[wheelieman]

I want to buy a set of Zard exhausts for my Paul Smart but am a bit concerned about the discoloration I've seen on the header of some bikes. Anyway to avoid this besides using wrapping tape?

 

[moto]

Ceramic coat them.

-M

 

[wheelieman]

Thanks for the tip Moto. Do they need to be coated both on the outside and inside?

 

[MajorSoftie]

Zards do not discolor. They develop a beautiful patina.

Single wall headers aren't supposed to look new except when they are...




...new.

 

[Spezjag]

Thanks for the tip Moto. Do they need to be coated both on the outside and inside?

Yup. Coating them on the inside is what keeps the heat away from the metal.

 

[MTScott2]

I used to use the highest tempertaure of high heat paint I could find for Harley Chrome pipes , on the inside ,It had Limited effect ,New pipes , and put two or three coats on .. did make a difference tho

 

[moto]

Yup. Coating them on the inside is what keeps the heat away from the metal.

+1
The ceramic coating drops the external temps by about 200 degrees too.
I use High Performance Coatings for most of our projects- usually to reduce heat onthe rider. It is not that big of an issue with the SC1000.

If you polish the pipes before they go on, it is not that difficult to keep it looking bright by polishing it periodically.

-M

 

[wheelieman]

I am curious which metal discolors more, titanium or good old steel?

 

[Spezjag]

I am curious which metal discolors more, titanium or good old steel?

They discolor differently - stainless turns a brown/beige, while Ti can develop a blue/rainbow color. In fact, some makers intentionally change the color of Ti cans by heating them.

 

[Mhe225]

Anyway to avoid this besides using wrapping tape?

Yup .... not riding the bike, eh, more precisely, not even starting your bike

Sorry, couldn't resist, had to (although it would have been funnier if I had seen this right when the question was posted)

My Termi 2-1 on the Sport and Staintunes on the MH900e have a beautiful golden glow / hue on them ..... nothing wrong with that.

RonB

 

[ian]

Zards do not discolor. They develop a beautiful patina.

Agree

 

[wheelieman]

I think I will try the ceramic coating first and if that
doesn't work the way I want, I will wrap my headers as I'm not just a fan
of the discoloration. Kind of reminds of when harley chrome
goes all blue. Just not my cup of tea.

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback!

 

[mpsalm]

I wish mine discoloured more...

 

[CU3RVO]

Agree

+1

 

[Mhe225]

I think I will try the ceramic coating first and if that doesn't work the way I want, I will wrap my headers as I'm not just a fan of the discoloration. Kind of reminds of when harley chrome goes all blue.

:think: think again :think: Stainless steel and chrome discolor very differently.

Why not try the ceramic coating second? Give it a shot with the Zards as they come, or, even better, polish them first. If you don't like how they "age", then you can still apply ceramic coating. However, once the coating is on, it's very hard / impossible to take it off.

Check Cole's (a.k.a. Flyer) PS1000LE with polished Zards; you can see the headers started turning gold

Just my $0.02 - it's your bike and you need to be happy with it. You can't go wrong with either option.

RonB

 

[MajorSoftie]

Why not try the ceramic coating second? Give it a shot with the Zards as they come, or, even better, polish them first. If you don't like how they "age", then you can still apply ceramic coating. However, once the coating is on, it's very hard / impossible to take it off.

Something no one has mentioned: Part of the advantage of replacement single-wall headers is the larger diameter. Internal JetHot coating (or a competitor) is quite thick. I'll bet you lose at least 1 mm of I.D., maybe more.

 

[wheelieman]

I have to say MHE225 that does look really good when polished. Is there a particular product to polish them with to get that look?

 

[PAKBIKES]

I have to say MHE225 that does look really good when polished. Is there a particular product to polish them with to get that look?

Take them to a shop that does professional polishing..... unless you have the "right equipment" the results will be very poor. My shop here in Oregon has a polishing setup that has a 20 hp motor, huge polishing wheels, the right compounds AND a ton of experience to make the results perfect. Most chrome shops will have this setup.

 

[wheelieman]

Thanks for all the tips

 

[Spezjag]

Something no one has mentioned: Part of the advantage of replacement single-wall headers is the larger diameter. Internal JetHot coating (or a competitor) is quite thick. I'll bet you lose at least 1 mm of I.D., maybe more.

Nope - the true ceramic coating is only a couple of molecules thick - you will lose no measurable ID by using true ceramic.