Even now, 3 years later, the video is helping out. You guys are legends for helping out with all kinds of things. You deserve a medal! Gave my Triumph Scrambler 2015 Arrow pipes a good polish today. Wish i could upload a pic to show. Massively happy with this method.
I cant begin to imagine how much work goes into filming editing uploading etc..we lucky buggers just get to enjoy the finished product which is fantastic by the way..can only say again THANK YOU so much ..and will get down that end someday to shake your hand personally and maybe sneak a hug from Mrs Db if your not looking...cheers.xxx
Thank You!! Back in the day early 70's late 60's there were tons of Triumph Bonneville 650-550 bikes in the states. Also BSA... Those were good riding days..
I have a Mustang, and the exhaust tips were looking horrible...yellowish...came to this video looking for ideas...men...thank you very much. Went to the hardware store and there was...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
We been using long cloths like your doing since 60's but we went one step further. Our family had wedding cake/catering business an inspector at any time so kids had many chores. One chore was all laundry. So when mom got this mysterious run in her nylon stocking she throw them out. She'd say, "how'd I get another run, I just got these"? An her nylon doubled around pipe,like your doing, dazzled in the sun! We fished for salmon in Oregon an dad always had this can of polish for fishing in form of a fiber that you just tore piece off an placed it inside of moms nylon with white metal polish around pipe. Oh Baby! Sister always in bathroom, so that's where I learned to shave, looking at pipes an fenders, haha! Tim p.s. always thought funny, when female co-riders (remember there are no passengers on a motorcycle, only co-riders) wanting to put her mirror in my saddlebags. I'd smile an say, we need all space we can use! But I need my mirror! Think about it, do you realize how much chrome your going to be around! Then she'd catch on an laugh! Try it, well don't steal your mom's nylon like I did, maybe a mysterious run will appear! Tim
Hi Del and thanks for sharing. Isn't it funny how using a particular technique can transform the results you get. IF you haven't already done it, removing the AI (air injection) system reduces the exhaust header temps and therefore the return of the staining. Doesn't stop it completely, but takes a lot longer to come back. Happy New year to you both, keep on rollin' French Dave
Cheers David...yeah, that and a few other mods will cool it right down, i know..but its Penny's bike and she's happy with it as it is... thanks for watching mate.. happy new year aye.. Del.
another good trip mate, as I'm working for the next few days on shifts, all the best for the new year, Ive really enjoyed watching your vids and I have certainly learned a hell of a lot this year from you and Penny, Kind Regards Bazza.....
Thanks Bazza...good to hear from you mate, sad you have to work shifts.. i know all to well how that feels... dont work too hard mate, and thanks for all your great support this year, lots more to come and looking forward to all of it... have a great new year mate and keep in touch aye... all the best.. D&P
they're usually made of either 304 or 316 stainless with a wall thinkess around 1.5mm which is quite thick compaired to exhausts made from titanium at 1.1mm or inconel alloy at 0.5mm, if it's discoloured from heat its because the exhaust has exceeded 200 Celsius and when its purple it has exceeded 280 Celsius All in all, Great video!
D & P - great info and love the old t-shirt/cloth technique - brilliant! I've thought a time or two on how to clean up ye old Bandit's pipes - now I have solution! Many thanks! EW.
Sure thing Ernst....if that collector under the motor is really bad you can hit it with the Autosol and some wire wool...then go to the cloth to polish out the bloom... Thanks for watching and happy new year, Del.
Ones again I've learnt something today. I use the autosol on the gsx & have done for years. I always loop the cloth around & pull it back & forth like you but I've been doing it wrong all along & catching my knuckles because I'm always changing position to try & polish it all the way round but by simply wrapping it round once it does the whole pipe without me having to move at all. Simplest idea & I never even thought of it, cheers del👍
Thank you Del, another great video. Had exactly that issue with my excellent TEC exhausts and they now look better than when I fitted them. Not only that but I had an arduous physical workout too!
Nice one mate, I found that even the Arrow version of this pipe does exactly the same thing in the weather...but they all clean up with a bit of elbow grease !
She made me edit out the bit where she had a try....fits of giggles and gave up...it takes twice as long when she's in the garage...but twice as much fun... cheers mate.
Greetings from California - after several "cleanings" with a polish Autosol, Simichrome or other, the stainless will become progressively smoother than the original brushed finish and therefore will polish easier...riding and cleaning bikes for 51 years.
Hi James....good advice..."work at it and it'll get easier"...same with so many things aye?... thanks for watching, and hope you have good weather over there buddy... take care and ride safe... Del.
Awesome, I was wondering how I was going to clean my BMW Gs exhaust and I have that metal polish. My dad used to rave about it so I've always got some handy. Great video, many thanks
Del,I've been using Autosol for years and have found it to be OK on most metal surfaces but somewhat lacking on exhaust pipes.A friend of mine put me onto a product called Bluejob.It's made in the US but it can be found here in the UK.It's a dry white powder,just add a little water to make a paste,then apply it as you've shown on your video.The results are a revelation,the pipes will look brand new and more importantly,the finished result lasts a lot longer than anything else I have tried in the past.
Thanks Brian, appreciate the suggestion, will give it a try... and as this is an old video, I've since found a new revelation in cleaning pipes, and would you believe it's something as simple as Harpic X10, it's an ultra thick toilet bleach and pretty feisty so you have to use it right... if you dab a little on the pipe, agitate with an old toothbrush and literally the brown stains float straight off, once it's all cleaned, wash it with LOTS of water to neutralise the bleach and then just any metal polish will bring it up from the plain natural steel look to whatever shine you like.... and if you've got a powered buffer you'll get them up like chrome! Give it a try mate, it's insane how well it works... and it costs pennies in the supermarket!
buaan Thanks mate, great find on getting a second hand one, you'll have saved a lot of money im sure.. ..hope it comes up good as new for you.. take care.. Del.
I was going to buy one of those really aggressive cleaners,spray on wash off type of affair,but after being directed to this video i have done exactly as shown and im happy with my results..thanks
+wevsky Hi mate, thats good news, its easy and cheap to do it this way...once its up and bright, its easy to keep bright from then on... take care, Del.
Found this to be good as well, spilt some halfords rubbing compound on my headers whilst flattening out paint after tank respray.Removed tarnishing and stains on whole of exhaust system with ease .
Solvol Autosol Rocks !! Especially with Mutton cloth plus for real difficult salt marks on aluminium use Fine Wire Wool..............works a treat !!.......Good Video Mate !!
Couldn't wait til the end of the vid 😂 had to have a go! Bloody outstanding , brought the link pipe up on my full Micron system like it was brand new. The head pipes however, not sure what material they are, they're staying a brownish coppery colour, with a nice sheen though 👍🏻😉😀
Hi Leo.. you often need to get a bit more aggressive with the really dark tubing.. try a scotch pad in an out of the way area and see if it breaks that brown layer... it will leave the pipe a dull finish.. but the Autosol will then bring that back up... lots of work.. but you saw how good it can be.. go get stuck in mate... you know you want to..lol Good luck.. Del.
Great video i use this stuff on my pipes, recently installed some new cut slash pipes on my virago, after first ride the stainless steel turned yellow near the engine this got it right off :)
It does work wonderfully! bought a 600 bandit a few weeks ago and used it to get the down pipes nice and shiny but after the next ride out had yellowed again, albeit shiny yellow.
yes..been doing the same for years , when I am done I spray some Windex on and wipe off with a paper towel ...adds a bit more shine and removes any leftover Autosol
Hey buddy... works great with alloy too, never thought of turtle wax... good call.. thanks for watching buddy, and have a great ridesage new year.. Del.
Thank you Yatish, i guess you said it right, 1 biker to every 100 cars on the road, and many bikers these days can't be bothered to do their own maintenance, happier to hand it to the dealer, so it's a small niche audience. Really appreciate your kind support though, some day maybe we'll get there. !
Hey how are ya? Always good vids ! What do you use to clean headers and how often ya think it needs doing? 19 z900 Kawi with m4 slip on. Debating cat delete n tune or just remove 6” cat pipe and weld hollow pipe in place without needing dyno tune etc. any thoughts? I’m only looking for lil more sound not a ton. Also I’m happy with bikes range n performance. I just want to make sure it’s going to run right without tune if I only remove cat n leave bread box on for obvious ticket reasons. Not as worried about 🚓. More about bike running right. Everyone is getting away with it anyway lol.
Try a hotgun to warm it right up and make it soft, gentle heat that does not discolour the chrome.. gently scrape the excess plastic off with s wooden stick, (maybe like a lolly stick !) then you can wipe the rest of the plastic away with a rag and some thinners..!
Will this remove blueing or just the gross unevenness of the discolouration? I don't mind the blue and purple towards the top of my header, but I hate how the crap looks uneven and blotchy in yellow and brown.
Nice one Del,gonna have a gandi at the down pipes on mi stripple I reckon,think they got that bronzy colouration thing going on....quite like that colour but didn't realise it'll eventualy go proper black like!! Merry crimble Del n penny,be cool comrades catch ya later...bizz.
They probably will if you ride in enough bad weather... salt does the worst damage...so get on top of it afore its too late aye... happy new year buddy.. Del.
Chrome/stainless exhaust pipes that turn blue near the engine. I've heard that chrome pipes turn blue because the engine is tuned wrong (too rich? too lean? timing? why?) Is the blue permanent? Can the blue be taken off? Thanks, Kahuna Bud in Virginia, USA ( hey, **great** show you make!)
Hi Buddy... its not because the engine is tuned incorrectly....these days with the clean burn immission regulations, bikes have to run lean from the factory, and it can turn the pipes purple, blue, gold all kind of colours...its a quite natural side effect of lean tuned motors.....it does clean off using the method in this video..thanks for watching mate, take care.. Del..
Solvol is brilliant del, l used this on my zh2 I've just bought as they were brown from new!! Great job, Just a question though will this brown come back again? Another tip! I used to have haybusas and the last one l had had painted black wheels, factory paint but were a bit dull. So l did a patch test to see if this solvol would bring them back and oh boy what a shine!! Brilliant!
I have bassani road rage 3 stainless steel exhaust on my FXDLS... Previous owner put exhaust wrap over it. I tried taking it off but underneath it was all bronze/purple and brown spots everywhere, like thousands of brown spots I guess because of the wrap. Looks bad so I'm stuck with the exhaust wrap, unless this will work for mine? Way worse than that though
Hi there, yes it should do a lot to remove the tarnishing, much of that discoloration comes from the wrap itself, but if you have access to a buffer and can get the exhaust off, you would still be able to bring that back to a clean bright shiney finish, or better still, and far easier, once you get the tarnishing off, create a wonderful brushed steel finish using a Scotchbrite pad and WD40, stroking along the exhaust length to make a really cool finish... give it a try, because after all, if it doesn't work, you can just re-wrap it, nothing to lose aye?!
Great tip - must see if I can get that here in Oz!! I use the Alfoil and water trick to get rust off chrome but the one thing I can't find out is how to get the rusty tarnish off the grey alloy metal parts where the forks and bars are connected - any ideas? All the best to you and Penny from the Crankies for 2015.
Hey Cranky mate...good to hear from you mate.. and a happy new year. "Grey alloy metal parts"....easy mate, autosol if you can get it..Belgum Alu, even Brasso will work..and i know you can get that...lol all the best for 2015 mate... cheers, Del.
Solvol always been a must in my garage,works well on un-laquered alloy ,brass,copper...and all my old t-shirts get used for cleaning bikes,ditto(clean) worn-out underpants..:)> Seem to remember they used to do a version for black engine cases too...?
Brilliant vid Del. I've just bought a new bike and weirdly, where the muffler and pipes connect It looks like I'm getting corrosion. Only had it a week! :( I thought about putting some ACF 50 on it but AutoSol sounds like a much better alternative :)
Hi mate.... the ACF will burn off your exhaust and leave it blackened, best to leave it clean and then just buff it up like this once a year... Thanks for watching.. Del.
OK, try a little Acetone on it, it will melt the rubber marks away but not hurt the powder coat.. nail varnish remover is a great cheap mild form of acetone if you need it..!!
Del, I realize that this is a bit off topic, but I noticed in the background of this video, you have a couple of what Cycle Gear calls paddock stands, front and rear. I bought a pair of these off Craig's List, thinking I was getting a great deal. When I got them home, I realized that my 1200 Sportster exhaust prevented the real stand from fitting onto the axel nut or the lower shock nut, or whatever it is supposed to lift the bike by. Would you have any suggestions? David
+David Lehrer Hey buddy , generally speaking paddock stands are for Japanese bikes and certainly not for cruisers of any kind... the problem is access to the right side on a Harley... as the pipes get in the way.... you could struggle away and try and make them work with some adaptation, but in the end, you'll be flogging a dead horse... the right item to lift a harley, or any cruiser with under frame rails, is a frame rail lift... like two arms that go under the bike and lift the whole damn lot... something like this.... www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cml5-hydraulic-motorcycle-and-atv-lift/?da=1&TC=GS-020110194&gclid=CNn0nZramssCFagy0wodjRoINw Hope that helps, am sure you'll find a buyer for the paddock stands...
Think about it...'WAX'....melts on a domestic radiator...how long would it last on a bike exhaust..? thats the issue with exhausts...there is no preparatory product that will withstand 350+ degrees heat...short of ceramic coating or chrome...yer stuck with cleaning it.
Love the t shirt trick. Just done it on my commuter bike which hasn't been cleaned in 2+ years. What a difference! Any recommendations for removing grease from the rear wheel rim? I was looking at Gunk but wondered whether it could be too aggressive. Muc Off hasn't shifted it. Thanks. J
Thats because its probably not "grease"...but dried chain lube?.... easy fix.. get a whole roll of kitchen roll paper... and a large tin of WD40 ... soak a wad of paper on the WD40 and wipe it all off..of its really dried.. then spray a little WD40 onto the grease to soften it... messy.. but works a treat buddy.. Good luck. Del.
Wow that came up a treat, loverly job del :-)) Your method has kicked my memory, im sort of sure that i used emery cloth in a similar way to clean spokes, but its a dam long time ago when i got my first moped and memory fades a bit. I used to use autosol on puch maxi aluminium brake levers, they came up like chrome :-)) but the autosol got weaker years later, it wasnt my imagination i think lol.
All things get weaker with age mate....thats life aye..! thanks for your kind and loyal support my friend, have a great Christmas and enjoy the new year aye... all the best... D&P.
Stumbled upon this video, I cannot find a single vid for help with black (Triumph T120) exhausts ... mine is greying where the stainless would blue, any tips ?
As far as im aware they are stainless steel, and that discoloring is impurities in the steel burning... it can usually be easily polished back up with not too much effort.. the pipes on this triumph certainly did.. Good luck with it Jono.
As always, brilliant tip...Quick question ( or idea for another vlog ) 1st serve on a bike, should i take it to the experts or use the Haynes manual and do it myself?
Dumb question... I'm thinking about buying a TEC exhaust and getting it ceramic coated matt black to match the bike (its a SE), its really just for the look/cosmetic reasons. would the blemishes still come through. Cheers Colin.
Hi Colin.. the TEC system is stainless steel and wont rust....you could paint it with ceramic based heat proof paint and if you make a good job of it save a lot of money having it coated...its tough and resiliant, and mine is still as good as the day i did it last year..
Hi I have the harley 883 at mo and thinking of changing it as I'm 6.4 and it looks to small iv look at the Suzuki intruder any way question is it a good bike or is it a down grade from the iron 883 ??
gcowern180 Now that a nice bike...big enough to make you feel the right size for it...but not a truck... personally, i LOVE the huge M109....they ar a total ship...and perfect for a bigger rider..id have one tomorrow fi i could aford it..!! why not test ride a few and see what you like best... ?
Great vid and very good tip. I've subscribed to your channel. Just got myself a 955i Speed Triple (2001) and wondered if you had any tips on de-rusting fasteners? A lot of the bolt heads are showing rust and apart from replacing them can I clean them up and keep them rust-free? Thanks again.
Hi Ian, you can clean them up in the usual way (im sure you dont need me to tell you how to do that)... but keeping them rust free will be a constant job, they'll just keep corroding.. why not treat yourself to a stainless bolt kit..?
Ah good ol' Autosol.. heard about it from you and Ive ended up using it for all sorts! Good tip/technique Del.. will have to get out and have a go! =) Hope you an Penny had a good Christmas mate.
Too right mate, a real wonder polish.. great on scuffed plastics too once the 1200 grit has done its work... Im sure if i remember rightly the pipes on your 675 are the same stainless....and i know how you like to keep it looking buff.....(mind you, not as much as another tuber we know aye...he's already out in ther garden with an old tie going for it....just sayin'..).
Great tip del... Fed up off polishing my exhaust on my lil beasty en500 as ride it all year.. Love the t-shirt rag bit, yet another great help. Keep up the good work and all the best to ya both for 2015
Hey Delboy, i've got a similar problem on my exhaust pipes, i started using this stuff but there were areas on the exhaust where it looked like the build up of corrosion/rush is too much to remove. Should i just persist or will i need a buffer / new exhaust ?
Hi Tobias///for really bad stubborn areas sue the Autosol with wire wooll.. it will leave it matt and scuffed... but the Autosoll will buff that out with a bit of elbow grease....works every time buddy... hope that helps... Del.
if its an SE with the alloy rims....ten yes, Autosol works wonders, it'll make a really bright finish and take all the corrosion off... and year, wax it after and it will keep it clean..
back in the day used to use a product called Simichrome, it would bring aluminum to a mirror finish on Triumph side cases, and any oxidized metal. like white toothpaste. would love to find an international branded product similar, what you have there is from where, Australia? just did a search on the product, apparently they also make a Stainless steel specific compound. I can can get it on ebay.
Yes mate, just about all metal polish works on these TEC pipes, they're good quality stainless and come up really well, if you don't get a great result with the Megauirs, then try the Autosol polish, it works every time.
@@Moonfleet41 Hello Delboy, I tried this and it worked like a charm with the Autosol polish. It was pretty badly discolored at the header pipes and Mathew Milburn from Tec asked me to use a soft scoth brite pad and buff it off with Autosol and it worked very well!
@@ashwinoashwin Great advice buddy, am glad it worked for you, it's the proof they're made from good stainless if they can be brought back up shiny nice and easy!
Hello mate, any ideas on how to get burnt on cleaning cloth, off a SS header pipe? Like a right prick I was wiping the tank while the engine was running and caught the end of my lint free cloth on the pipes. Don't think me neighbours appreciated me shouting FUCK IT!! at the top my voice. Looking forward to seeing what you do to Penny's bike in the next project, rsm cheers.
Ha ha, haven't we all been there.. any heavy residue (same with carrier bags) heat it up and scrape the wrost off using a wooden lolly stick (so you dont scratch the steel) then use this trick with the cloth strip, is will get the remaining stain off....if its any worse then go at it with wire wool and Autosol....then 1200 grit paper (wet), and then the cloth strip and polish to get the bloom out of the pipe and restore the shine...its just a painstaking process of restoration...but you'll get there with a bit of patience.. good luck with it... Del.
Good luck getting them back to normal mate....if they're really bad you can use wire wool with the Autosol and then 1200 grit and saopy water etc....they'll come back mate...they always do.. have a good new year mate.. Del.
That's the stuff I've been using for donkeys years. great product. but next time I do the exhaust I must try that stretchy material wrapped around, so thanks for the tip
Hey bud ive got a tiny bit of rust on my down pipe how would i get ride of it? would this process still work By the way ive been a sub for sometime now enjoy your vids, really helpful!
Hi There Zee... you can use the white 'Autosol' polish to get rid of rust too, jst work directly on it and it'll clean it away... thanks for your kind support buddy, good luck with it.. Del.
Moonfleet41 thanks for the help mate.. btw I've been a sub for some time now and at start i didn't watch your vids (because I'm a bit of a sports bike person and i thought this chancel has no benefit to me because all i saw was harleys in your intro etc basically anything but sports bikes) and i slowly started watching your vids and they are really helpful for pretty much anyone now two wheels. Things like making your own tail tidy etc keep up the hard work!!!
Zee Treqz Thanks mate, most stuff on bike crosses over at some point, and i love all bikes, had a Hayabusa before my Scrambler, and loved it but found i just couldn't let it off the leash....still quite fancy building another proper fighter, nice light R6, stuntbike stylee...but too much on the plate and no more room in the garage..lol thanks for watching aye... take care.. Del.
The number of times I've skinned a knuckle polishing hard to reach areas. Now I've seen the light! Thanks Del!
ha ha, easy if you think about it aye..!
Still watching these videos after all these years, still really helpful so thanks.
Glad to hear it mate, thank you for your long term support!
Even now, 3 years later, the video is helping out. You guys are legends for helping out with all kinds of things. You deserve a medal!
Gave my Triumph Scrambler 2015 Arrow pipes a good polish today. Wish i could upload a pic to show. Massively happy with this method.
I cant begin to imagine how much work goes into filming editing uploading etc..we lucky buggers just get to enjoy the finished product which is fantastic by the way..can only say again THANK YOU so much ..and will get down that end someday to shake your hand personally and maybe sneak a hug from Mrs Db if your not looking...cheers.xxx
These are Great videos. I have watched a few and I've taken my Bonneville apart in my garage. Thanks and keep them going!
Glad you enjoy the videos mate, and it's good that they can help you!
Thank You!! Back in the day early 70's late 60's there were tons of Triumph Bonneville 650-550 bikes in the states. Also BSA... Those were good riding days..
Seven years later and still giving. Polished up the headers on my z900RS back to how they were when new. Cheers.
I have a Mustang, and the exhaust tips were looking horrible...yellowish...came to this video looking for ideas...men...thank you very much. Went to the hardware store and there was...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
Glad we could help and am jealous of your Mustang lol - what a cool car !
We been using long cloths like your doing since 60's but we went one step further. Our family had wedding cake/catering business an inspector at any time so kids had many chores. One chore was all laundry. So when mom got this mysterious run in her nylon stocking she throw them out. She'd say, "how'd I get another run, I just got these"? An her nylon doubled around pipe,like your doing, dazzled in the sun! We fished for salmon in Oregon an dad always had this can of polish for fishing in form of a fiber that you just tore piece off an placed it inside of moms nylon with white metal polish around pipe. Oh Baby! Sister always in bathroom, so that's where I learned to shave, looking at pipes an fenders, haha! Tim p.s. always thought funny, when female co-riders (remember there are no passengers on a motorcycle, only co-riders) wanting to put her mirror in my saddlebags. I'd smile an say, we need all space we can use! But I need my mirror! Think about it, do you realize how much chrome your going to be around! Then she'd catch on an laugh! Try it, well don't steal your mom's nylon like I did, maybe a mysterious run will appear! Tim
Great video.
I like the way Penny gets you to polish her bike and she just stands there taking it easy...lol.
Ha ha yeah, i noticed that too...seems to get all the best jobs...
Love this little trick saves taking the pipes off. Good stuff Del!
Thanks Mark 👍
Cheers mate. Used to do that years ago but forgot about it after owning a dyna. I'll do this on me Bonneville.
Wow.... that's pretty awesome. Great idea on the T-shirt wrapping technique. May have to give this a whirl on my R1.
Hi Del and thanks for sharing. Isn't it funny how using a particular technique can transform the results you get.
IF you haven't already done it, removing the AI (air injection) system reduces the exhaust header temps and therefore the return of the staining. Doesn't stop it completely, but takes a lot longer to come back.
Happy New year to you both, keep on rollin'
French Dave
Cheers David...yeah, that and a few other mods will cool it right down, i know..but its Penny's bike and she's happy with it as it is... thanks for watching mate.. happy new year aye.. Del.
Nice one you two. Del at his best, great advice with a smile...
Ayup mate....just keeping the camera working and earning its living.. have a great new year fellah... see you soon... D&P
I've been using that stuff for years. I never new to clean your pipe with the rage that way. Thanks for the tip.
Has many uses buddy, thanks for watching Jack..
another good trip mate, as I'm working for the next few days on shifts, all the best for the new year, Ive really enjoyed watching your vids and I have certainly learned a hell of a lot this year from you and Penny, Kind Regards Bazza.....
Thanks Bazza...good to hear from you mate, sad you have to work shifts.. i know all to well how that feels... dont work too hard mate, and thanks for all your great support this year, lots more to come and looking forward to all of it... have a great new year mate and keep in touch aye... all the best.. D&P
I never stop learning from this guy.
they're usually made of either 304 or 316 stainless with a wall thinkess around 1.5mm which is quite thick compaired to exhausts made from titanium at 1.1mm or inconel alloy at 0.5mm, if it's discoloured from heat its because the exhaust has exceeded 200 Celsius and when its purple it has exceeded 280 Celsius
All in all, Great video!
D & P - great info and love the old t-shirt/cloth technique - brilliant! I've thought a time or two on how to clean up ye old Bandit's pipes - now I have solution! Many thanks! EW.
Sure thing Ernst....if that collector under the motor is really bad you can hit it with the Autosol and some wire wool...then go to the cloth to polish out the bloom... Thanks for watching and happy new year, Del.
Ones again I've learnt something today. I use the autosol on the gsx & have done for years. I always loop the cloth around & pull it back & forth like you but I've been doing it wrong all along & catching my knuckles because I'm always changing position to try & polish it all the way round but by simply wrapping it round once it does the whole pipe without me having to move at all. Simplest idea & I never even thought of it, cheers del👍
Hey Si, Its an old bike valeters trick i learned years ago, not obvious.. but a neat trick now you know it aye.!
Thank you Del, another great video. Had exactly that issue with my excellent TEC exhausts and they now look better than when I fitted them. Not only that but I had an arduous physical workout too!
Nice one mate, I found that even the Arrow version of this pipe does exactly the same thing in the weather...but they all clean up with a bit of elbow grease !
Just tried this on my new TEC stainless headers and it worked perfectly. Amazing!
Great to hear!
the giggles in the background from penny make these videos. It's like a reverse heckle.
She made me edit out the bit where she had a try....fits of giggles and gave up...it takes twice as long when she's in the garage...but twice as much fun... cheers mate.
Greetings from California - after several "cleanings" with a polish Autosol, Simichrome or other, the stainless will become progressively smoother than the original brushed finish and therefore will polish easier...riding and cleaning bikes for 51 years.
Hi James....good advice..."work at it and it'll get easier"...same with so many things aye?... thanks for watching, and hope you have good weather over there buddy... take care and ride safe... Del.
Awesome, I was wondering how I was going to clean my BMW Gs exhaust and I have that metal polish. My dad used to rave about it so I've always got some handy. Great video, many thanks
It's also called semi-chrome polish, been using it for years and using that method :-)
Cheers, Delboy! Another great video B-)
Del,I've been using Autosol for years and have found it to be OK on most metal surfaces but somewhat lacking on exhaust pipes.A friend of mine put me onto a product called Bluejob.It's made in the US but it can be found here in the UK.It's a dry white powder,just add a little water to make a paste,then apply it as you've shown on your video.The results are a revelation,the pipes will look brand new and more importantly,the finished result lasts a lot longer than anything else I have tried in the past.
Thanks Brian, appreciate the suggestion, will give it a try... and as this is an old video, I've since found a new revelation in cleaning pipes, and would you believe it's something as simple as Harpic X10, it's an ultra thick toilet bleach and pretty feisty so you have to use it right... if you dab a little on the pipe, agitate with an old toothbrush and literally the brown stains float straight off, once it's all cleaned, wash it with LOTS of water to neutralise the bleach and then just any metal polish will bring it up from the plain natural steel look to whatever shine you like.... and if you've got a powered buffer you'll get them up like chrome! Give it a try mate, it's insane how well it works... and it costs pennies in the supermarket!
Great guide, Del. Just bought a 2nd hand arrow system for my bike to will use this technique on the header once it's fitted! :)
buaan Thanks mate, great find on getting a second hand one, you'll have saved a lot of money im sure.. ..hope it comes up good as new for you.. take care.. Del.
I was going to buy one of those really aggressive cleaners,spray on wash off type of affair,but after being directed to this video i have done exactly as shown and im happy with my results..thanks
+wevsky Hi mate, thats good news, its easy and cheap to do it this way...once its up and bright, its easy to keep bright from then on... take care, Del.
+Moonfleet41 even cheaper as i know a man who "borrows" autosol from work for me ;)
Found this to be good as well, spilt some halfords rubbing compound on my headers whilst flattening out paint after tank respray.Removed tarnishing and stains on whole of exhaust system with ease .
I guess any abbrasive polish will cut through tarnish....even t-cut can work well... cheers mate.
That product is great, used it many times, but you made it look so easy 😃
Solvol Autosol Rocks !! Especially with Mutton cloth plus for real difficult salt marks on aluminium use Fine Wire Wool..............works a treat !!.......Good Video Mate !!
Couldn't wait til the end of the vid 😂 had to have a go! Bloody outstanding , brought the link pipe up on my full Micron system like it was brand new. The head pipes however, not sure what material they are, they're staying a brownish coppery colour, with a nice sheen though 👍🏻😉😀
Hi Leo.. you often need to get a bit more aggressive with the really dark tubing.. try a scotch pad in an out of the way area and see if it breaks that brown layer... it will leave the pipe a dull finish.. but the Autosol will then bring that back up... lots of work.. but you saw how good it can be.. go get stuck in mate... you know you want to..lol Good luck.. Del.
Moonfleet41 I'll certainly give it a go, not scared of a bit of hard work. Cheers matey 👍🏻
Great video i use this stuff on my pipes, recently installed some new cut slash pipes on my virago, after first ride the stainless steel turned yellow near the engine this got it right off :)
+Robert De Cort Glad it worked for your Robert ! Ride safe mate ...
Great cleaning tip Del, I think I've got a dodgy looking black tee shirt with DB's garage on it some where, should do the trick 😜
That should do the trick mate....but they can tend to lean on it a bit......!...pip pip.. happy new year fellah..
Thank you for this! I did this on my 7-year-old Bonnie, and it was pretty far gone. Can't say it looks great, but it looks a whole lot less bad! :D
Thanks for the t-shirt idea. I may try something more potent as the polish, but the t-shirt idea wrapped around will save my knuckles.
It does work wonderfully! bought a 600 bandit a few weeks ago and used it to get the down pipes nice and shiny but after the next ride out had yellowed again, albeit shiny yellow.
yes..been doing the same for years , when I am done I spray some Windex on and wipe off with a paper towel ...adds a bit more shine and removes any leftover Autosol
Nice vid, I happen to try this once with Turtle Wax. Did a great job. Keep em coming brother,
Ride Safe.....
Hey buddy... works great with alloy too, never thought of turtle wax... good call.. thanks for watching buddy, and have a great ridesage new year.. Del.
Used your method it's brilliant, if you give the exhausts a wipe down with a cloth soaked ACF50 it takes a lot longer to discolour to return !
Hi Dave, really?? I didn't know that one.... I have a tin of ACF as well, so will give that a try ! Thanks buddy
Why doesn't this channel have a million+ subs already ?????? Not enough bikers in the world who try to do shit on their own ? Love your work delboy ❤️
Thank you Yatish, i guess you said it right, 1 biker to every 100 cars on the road, and many bikers these days can't be bothered to do their own maintenance, happier to hand it to the dealer, so it's a small niche audience. Really appreciate your kind support though, some day maybe we'll get there. !
Flitz metal polish will also do the trick. Excellent video.
Hey how are ya? Always good vids ! What do you use to clean headers and how often ya think it needs doing? 19 z900 Kawi with m4 slip on. Debating cat delete n tune or just remove 6” cat pipe and weld hollow pipe in place without needing dyno tune etc. any thoughts? I’m only looking for lil more sound not a ton. Also I’m happy with bikes range n performance. I just want to make sure it’s going to run right without tune if I only remove cat n leave bread box on for obvious ticket reasons. Not as worried about 🚓. More about bike running right.
Everyone is getting away with it anyway lol.
What would you use to get road tar or plastic etched into the chrome.... thanks for your videos.
Try a hotgun to warm it right up and make it soft, gentle heat that does not discolour the chrome.. gently scrape the excess plastic off with s wooden stick, (maybe like a lolly stick !) then you can wipe the rest of the plastic away with a rag and some thinners..!
Great advice 👍 what was the benifit of using WD-40 at the end there I couldn't catch it. Thankyou for your outstanding videos.
It cleans of greasy fingerprints which become a stain when the exhaust heats up!
@@Moonfleet41 thankyou for replying.
You could also apply the Autosol directly on to the polishing cloth too I presume.
Yes you can.
Really works! I've been doing that on my MT09. 45min later look as new. Thanks
Will this remove blueing or just the gross unevenness of the discolouration? I don't mind the blue and purple towards the top of my header, but I hate how the crap looks uneven and blotchy in yellow and brown.
It will remove it all Jonny..
something that looks like Burt plastic or rubber on my exhaust, will this get it off too?
Nice one Del,gonna have a gandi at the down pipes on mi stripple I reckon,think they got that bronzy colouration thing going on....quite like that colour but didn't realise it'll eventualy go proper black like!! Merry crimble Del n penny,be cool comrades catch ya later...bizz.
They probably will if you ride in enough bad weather... salt does the worst damage...so get on top of it afore its too late aye... happy new year buddy.. Del.
So simple but very effective, thanks for a great tip! Cheers
Chrome/stainless exhaust pipes that turn blue near the engine. I've heard that chrome pipes turn blue because the engine is tuned wrong (too rich? too lean? timing? why?) Is the blue permanent? Can the blue be taken off? Thanks, Kahuna Bud in Virginia, USA
( hey, **great** show you make!)
Hi Buddy... its not because the engine is tuned incorrectly....these days with the clean burn immission regulations, bikes have to run lean from the factory, and it can turn the pipes purple, blue, gold all kind of colours...its a quite natural side effect of lean tuned motors.....it does clean off using the method in this video..thanks for watching mate, take care.. Del..
Good tip.
To take steel from more course to a mirror, you can do the same by rubbing polishing compounds on the cloth. I've done it once or twice.
Solvol is brilliant del, l used this on my zh2 I've just bought as they were brown from new!!
Great job,
Just a question though will this brown come back again?
Another tip!
I used to have haybusas and the last one l had had painted black wheels, factory paint but were a bit dull.
So l did a patch test to see if this solvol would bring them back and oh boy what a shine!! Brilliant!
I have bassani road rage 3 stainless steel exhaust on my FXDLS... Previous owner put exhaust wrap over it. I tried taking it off but underneath it was all bronze/purple and brown spots everywhere, like thousands of brown spots I guess because of the wrap. Looks bad so I'm stuck with the exhaust wrap, unless this will work for mine? Way worse than that though
Hi there, yes it should do a lot to remove the tarnishing, much of that discoloration comes from the wrap itself, but if you have access to a buffer and can get the exhaust off, you would still be able to bring that back to a clean bright shiney finish, or better still, and far easier, once you get the tarnishing off, create a wonderful brushed steel finish using a Scotchbrite pad and WD40, stroking along the exhaust length to make a really cool finish... give it a try, because after all, if it doesn't work, you can just re-wrap it, nothing to lose aye?!
Great tip - must see if I can get that here in Oz!! I use the Alfoil and water trick to get rust off chrome but the one thing I can't find out is how to get the rusty tarnish off the grey alloy metal parts where the forks and bars are connected - any ideas?
All the best to you and Penny from the Crankies for 2015.
Hey Cranky mate...good to hear from you mate.. and a happy new year. "Grey alloy metal parts"....easy mate, autosol if you can get it..Belgum Alu, even Brasso will work..and i know you can get that...lol all the best for 2015 mate... cheers, Del.
Awesome! Got Brasso (and you knew it, lol) Thanks Del :)
Can I use it on akrapovic titanium exhaust?
Solvol always been a must in my garage,works well on un-laquered alloy ,brass,copper...and all my old t-shirts get used for cleaning bikes,ditto(clean) worn-out underpants..:)> Seem to remember they used to do a version for black engine cases too...?
Hi Ian, You are right, Autosol is a must in any garage.
Brilliant vid Del. I've just bought a new bike and weirdly, where the muffler and pipes connect It looks like I'm getting corrosion. Only had it a week! :( I thought about putting some ACF 50 on it but AutoSol sounds like a much better alternative :)
Hi mate.... the ACF will burn off your exhaust and leave it blackened, best to leave it clean and then just buff it up like this once a year... Thanks for watching.. Del.
Hi Del, do you have a video for black powder coated exhaust cleaning? Boot marks etc. Cheers
Hi mate,, sorry no i don't, if its just dirt and road filth, then clean it like any other powder coated finish such as your frame etc... !
Moonfleet41 cheers Del! It’s actually boot marks, rubber etc.
OK, try a little Acetone on it, it will melt the rubber marks away but not hurt the powder coat.. nail varnish remover is a great cheap mild form of acetone if you need it..!!
Del,
I realize that this is a bit off topic, but I noticed in the background of this video, you have a couple of what Cycle Gear calls paddock stands, front and rear. I bought a pair of these off Craig's List, thinking I was getting a great deal. When I got them home, I realized that my 1200 Sportster exhaust prevented the real stand from fitting onto the axel nut or the lower shock nut, or whatever it is supposed to lift the bike by. Would you have any suggestions? David
+David Lehrer Hey buddy , generally speaking paddock stands are for Japanese bikes and certainly not for cruisers of any kind... the problem is access to the right side on a Harley... as the pipes get in the way.... you could struggle away and try and make them work with some adaptation, but in the end, you'll be flogging a dead horse... the right item to lift a harley, or any cruiser with under frame rails, is a frame rail lift... like two arms that go under the bike and lift the whole damn lot... something like this.... www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cml5-hydraulic-motorcycle-and-atv-lift/?da=1&TC=GS-020110194&gclid=CNn0nZramssCFagy0wodjRoINw
Hope that helps, am sure you'll find a buyer for the paddock stands...
Great idea with the t-shirt, saves shredding your hand up like I end up doing and looks a lot less effort
Just done it mate... Worked wonders... Cheers!
Paul Baines Nice one Paul, glad it helped you..
If you coat it with wax like you mentioned in another video would that protect it somewhat from the elements so that this doesn't happen as quickly?
Think about it...'WAX'....melts on a domestic radiator...how long would it last on a bike exhaust..? thats the issue with exhausts...there is no preparatory product that will withstand 350+ degrees heat...short of ceramic coating or chrome...yer stuck with cleaning it.
Moonfleet41 Haha, good point - sucks, but such is life!!
Love the t shirt trick. Just done it on my commuter bike which hasn't been cleaned in 2+ years. What a difference! Any recommendations for removing grease from the rear wheel rim? I was looking at Gunk but wondered whether it could be too aggressive. Muc Off hasn't shifted it. Thanks. J
Thats because its probably not "grease"...but dried chain lube?.... easy fix.. get a whole roll of kitchen roll paper... and a large tin of WD40 ... soak a wad of paper on the WD40 and wipe it all off..of its really dried.. then spray a little WD40 onto the grease to soften it... messy.. but works a treat buddy.. Good luck. Del.
Update for you... It has shifted it! Thank you! WD40 truly is marvellous stuff!
I have a Triumph Bonneville I have this exhaust thank you it worked a treat .
Wow that came up a treat, loverly job del :-))
Your method has kicked my memory, im sort of sure that i used emery cloth in a similar way to clean spokes, but its a dam long time ago when i got my first moped and memory fades a bit.
I used to use autosol on puch maxi aluminium brake levers, they came up like chrome :-)) but the autosol got weaker years later, it wasnt my imagination i think lol.
All things get weaker with age mate....thats life aye..! thanks for your kind and loyal support my friend, have a great Christmas and enjoy the new year aye... all the best... D&P.
Top tip! I needed that one! Thank you, my headers are a mess.
Sounds like you ride in the weather...and thats all good... glad it helped you buddy..
Stumbled upon this video, I cannot find a single vid for help with black (Triumph T120) exhausts ... mine is greying where the stainless would blue, any tips ?
Have you tried Autosol like in this video..?
Moonfleet41 not tried that, was concerned it would take the finish off 🤔I shall hive it a try ... on the backside 😀 ( the exhaust that is)
As far as im aware they are stainless steel, and that discoloring is impurities in the steel burning... it can usually be easily polished back up with not too much effort.. the pipes on this triumph certainly did.. Good luck with it Jono.
Moonfleet41 many thanks - much appreciated
As always, brilliant tip...Quick question ( or idea for another vlog ) 1st serve on a bike, should i take it to the experts or use the Haynes manual and do it myself?
You are clearly new to this channel....we have many many videos on first servicing bikes..
Dumb question... I'm thinking about buying a TEC exhaust and getting it ceramic coated matt black to match the bike (its a SE), its really just for the look/cosmetic reasons. would the blemishes still come through. Cheers Colin.
Hi Colin.. the TEC system is stainless steel and wont rust....you could paint it with ceramic based heat proof paint and if you make a good job of it save a lot of money having it coated...its tough and resiliant, and mine is still as good as the day i did it last year..
Thanks for the quick reply.
Hi I have the harley 883 at mo and thinking of changing it as I'm 6.4 and it looks to small iv look at the Suzuki intruder any way question is it a good bike or is it a down grade from the iron 883 ??
Hi it's a v2 1500
It's a lot bigger thane the iron
But I do like Harley's
gcowern180
Now that a nice bike...big enough to make you feel the right size for it...but not a truck... personally, i LOVE the huge M109....they ar a total ship...and perfect for a bigger rider..id have one tomorrow fi i could aford it..!! why not test ride a few and see what you like best... ?
Nice one del, unrelated question.
One of the rear pots on my t100 is frozen looks like I'll have to remove it, is it a big or difficult job?
hi mate..."rear pots"?....do you mean brake caliper pistons..?..
Yea it's making the pad rub on the disc the other piston is fine moving in an out but the other one is stuck
Yea 1 piston is very sticky it just sticks in or out
Thanks del
Great vid and very good tip. I've subscribed to your channel. Just got myself a 955i Speed Triple (2001) and wondered if you had any tips on de-rusting fasteners? A lot of the bolt heads are showing rust and apart from replacing them can I clean them up and keep them rust-free? Thanks again.
Hi Ian, you can clean them up in the usual way (im sure you dont need me to tell you how to do that)... but keeping them rust free will be a constant job, they'll just keep corroding.. why not treat yourself to a stainless bolt kit..?
That looks like the way. I do keep bikes a long time so may as well start swapping them out. Cheers.
Ah good ol' Autosol.. heard about it from you and Ive ended up using it for all sorts!
Good tip/technique Del.. will have to get out and have a go! =) Hope you an Penny had a good Christmas mate.
Too right mate, a real wonder polish.. great on scuffed plastics too once the 1200 grit has done its work... Im sure if i remember rightly the pipes on your 675 are the same stainless....and i know how you like to keep it looking buff.....(mind you, not as much as another tuber we know aye...he's already out in ther garden with an old tie going for it....just sayin'..).
...Now I wonder who *that* could be... ;)
will it not just go back to normal (yellow stain) when you use it again and it gets hot?
Not right away, just about keeping on 'top of it' ...
+Moonfleet41 oh right cheers delboy :) just did my down pipes and they're looking nice just got to hope for good weather now
Just did mine with this technique too. Looks almost like new again. Need to do it regularly from now on.
Great tip del... Fed up off polishing my exhaust on my lil beasty en500 as ride it all year.. Love the t-shirt rag bit, yet another great help.
Keep up the good work and all the best to ya both for 2015
thanks Mark...just a simple old trick we can all use to save time and get a good resilt.. have a good new year mate... thanks for watching.. Del.
Great video and tip.
Do you have any thing to remove painted exhausts?
I've just bought a cb 900 and the previous owner painted them black :(.
Paint stripper maybe..?
Moonfleet41 .
Thanks for that.
Once you have cleaned the pipes, do you have any recommendations on a good way of keeping them shiny?
Is the product you 're using the same as Triomf? Also a metal polish? Thx
I used 'Solvol Autosol' and I've never heard of Triomf, so can't say if it's the same buddy...
Ok thx
Hey Delboy, i've got a similar problem on my exhaust pipes, i started using this stuff but there were areas on the exhaust where it looked like the build up of corrosion/rush is too much to remove. Should i just persist or will i need a buffer / new exhaust ?
Hi Tobias///for really bad stubborn areas sue the Autosol with wire wooll.. it will leave it matt and scuffed... but the Autosoll will buff that out with a bit of elbow grease....works every time buddy... hope that helps... Del.
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what about the front wheel of ur bonnie?will it take them marks off?
wax is good to make it last longer after doing that
if its an SE with the alloy rims....ten yes, Autosol works wonders, it'll make a really bright finish and take all the corrosion off... and year, wax it after and it will keep it clean..
good tip with the Tshirt,wouldnt of thought of doing that way. Thanks
Why not brasso?? Is it bad?
back in the day used to use a product called Simichrome, it would bring aluminum to a mirror finish on Triumph side cases, and any oxidized metal. like white toothpaste. would love to find an international branded product similar, what you have there is from where, Australia? just did a search on the product, apparently they also make a Stainless steel specific compound. I can can get it on ebay.
Hey Delboy, i have the same issue on the tec exhaust. Will the megauir all metal polish work?
Yes mate, just about all metal polish works on these TEC pipes, they're good quality stainless and come up really well, if you don't get a great result with the Megauirs, then try the Autosol polish, it works every time.
@@Moonfleet41 Thanks a ton, mate!
@@Moonfleet41 Hello Delboy, I tried this and it worked like a charm with the Autosol polish. It was pretty badly discolored at the header pipes and Mathew Milburn from Tec asked me to use a soft scoth brite pad and buff it off with Autosol and it worked very well!
@@ashwinoashwin Great advice buddy, am glad it worked for you, it's the proof they're made from good stainless if they can be brought back up shiny nice and easy!
Do you know if it will also remove (blue, dark) stains?
+Raymond Yes, should do... they are impurities in the chrome that burn with heat, so if not cleaned off, they can at least be reduced!
Brilliant wish I'd seen this before great tip
I think it looks complimentary to your tank paint
Hello mate, any ideas on how to get burnt on cleaning cloth, off a SS header pipe? Like a right prick I was wiping the tank while the engine was running and caught the end of my lint free cloth on the pipes. Don't think me neighbours appreciated me shouting FUCK IT!! at the top my voice. Looking forward to seeing what you do to Penny's bike in the next project, rsm cheers.
Ha ha, haven't we all been there.. any heavy residue (same with carrier bags) heat it up and scrape the wrost off using a wooden lolly stick (so you dont scratch the steel) then use this trick with the cloth strip, is will get the remaining stain off....if its any worse then go at it with wire wool and Autosol....then 1200 grit paper (wet), and then the cloth strip and polish to get the bloom out of the pipe and restore the shine...its just a painstaking process of restoration...but you'll get there with a bit of patience.. good luck with it... Del.
that's exactly how my fj pipes look del black!. thats how the bike came to me and im slowly working around the bike doing jobs
Good luck getting them back to normal mate....if they're really bad you can use wire wool with the Autosol and then 1200 grit and saopy water etc....they'll come back mate...they always do.. have a good new year mate.. Del.
cheers del and the same to you a miss pitstop.
Autosol I've used it all my life. Nothing beats it..
Great job sir..i will try it on my Ducati..how long did it last?
It lasts until you next get it dirty ... depends if you get your bike wet !
That's the stuff I've been using for donkeys years. great product. but next time I do the exhaust I must try that stretchy material wrapped around, so thanks for the tip
What's the cost for a tube of that stuff?
About £6 mate. lasts ages too.
Hey bud ive got a tiny bit of rust on my down pipe how would i get ride of it? would this process still work
By the way ive been a sub for sometime now enjoy your vids, really helpful!
Hi There Zee... you can use the white 'Autosol' polish to get rid of rust too, jst work directly on it and it'll clean it away... thanks for your kind support buddy, good luck with it.. Del.
Moonfleet41 thanks for the help mate..
btw I've been a sub for some time now and at start i didn't watch your vids (because I'm a bit of a sports bike person and i thought this chancel has no benefit to me because all i saw was harleys in your intro etc basically anything but sports bikes) and i slowly started watching your vids and they are really helpful for pretty much anyone now two wheels. Things like making your own tail tidy etc
keep up the hard work!!!
Zee Treqz
Thanks mate, most stuff on bike crosses over at some point, and i love all bikes, had a Hayabusa before my Scrambler, and loved it but found i just couldn't let it off the leash....still quite fancy building another proper fighter, nice light R6, stuntbike stylee...but too much on the plate and no more room in the garage..lol thanks for watching aye... take care.. Del.
autosol is the gift from god!! ive even polished scratshed visors to very nice shine and useabilety!! and top coat on painted things like gas tank
yeah its a great abrasive... just about the only thing its not good for is chrome..
Great tip,got loads of old T-shirt’s✌️