Muddy headers

[David and Sally]

Muddy headers. Had a chat with some 1250GSA friends over the weekend. One of them has header pipes that look like they have a thin coating of mud on them but that is the colour they have gone. Seems BMW have been replacing them as they were made of inferior steel.

My headers on my 70 plate 1250 are the same. Is this a problem recognised by BMW? Pals said they clean up with some Harpic drain cleaner but eventually go back to looking muddy brown.

[Doctor T]

I tried everything to clean mine. Harpic and very fine wire wool got rid of some of the browning but it soon came back. I cant work out if mine are stainless steel or chrome. None of my previous BM's(K75/100, R80rt/100rt) headers turned brown. Probably down accountant's building bikes these days.

[David and Sally]

I think you have it there, accountants saving a Euro or two on cheap metals. It's not so bad on an RT with the bodywork but looks awful on a GS.

Think I might have a go at the dealer as it's still under warranty.

[David.]

I can't work out if mine are stainless steel or chrome.

It is possible that a 2007 Hexhead will have S/S headers. Chrome was an optional extra, at least it was when I bought mine.

Using this BMW VIN Decoder, https://www.mdecoder.com/ will identify what the original bike came fitted with from the factory.

S/S headers tend to go brown, whereas chrome usually turn blue/brown.

My understanding is that the stainless exhaust goes brown, and the chromed exhaust goes blue/purple.

Stainless


Chrome

[David.]

My 2012 Camhead has chrome headers. Applying Autosol using some pressure with an old toothbrush, then buffing up with a microfibre cloth can produce reasonable results.

[Doctor T]

Tried the Vincoder. No mention of the exhaust system but does state "National Version Great Britain" whatever that mends.
Tried polishing mine again with more Harpic. Left it on for 5 minutes after dabbing in on. I now have shiny brown piper. I give up.

[David.]

I used U-Pol Maximum Finishing Pads and Autosol on my s/s headers. You can't expect good results without some elbow grease too.

Once cleaned, both s/s and chrome will always discolour again. It's soul destroying but depends on how you would like your bike to look. Now mine are clean, they don't take too much buffing up again.

[scunny12]

Gave up trying to keep them gleaming chrome, now I quite like my iridescent headers.

[Doctor T]

My bike is a workhorse, not a show bike. so am not too fussed at the colour. The biggest thing for me is they are not rusty and not holed

[David.]

Cleaning motorcycle exhaust headers with HARPIC? DON'T!

[David and Sally]

Interesting! No Harpic for me then.!!

[Doctor T]

Think he is geting his chrome and s/s mixed up. Harpic will discolour Chrome very fast. It removes plastic chrome even faster. I have my chrome kitchen sink to prove, sorry wifey. Harpic on untreated S/S will not discolour this and is safe to use. Any plated(chrome) metal, Harpic will ruin it and is big No No.

[Casbar]

I use a different approach, don't polish them, just leave them and wait for the exhaust flap to seize and then get new headers off of BMW Although my 1250 is now out of warranty to that has stuffed that route.

[Marvin2Shoes]

Has anyone got a 3rd party exhaust shop to fabricate stainless headers for their RT?

[burridge01]

Yes,Arrow kindly knocked me up some s/s headers and an exhaust.


I have Arrow headers on me GSF1250 as well,use harpic on them without any issue but then again,I do take care of it.