten me.

Damion
 
Wait for a nice system to appear in the for sale adverts. Any R1200GS system will fit the bike but only TC systems will take the flappy valve.
 
I bought a set of Remus headers from UKGSer. Then sold them for what I paid after I found an Akraprovic Ti shotgun system (normally £1500) for £500.

Note the headers and cans are usually interchangeable. The Akra Ti with stacked twin silencers is a complete system the front and back ends are not interchangeable with other systems.

Sent from my phone with mangled spelling
 
I'm also interested in paint/polish/coating options. Mine has the chromed pipes and TBH I wish it didn't. I had plain stainless pipes on my F800 and they looked fine after 18000 miles of year-round use without obsessive cleaning/polishing. The chromed pipes on my GSA look bloody awful.
 
I've been looking into ceramic coating and have found this company.

http://www.zircotec.com/page/--road-bike-applications/164

Has anyone had this done and how does it stand up to wear&tear?

My concern is that it seems to be an application in it's infancy, with reguard to exposed motorcycle exhausts, and I don't much fancy being a guiniepig. So I've pinged off an email to see what they've got to say and how much the process costs.

Will update any findings.
 
Ceramic coating of bike exhausts is definitely not in its infancy. I had a system made by Marshal in the 80s that was ceramic coated and it was fine. Definitely better than any chromed steel systems I had up till then. It isn't common because it adds weight and at the end of the day still looks more or less like paint. It's also quite a costly process. It's reasonably brittle as well. Not excessively but if the system takes a ding chances are a bit of the coating will be damaged.
A company called camcoat or something like that does it in the UK and have been doing it for years. They do it on internal engine components as well like piston tops and combustion chambers. That should give you an idea on how tough it can be.
 

Cheers Mark, the brittleness was my concern. Zircotec do say their coatings are robust enough to withstand chips and the like yet I had heard, possibly from you on here, that these coatings are brittle.

Now, Zercotec process - plasma spraying- is supposed to bond much better to the base metal but, as you've probably guessed, I'm no expert so don't know if this is just sales patter hence looking for input from folks on here.

These are their claims, do they sound reasonable?

Our exhaust system coatings offer
•A robust fit-and-forget coating protecting components against corrosion, stone chips, etc.


•A coating that looks fantastic providing an incredibly smart and professional appearance, in many cases
matching a specific custom finish requirement.
•Much lower exhaust temperatures - exhaust surface temperatures reduce by ~33%.

•Reduced heat loss from the manifold resulting in lower temperatures inside fairings, etc.

•Reduced heat soak through boots, seats, etc. so drivers are potentially cooler, more comfortable, and
more able to concentrate.

•Improved engine performance & reliability. Keeping the heat inside the exhaust gas allows the gases to
flow more easily increasing cylinder scavenging to create a supercharging effect - something that is especially noticable with two-stroke engines.

•Protection for vulnerable components located close to the exhaust; avoiding heat damage, increasing component life, and allowing closer packaging of equipment near the exhaust.
•Rapid cooling of the exhaust when the engine is turned off - the surface temperature of the coating drops quickly when the engine is off.
 
Yes plasma coating is good but it has its other problems, it has also been around probably longer than camcoats method as well. It is applied with a lot of heat and can distort parts. Not saying it will but it can. Whether it is tougher or not I can't comment. Ceramic by its very nature is brittle, drop your cup for proof of that. I never had a problem with mine but it was a road bike. If you go off road where hitting rocks and stones or dropping the bike is the norm you might not be happy with it.
Personally I prefer the look of the wet applied system like camcoat and others use. I have seen in the flesh the ceramakrome coating and it looks pretty good and stays that way. It certainly looks better than year old bare stainless or even chromed stainless although not as nice as a brand new polished system. The plasma applied system to me doesn't look any better than a can of VHT over it although it will perform much better over time.
 
Got this reply back from my enquiry to Zircotec.

Dear Damion,

Thank you for your enquiry via our website.

Tougher than the standard automotive coatings, Zircotec’s new Endurance Range™ has been specifically formulated to provide motorcycle riders with a durable novel surface finish that minimises rust on exhaust systems. The new coatings also offer Zircotec’s specialist thermal barrier technology, insulating heat within the exhaust preventing it from spreading to sensitive areas of the bike, whilst lowering surface temperatures to assist in reducing the risk of burns for riders and pillion passengers.

As a derivative of our proven and popular automotive Performance Range™, the new smoother coatings are applied using Zircotec’s proprietary plasma-sprayed process to deliver a well-adhered thermal barrier that outlasts conventional OEM and aftermarket paints.

The net result is a range of coatings that present motorcycle riders with a new form of low-maintenance customisation that also prevents components and accessories, such as panniers, from heat soak and damage. Thousands of miles of rigorous real-world testing across Europe, exposed Endurance Range™ equipped bikes to mud, rain and tough terrain; yet the coatings emerged with no unsightly chips, flaking or abrasions. A quick power wash removed any mud caked on the bikes and brought the coatings back to their original appearance.

The new Endurance RangeTM is available in 3 colours:

Endurance BlackTM (matt black finish)
Endurance Metallic BlackTM (incorporates a metallic fleck)
Endurance GraphiteTM (attractive grey finish)

Regarding pricing; For 3 Motorcycle Headers and 1 Silencer (as seen in photograph), the cost to coat will be £258 for any from our Endurance ™range. Prices exclude shipping and VAT. Turnaround time is approximately 10 working days with payment accepted via credit card or bank transfer.

Our coatings are only applied to the external surfaces of the exhaust system and are covered by our 3 year guarantee.

We can arrange to have TNT pick up your parcel and send it back, once coated, for £25 plus VAT. (Applies to a single box under a metre in length weighing no more than 20kg picking up from and delivering back to a UK mainland address)
Please ring our Production department to arrange this by calling 01235 546050 option 2. Alternatively email [email protected]. Please remember to have your package weight and dimensions to hand when contacting us. Please ensure that your components are packed securely as Zircotec will not accept liability for damage caused in transit. Please follow recommended packaging guidelines in the following TNT link http://www.tnt.com/express/en_gb/site/home/support/paperwork_and_packaging/packaging_advice.html

To proceed, simply send the system to the address below, remembering to include your contact details and our quotation reference xxxxxxxx. We automatically mask off machined/ flange surfaces to protect them from coating. Please ensure that all other areas that do not require coating including badges and slip joints are marked or taped off before sending the parts to us. (Please note that, although we take extreme care when masking off badges to protect them from coating, there is a slight risk of damage to some painted metal badges when going through our process.) We will contact you upon receipt to confirm details and arrange payment.

Please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

Still a few things I want to confirm like the bit highlighted in red and colour samples but think i'm going to get this done.

There is a three year guanantee and they state the finish is very robust.

Will post some before and after pictures to give folk an idea of this product.
 
I have seen them mention a few times that it only "minimises" rust. Ok maybe not a big deal on stainless headers but at £300 with postage included it isn't cheap. It suggests to me that the process is porous even if only slightly.
 
Inside?

I have asked them about the internal coating they do. If this reduces the outside temperature of the headers as much as they say it does they will not blue or bake on the dirt as much and reduce cleaning. You will not have to worry about it getting chipped off.
Will let you know what they say.
Nick
 


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