Protecting/polishing new exhasut pipes??

[Crazy Canadian]

Okay, with my system about to arrive, I thought this warranted its own thread.  I've read lots of threads now talking about polishing pipes both to buff them out and to protect them from turning brown and splotchy (is that a word?).  I haven't been able to find any posts though that talk about what to use or how to do it other than steel woll and scotchbrite to make them brown more evenly once they brown up and look yucky.  One person even talks about their arrow pipes turning brown on the first ride. (??)  First of all, do I really need to buff out arrow pipes?  If so, with what?  I have read posts that talk about protecting them with something to keep them shiny but not what they use to do this and how often it needs to be repeated.  Any tips would help.  Thanks!

[OwnyTony]

By the way, I love you avatar but dont be surprised if your asked to change it.  Mini jack, where/what is the origin behind the pic or did you just find it?

Also, i think it is important to know what pipes you got or going to get.

I have arrow ti on mine.  I would say, use at your own risk but i have used mothers polish once on the very tip of them.  Mine did not turn colors but they do get some stuff backed on them if your rear tire slings sludge on it.  I used the mothers to get a slight polished look to the tip.  Also polished about 1.5 inch into the exhaust to get rid of the black soot. 

There is a product that honda sells that is a protect/wax called glare.  It can be used on plastics and metal.  After the polish, i applied that stuff to my pipes an now they are really easy to clean up the build up.  My tip and insides are pretty clean.  Just wipe off the soot and for the most part, it comes off with out much effort.

[He Man]

I have nothing to ad. But i do like your avatar.

[Crazy Canadian]

Yeah.  Sorry but the Avatar was pulled.  My bad....  I changed it, but the animation doesn't work, so it looks pretty gay.  Will change it later.  You can find the pic if you search Ducati Belly pan.

[Capo]

I mirror finished mine (on a buffer), in use, they turn a shade of gold, lasts a season.

The brown 'sploges' that appear on the pipes, is a result of the stainless being impregnated with ferrous material during manufacture. Pickling paste will remove tthis never to return.

Any kind of proctective polish, is bound to burn off pretty quickly.

Just remember its stain less not stain frree.

[uclabiker06]

Stainless steel turns brown over time.  Now add heat to the picture and it turns brown even faster.  If you ride often its pretty much impossible to stop them from turning brown.  I ride once a week and so what I do is when I get back from my ride I clean with WD-40 until my next ride and it seems to work pretty well for me.  I think Plexus has silicone in it and silicone will stop the heat from turning your exhaust brown so when I turn the bike on I try to spray it with plexus.  If you ride often you'll be going through a lot of Plexus.  Does anyone know for a fact if Plexus has silicone in it?? 

If you ride more often you have no choice but to let them get brown and then clean them every week, month, year.  You can use Brasso polish (Home Depot $3).  Put some on a cloth and scrub it with pressure and you'll see the brown disappear.  It will get more and more shiny as you scrub.   WD-40 does the the same thing but you really have to scrub harder.  I don't use anything stronger than Brasso cuz I don't want to take to much surface metal off of the already thin piping.  As a more permanent solution you can get them ceramic coated.   Have fun and ride safe. 

[Crazy Canadian]

Holy cow I can't believe you clean your pipes every time you ride.  Thanks for the advice but I think I'll let them turn gold.   My pipes are Titanium I think, since they are the Arrows.  At least I think they are.  Carbon cans and Ti pipes no?  Maybe SS pipes?  Who knows?  They haven't landed yet.  Still enroute!  Argh!!!

Oh and apparently this new Avatar has to come down too.    I guess I'll just ride without a pic.  Thanks all.

[CF_Beast]

Stainless steel turns brown over time.  Now add heat to the picture and it turns brown even faster.  If you ride often its pretty much impossible to stop them from turning brown.  I ride once a week and so what I do is when I get back from my ride I clean with WD-40 until my next ride and it seems to work pretty well for me.  I think Plexus has silicone in it and silicone will stop the heat from turning your exhaust brown so when I turn the bike on I try to spray it with plexus.  If you ride often you'll be going through a lot of Plexus.  Does anyone know for a fact if Plexus has silicone in it?? 

If you ride more often you have no choice but to let them get brown and then clean them every week, month, year.  You can use Brasso polish (Home Depot $3).  Put some on a cloth and scrub it with pressure and you'll see the brown disappear.  It will get more and more shiny as you scrub.   WD-40 does the the same thing but you really have to scrub harder.  I don't use anything stronger than Brasso cuz I don't want to take to much surface metal off of the already thin piping.  As a more permanent solution you can get them ceramic coated.   Have fun and ride safe. 

I'm interested in hearing more about this ceramic coating process. What's it about?

[uclabiker06]

Stainless steel turns brown over time.  Now add heat to the picture and it turns brown even faster.  If you ride often its pretty much impossible to stop them from turning brown.  I ride once a week and so what I do is when I get back from my ride I clean with WD-40 until my next ride and it seems to work pretty well for me.  I think Plexus has silicone in it and silicone will stop the heat from turning your exhaust brown so when I turn the bike on I try to spray it with plexus.  If you ride often you'll be going through a lot of Plexus.  Does anyone know for a fact if Plexus has silicone in it??

If you ride more often you have no choice but to let them get brown and then clean them every week, month, year.  You can use Brasso polish (Home Depot $3).  Put some on a cloth and scrub it with pressure and you'll see the brown disappear.  It will get more and more shiny as you scrub.   WD-40 does the the same thing but you really have to scrub harder.  I don't use anything stronger than Brasso cuz I don't want to take to much surface metal off of the already thin piping.  As a more permanent solution you can get them ceramic coated.   Have fun and ride safe.

Okay so forget the Plexus cuz I saw something by the name " iquid Wrench Silicone Spray" at home Depot for $3 so if you spray this stuff on it should prevent browning.  In summary, use the silicone spray for prevention of browning and WD-40/Brasso for cleaning of browning. 

I'm interested in hearing more about this ceramic coating process. What's it about?

http://www.jet-hot.com/
Might want to check out the promo video under the Why JET-HOT link.  There is also another company that does this but I don't remember the name .