Any tips guys - want to get them nice and shiny again, theyre letting my bike down!
How do i best clean up my exhaust headers etc?
- Thread starter Michael R1150GS Adventure
- Start date
Autosol and fine wirewool did the trick for me...
The best way is to take them off, cleaning them in place is possible but is more difficult.
In place: Use wet&dry, start with medium-grit, cut the paper into strips and wrap it around the pipe, plenty of water (soapy helps reduce the paper clogging). Use a
action. Reduce paper-grit to fine and then a pad of steel-wool with Solvol metal-polish (Brasso is cheaper and works well).
Removed: Buy a brass wire wheel-brush, stick in a drill (quicker with an angle-grinder and brass wire cup-brush). No need for the wet&dry, jump straight to steel-wool and metal polish, or strips of cardboard (preferably the thicker stuff) and metal polish.
Bingo.
Remember, avoid using steel-wire brushes, they will leave deep scratches in the relatively soft stainless steel. Although you can polish the scratches out, it will take a lot of effort and if you don't get rid of them it will only encourage crap to stick and start the tarnishing process more quickly than before.
In place: Use wet&dry, start with medium-grit, cut the paper into strips and wrap it around the pipe, plenty of water (soapy helps reduce the paper clogging). Use a
action. Reduce paper-grit to fine and then a pad of steel-wool with Solvol metal-polish (Brasso is cheaper and works well).Removed: Buy a brass wire wheel-brush, stick in a drill (quicker with an angle-grinder and brass wire cup-brush). No need for the wet&dry, jump straight to steel-wool and metal polish, or strips of cardboard (preferably the thicker stuff) and metal polish.
Bingo.
Remember, avoid using steel-wire brushes, they will leave deep scratches in the relatively soft stainless steel. Although you can polish the scratches out, it will take a lot of effort and if you don't get rid of them it will only encourage crap to stick and start the tarnishing process more quickly than before.
thanks Mike P the pipes in the photo look brand new.
I dont have rust as such, just quite a bumpy surface, almost like it has been pebble dashed with spots of tar! But obv not tar...
RIght then if it is possible to get them looking like that, I'm up for it!
CHeers for all the help everyone
I dont have rust as such, just quite a bumpy surface, almost like it has been pebble dashed with spots of tar! But obv not tar...
RIght then if it is possible to get them looking like that, I'm up for it!
CHeers for all the help everyone
How long do they stay like that? Is it something you need to then do regularly?
BBB61
Registered user
Wonder Wheels wheel cleaner is also very good at getting rid of the straw colour effect on stainless down pipes too.
It must be quite a strong acid if the way it makes my block paving fizz is anything to go by!!
Haven't tried it so might give it a go in an 'inconspicuous location'
They are chromed stainless steel on the 1150's
My fear is that you would have to work hard to keep them looking as good as Mike p's pic and jnowing Andy Hird who achieved the same result as Mike, they soon tarnish in regular use
So..................I'm having mine ceramic coated in a chrome finish and will post a set of pics when I get them back
My fear is that you would have to work hard to keep them looking as good as Mike p's pic and jnowing Andy Hird who achieved the same result as Mike, they soon tarnish in regular use
So..................I'm having mine ceramic coated in a chrome finish and will post a set of pics when I get them back
tarnishing is natural and looks ok for me, I am more interested in getting rid of the surface build up that is black, rough and ugly. Shiny and discoloured is fine! 
BBB61
Registered user
It's good at keeping the headers clean, but the methods as outlined by Mike P when the finish has deteriorated further will be necessary.
But don't leave it on the pipes for too long
BBB61
Registered user
Are you sure that is the case on all 1150's Johnny? They certainly weren't chromed on my 1999 1150GS.
They are plain-old stainless. 1200's had a chromed stainless as an option I believe.
BTW, I only took mine off because I was attending to other things and wanted the access. I find that twice a year with the steel-wool and metal polish is enough to keep them reasonably presentable.
They most certainly are on the later ones, the finish is hard chrome on a stainless pipe
I took them to a pro chromer and they told me exactly what the finish was.
They could only be refinished in hard chrome at a specialist, which would use a nickel strike first to get the chrome to adhere to the stainless, if they were rechromed without this the chrome would fall off when they got hot
No-one would touch them, secondhand
So hence the chrome ceramic coating instead................mine were too far gone
1200 headers are either stainless or chromed stainless as an option
The 1150 headers were a revelation to me
The air-filtration system and air-lock doors prevent any dust entering.Yes, I can image the dust build up in your garage causes havoc
I don't know how shiney mine are, they've been under shite, salt and crap since October.
Chromed stainless? Why exactly would anyone want to do that instead of making them out of decent stainless to start with.
Remember, chrome don't get you home
Chromed stainless? Why exactly would anyone want to do that instead of making them out of decent stainless to start with.
Remember, chrome don't get you home
I don't know how shiney mine are, they've been under shite, salt and crap since October.
Chromed stainless Why exactly would anyone want to do that instead of making them out of decent stainless to start with.
Remember, chrome don't get you home
Ask BMW in their wisdom
Styve100
Registered user
Guys, I have my GS in bits in the garage, I have the brass wheels and have tentaively started on the pipes, can I do them all over, it does initially appear to scratch? my pipes are in quite a bad state, with rust and grime etc.
MbW told me that they don't use stainless fasteners on their bikes, because it unecological man.
However, a massive chinese cadnium plating plant is quite all right
Me thinks they're really talking bollox to people who don't know their arse from their elbow. I don't think it would be too much of a price difference making them out of Ti by the time they've polished and plated stainless.
However, a massive chinese cadnium plating plant is quite all right
Me thinks they're really talking bollox to people who don't know their arse from their elbow. I don't think it would be too much of a price difference making them out of Ti by the time they've polished and plated stainless.
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