Exhausts and Engine » Bringing the exhaust back to full shine...

R1200RS + R1250RS Forum � 1200 RS technology � Exhausts and Engine � Bringing the exhaust back to full shine...

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#1 | Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Sat Feb 16, 2019 5:14 pm (Last edited: Sat Feb 16, 2019 5:16 pm)

After a day out 2 Sundays ago, today was the first chance I've had to clean the bike; it was properly filthy.

As the day of the ride had followed a couple of icy nights in the preceding week, I guess there was all sorts of salt contamination which I didn't even think about until trying to clean the exhaust.

After the usual "wet the bike with pressure washer, clean with sponge and hot soapy water (twice), rinse with pressure washer, dry with a synthetic chamois leather cloth" wash of the whole bike, I noticed ultra-fine black flecks covering the chrome of the silencer.

Tar remover had no effect (that's when I realised about the salt on the previous ride). So nip to the local car parts shop, one tube of Autosol and 20 minutes of polishing and buffing later, the silencer now looks factory fresh.

Whilst polishing, the smell reminded of all the hours spent using Autosol on previous bikes; on everything from aluminium engine casings, to rocker covers to downpipes...

A new silencer has just moved way up the list of bike bits I intend to buy this year...

Cheers

Paul B.

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#2 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Sat Feb 16, 2019 7:27 pm

I've found in the past that those black flecks can be quite gritty and can scratch the chrome as you're polishing. White spirit is quite effective at removing the worst of the stuff before setting to work with the Autosol.

Ray.

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#3 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:27 pm

Zitat von Ray Bridgman im Beitrag #2
I've found in the past that those black flecks can be quite gritty and can scratch the chrome as you're polishing. White spirit is quite effective at removing the worst of the stuff before setting to work with the Autosol.

Ray.

The teeny tiny black flecks were, I think, the start of surface corrosion of the chrome. The tar remover had no effect, even though it smells like quite an astringent chemical.

But I take your point; the dirt embedded in any pitting can act as an abrasive.

Cheers

Paul B

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#4 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:58 pm

I think you'll find that using a clay bar on the pipe will remove "gritty" contamination and have it as smooth as new. Works wonders on bodywork too. Of course it won't affect rust pitting, for sure.

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#5 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:17 pm

I thought the "chrome" was polished stainless steel........so should not be rusting.

I've got the black spots...tar?

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#6 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Mon Feb 18, 2019 2:45 pm

Zitat von GordonH im Beitrag #5
I thought the "chrome" was polished stainless steel........so should not be rusting.

I've got the black spots...tar?

You're probably right. In fact that makes more sense, as stainless steel will develop surface pitting when exposed to salt water.

Cheers

Paul B.

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#7 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:32 pm

The chrome is not polished stainless. Stainless steel is a metal alloy without plating, containing nickel and at least 10.5% chromium to make it more durable. Different types of stainless steel are created depending on the amount of nickel and chromium in the alloy. Chrome, short for chromium, refers to the plating. Chrome plating is overlaid on a metal core. It consists completely of chromium and is not an alloy. You can polish stainless to get a shiny chrome like appearance but the chrome exhaust on the RS is not stainless.

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#8 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:43 pm (Last edited: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:46 pm)

Zitat von Jetpilot5 im Beitrag #7
Tthe chrome exhaust on the RS is not stainless.

I figured it was stainless that had been chrome plated.
It does not seem to be a ferrous metal.

Lee
2016 R1200RS
Iowa, USA

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#9 | RE: Bringing the exhaust back to full shine... datum

Mon Feb 18, 2019 9:53 pm

Zitat von Lee im Beitrag #8
Zitat von Jetpilot5 im Beitrag #7
Tthe chrome exhaust on the RS is not stainless.

I figured it was stainless that had been chrome plated.
It does not seem to be a ferrous metal.

I think you are right. STD exhaust is stainless so would not expect BM to have a lesser spec on a higher grade model

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Anyone noticed any performance difference between 'premium' & 'super' unleaded? � � Oil smoke on cold start after bike has been sitting for over a week