How to Clean & Restore Motorcycle Exhaust Pipes | The Shop Manual
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Do the header pipes on your motorcycle look grungy? Miss that new-metal shine? In this video we show you how to clean and polish your motorcycle exhaust pipes. With some metal polish, a Scotch-Brite pad, and some elbow grease, you’ll have your motorcycle exhaust looking like new again.
Ready to restore your exhaust? Pick up some Stockton Metal Polish here: rvz.la/3QUabXl
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RevZilla has the metal polish you need to clean up your exhaust! rvz.la/3yw3RyT
Worth a try. Thank you.
As a guy who works with stainless for a living, i approve of this video.
I actually was about to clean my headers and ran into this video by chance...
It outlines every step i was going to do to a T.
And very importantly, he stresses to FOLLOW THE GRAIN.
that cant be understated here.
Good job.
Hi there. Any way to pull small dents out of a stainless muffler? Thanks.
@427walrus you either have to take it apart to tap it out from behind or, spot weld studs to pull it out.
@jpbsv Got it, thanks for the reply. 👍
I was Going against the Grain..
Will Metal Polish remove the very Light scratches i Had not used an Abrasive Pad so not to Bad
@jefflambert8603
Use the red scotchbrite pad to correct the framing afterwards. It will be ok.
Best technique is to cut it into 1" straps and wrap it around the individual pipes like a toweling off motion.
You should have another net shop in Europe. Thank you for all your tips and tricks.
Plus a show to go with it.
fcmoto has even better stock than revzilla imo. i'm in asia but i order from them a lot
Yes Please
My dad spent one winter polishing the headers on his CB919. Needless to say when he was done they looked absolutely ridiculous on a ten year old bike hahah. You woulda thought he had to buy a new exhaust and then polished it before it was installed. Pretty baller to see a late 50’s dude on a CB919 with that kinda exhaust bling though haha.
I hear your dad was the master of polishing head.
@@poonchild😂😂😂 Christ almighty, set myself up for that one I guess.
@@Kevwa51 haha, I couldn’t resist. Sorry.
@@poonchildStill pretty baller, after all, the master of polishing head, will be the master of laying pipe.
Haha I just got a 919 for myself yesterday and was look for ways to clean the pipes
I bought this german stuff called "Optiglanz". You just spray it on, give it a quick scrub with a rag and wash it off with water. I think it's based on hydrochloric acid, literally 10 seconds and the headers look like new. Would recommend.
Just ordered some, I'm hopeful!
Who would've thought it. In my personal experience, it works! It's nothing magical but it's close. Spray, wait a while, rub it in (I used Brillo pads) then wist a bit and rinse. Do this twice or so and it's not perfect but way better looking
Won’t that strip off the steel’s top, protective layers and leave it vulnerable to rust? Actual rust, not the surface kind.
@@Jaaaa315 there are no protective layers, it's stainless steel. You might be thinking of aluminum, which forms a protective oxide layer. With stainless, the oxide layer is just rust.
He might be talking about passivation. But nontheless its still stainless
Autosol Bluing remover will make the whole task a whole lot easier and quicker.
Thanks for the tip mate, I just read your comment and will be picking some up. I didn't know this stuff existed..
I just did this 2 days ago. Toilet bowl cleaner with #0000 steel wool then metal polish. Good as new
I usually remove the exhaust so that all nooks and cranes can be got at. This also allows you to keep an eye on the fixings - replace corroded fixings so that they don't cause problems later on. On the worst bits - the very top of the headers, where they meet the cylinders and all the welded joints - use a brass wire brush, but make sure it's real brass and not brass plated steel. The brass brush leaves a fine layer of brass on the exhaust which helps slow corrosion. You also get a chance to really inspect the welds for cracks and excessive corrosion damage.
I did not know this was possible and assumed the discoloration was "baked in" so to speak. Thank you my bike and I appreciate this.
Instructions unclear, I went ahead and just bought a new motorcycle.
Fail proof. Good work.
i mean.. i always buy a new motorcycle every time i have problems like these. Especially when tires are worn out, or i need to replace a blinker, and i hate when i have to buy a new motorcicle when that pesky light with the gas tank appear. ugh.... But,,, oh well. You gotta do, what u gotta do.
Me too, and a new exhaust to make the current one look better
Mission successfully failed
It’s the only way to be sure
Harpic and an old chain cleaner brush works perfectly for this job, just remember to not let it dry and wash it with water as quickly as possible.
Using mild acid can pull out the chromium in the metal causing it to rust faster from what I've heard
@@OGGrinskin nah, doesn't rust that much. Clean every 5-6 months and you're good to go. If it has rusted before, there probably isn't much chromium anyway.
Good job Ari!
For the hard to reach places you can use a dremel on low speed with a low abrasive attachment
You could also use a very common household product if you love your stainless steel pots, pans, and surfaces: barkeeper's friend.
@RevZilla are you tracking me? because I just cleaned my pipes this evening and here you are posting this haha. cheers been watching your channel for so many years.
I used toilet bowl cleaner on a scotch Brite pad on my headers. Melts the rust right off with minimal scrubbing. My headers were pretty rusty though. Then finished with metal polish.
Toilet bowl cleaner and scotchbrite works for me. Good soapy rinse afterwards and it's best not to let it dry...perhaps a moistened with water first is advisable. Nothing to buy, it's already in the house.
The fastest and easiest way to clean headers. Toilet bowl cleaners and old rags will do the job well with no sweat.
Old socks that are long enough to do a full wrap around the exhaust work great for polishing.
I've used this trick for years, it's shocking how few understand that stainless can look terrible but restores to like new.
Thank you. Had never seriously thought they could look better even with hours of work.
You can restore and passivate ss by using a dilute acid solution. Oxalic and Citric acids work well. Make a paste with colloidal silica and cover with plastic wrap, if it dries, the action stops. Works great. For small parts or fasteners, make a solution and soak. Hardware will come out looking like new. No scrubbing required.
It might sound odd but I use simple newspaper with metal polish; the carbon in the print removes the crud! Cheers
Reminds me, back in the day we used to use newspaper to clean windshield glass too
Great video as usual. Concise and easy to understand. Thanks Ari.
Please do a video on effects of high level of oil.
Good tips I’ve done this a few times on different bikes and a simple job makes a difference
I polished my pipes with a radial scrubbing AND along them, and they look the balls.
Another thing that can work really well to remove free iron on the surface of the stainless is Barkeeper's Friend. It's got oxalic acid along with mild abrasives that work well to remove bluing and oxidation. After using it on my pipes, they seem to stay clean and bright much longer.
Please make a video explaining the functions of Air Suction Valve and EVAP system and their symptoms of going bad.
glad i found this video ,bmw s1000rr headers are covered in surface rust but when you offer the magnet to it theres no attraction ,i never knew stainless could rust like this but there is shine underneath!
Well its more like with Aluminium. Its not really rusting in itself its more of a "rust surface" on top. Also most decoloration you see on your exhaust is from water/dirt/oil and stuff thats burnt in because they are so hot! It just looks really rusty because its burnt. Thats why theres still a nice clean surface underneath after cleaning!
Most exhaust headers wouldn’t look half as bad if manufacturers made motorcycles with front mudguards that were practical instead of just for show. Always like your practical tips, no bs just straight talking advice.
Spot on- I was just about to comment that I have Pyramid (British made) Fenda Extenda on my front. Makes a noticeable difference in protection.
Another great vid, grazie!!
Can you please make a video on how to maintain chrome parts of the bike?
Same process, but use a non-abrasive cloth. Microfiber is best.
You can also pick up a Mother’s Powerball or Cone for your cordless drill and it makes the process a whole lot quicker.
@@diyeveryday67 yeah but I wanna know how to maintain it. Like what things to do so that it doesn't rust. Can you suggest me?
@@LowQualityPigeonchrome doesn’t rust. The chrome plate could get damaged and flake off and it could rust underneath. Then you’d have to get it replated.
Wenol cream polish works excellent
perfect! Thanks Ari
The best way (although not accessible to most) is using a dry ice blaster. No need to worry about scratching and it’s done in no time. Bring the metals back to brand new. Nice video.
Hmm, maybe I'll try that on my crusty 1995 DR pipe. Or maybe I'll let it continue to look terrible
@@danmanthe9335 Terrible or simply well used? I have a couple of bikes made in 1995 and their exhausts still look as good as new. Then again they don’t really see the light of day anymore. 😊
@marcusgeorge1825 well used and loved. To be honest I can't tell if they were painted from the factory or not but now that I watched this I'm going to check it out tonight
@@danmanthe9335 It will be interesting for you to see the results. Good luck with the job. 👍😎
Great video, we have a local place that does zinc plating an they are one of the few places where i live that have a process to bring back stainless polish def worth the cost which isn't much if a good hand polish doesn't work (have to be careful as found lots of exhaust flanges won't be stainless but chrome or polished steel)
Ultra Fine steelwool and WD40 has always been my go to...
Same I use #0000 steel wool but man, that stuff can stick you in the fingers. Red scotchBrite is on my try list for sure.
Dang it, there goes my "I need to get a new exhaust babe because this one will rust itself out" reason....
As mention in an earlier comment, hydrochloric acid is what you need instead of metal polish. In the UK the best source for this is a proprietary toilet cleaner by the name of Harpic Power Plus.
Yeah I like it
Use Harpic! One 1 minute you have clean polished and as brand new exhaust pipes!
Then polished them with cream for extra shine and protection for long life results.
My claws need cleaning. Thanks, Xmen.
I really like your maintenance videos. Could you recommend a good product to remove oxidation from aluminum? My 5th GEN VFR800 handlebars, and other parts, are in need of some love. 😅
Cool guide!
I wanna ask though, what about painted exhaust pipes, like the one found on mt03, could you use the same steps? or will it strip the paint off?
Don't do this! Use paint products on your MT03.
Id be cool if team zilla sold a pack on the site with these products. Make it easy for the lazy loafs out there.
Harpic Power Toilet Cleaner in the UK. Sold everywhere, costs less than £3.50. Added benefit is that you will have enough left over to clean your shitter…
Very cool! Can’t wait to drop some cash with RZ so I can help you all produce more content like this. 👍👍
I use coke.the drink.with a pad. Then finish with a metal polish and soft cloth. Works a treat. When you see hiw the acid in coke removes the black tarnish off the stainless you will never drink it again 😂
Autosol here with scotch Brite 💪
Just use a toilet cleaning gel that has hydrochloric acid as the active ingredient, they're usually the ones marketed as limescale removing. I use one that has 8% hydrochloric acid, smear it on, some scotch pad might help a bit, rinse, you're done.
harpic 10x toilet cleaner does this in no time with barely any scrubbing required. Brush it on leave for 5 mins and rinse it off, you might need a little scrubbing in the stubborn areas.
Great episode
thankyou. my mt07 looks like new after doing this
I wonder if just getting cheap sand blaster and glass beads from Harbor Freight would be easier to do and get the tight areas and brackets with less difficulty
Is there a product that can help for titanium headers? I installed r1 headers on my mt-10 and was never able to truly bring them back to a clean look despite lots of wiping with wd-40 and other gentle solutions read online... thanks!
This is great!
If you have a parallel twin, make sure to scrub until it turns into a inline 4👍🏽
I did this, it took about 2 months to be crusty brown again. Oh well, 100k miles deserves to look road weary. :)
Is it ok to use high temp clear coat (rated 2000f) after polishing header to prevent rust?
How about on those factory "Black" header/exhaust pipes, what to use to clean (just soapy water) ?? Thanks!
Where can I get red scotch brite? Can’t find it anywhere other than Amazon.
Coincidence. I was just cleaning up one of my bikes last night and looking at the pipes and thinking that I need to figure out how to make those look good again.
Product plus brushing 🎉
Perfect
Currently cleaning pipes
How did you know I wanted to do this
The problem is the process of transformation from new to rusty brown looking takes some time, from 6 months to 18 months maybe, depending where you live, but once you've restored it to its initial shine, it only takes few weeks to retourn to the garbage look. Unless you live in California I guess, but few people don't live there, I think.
So you would not recommend any kind of machine polishing then?
Harpic X10 does an amazing for peanut
Very similar system to regular cleaning, also chromium plating will prolong a brighter finish.
That burn scene! Ari could have actually been a dumb and dumber actor and done great! Not sure it was supposed to be comedic but it had some great physical comedy.
Yeah, i kept rewinding that bit
Do vacuum leaks next
Quick to explain it, but it takes forever to do. It does look much nicer though when finished.
Just like my Orange Versys :)
very good 😁😄
Hey @revzilla // I really wish The Shop Manual had cohesive design language in their thumbnails, because at this time as a huge fan of Ari and this entire segment; I had no idea this was uploaded or created and am viewing this video almost 6 months late. The lack of cohesive design really throws Ari's reputation as a mechanic and voice of reason on TH-cam into the abyss, and relies on things outside your control as a channel.
great “how to” Titanium is a different animal I’ve been told to use WD-40 any thoughts ?
Harpic Max Power Bleach. It's all you need and it's £1.50 a bottle. Plenty of TH-cam videos on it.
Harpic power WC !!!!!
I was worried for a moment that Ari was going to mention toilet cleaner.
Apparently nitric acid is the stuff to use on stainless - if you can get hold of it
Lab shops
aprilia seems to have forgotten about the "sainless" in "stainless steel" for my 2020 shiver exhaust. it is as rusty as my 1995 kawa's one
I just want the exhaust on my Kymco scooter to fit back on after I change a rear tire.
No surprise they used to build BMW scooters. Boy do they have their fan bois because of that.
What about powder coated black exhaust headers?
don`t even think to do this ! as it will start to rust once stainless steel gets scratched by any grain sandpaper !!
stainless steel does not rust
@@5davi524 rust once the surface is damaged - scratched
Thats good
Kerosene works great too.
If you have a stainless exhaust, I suggest using stainless wool, not steel wool.
What works well is toilet cleaner, Like harpic.
I always use WD40 + scotchbrite, works like a charm. The only thing WD40 is good for, cleaning exhausts and cleaning plastic stuff...
Also takes the chain grease off the wheels.
@@kingsbury26 Yup, especially needed with orange wheels 😂
it's easier to use a bandage, wrap it around once and work it like a wire saw
i tried this on my chinese P13cE CR4P and the scotch bright started rubbing the exhaust itself off, now I have a hole in the pipe.
How about fiberglass pipe wrap.
How do you remove burned on plastic from your muffler?
What about black powder coated exhausts? 😢
I have been Rubbing in the wrong Direction ( Ahem !, ) is there a way of Getting light Scratches out ?
(Same Bike as you are Demonstrating on in this Video)
Now, how do I polish corroded spokes? Better yet, how do I talk manufacturers into putting stainless steel spokes in their wheels?
Cone polisher and a drill. Yeah it sucks compared to alloy cast wheels.
How do you clean a black Bassani exhaust?
How to protect the silencer colour. Some silencer on bikes are in copper colour. How to protect those?
Example is honda cb300r. Its silencer has a coppery hue to it.
What about cheap motobike does not have stainless pipe?
please do one with titanium 😢