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Discolored exhaust pipes
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ohiorider Offline
Running Like a Top

NE Ohio
Posts: 343
Joined: Jan 2017
Post: #11
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
In a way, it's good to know that my particular bike isn't having some lean running issues causing the splotchy pipes. I'll be googling for Optiglanz, and the Jet Cote solution looks pretty good, too. I guess I could jet cote in black and call my 2014 "Midnight."

Thanks for the responses.

Bob

1991 BMW R100GS
2008 Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport
2016 Triumph T120
12-10-2017 11:07 AM
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Bheezy27403 Offline
High Mileage

Triad NC
Posts: 941
Joined: Sep 2015
Post: #12
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
My '13 std does the same. "Freckles" is a good description. Not too keen on it but I haven't been bothered enough to do anything about it...yet. Opyiglanz eh? Amazon here I come.
12-10-2017 11:18 AM
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max Online
Road Warrior

Auckland New Zealand
Posts: 1,545
Joined: Sep 2017
Post: #13
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
Yes, optiglanz, autosol or similar, my pipes were black at the top, i'm convinced it was a preservative that had not been cleaned prior to delivery to the first buyer, given the pattern.
Had to actually get in there with 1200 wet and dry to remove the substance and polish with a strip of old jeans wrapped around one pipe at a time with autosol but i got the result i wanted;


   

See before and after, and yes they colour up "gold" quite quickly.

Also did a test with a magnet and my stainless headers are slightly magnetic, i wonder how magnetic the double headers are because i remember the 4 exhausts of my cb550k3 were not very old when i had to replace them, so i like the stainless idea for longevity.
12-10-2017 12:27 PM
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Lord Popgun Offline
I find your lack of RLETs disturbing

Virginia Beach
Posts: 10,442
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #14
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
Max, that preservative was supposed to be cleaned off before delivery. Cleaning it off is in the pre-delivery setup instructions.

My pipes look like yours below the cleaned part.

If you come to a fork in the road, take it!
2013 CB1100
2012 ST1300
Holder of the CB1100Forum Secret Decoder Ring
12-10-2017 01:09 PM
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Wisedrum Offline
High Mileage

Germany
Posts: 1,063
Joined: Feb 2015
Post: #15
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
Max, the shiny glance of your exhaust pipes will not last long. The dark spots will soon come back.

I rub some oil like Balistol on them after each ride and clean it off before I start a new one. It's akward but keeps the darkening away. Sometimes I polish them with Autosol too. As good as the 4 in 1 system is, that it doesn't keep its glance by itself is something I don't like so much, but I like shiny pipes, so nevertheless I play this never ending game....

Wisedrum
12-10-2017 01:23 PM
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Guth Offline
Forum Founder

Portland, OR
Posts: 3,918
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #16
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
(12-10-2017 02:10 AM)Cormanus Wrote:  In my opinion it was shabby of Honda to ship the 2010-2016 Standard CB1100s without double-walled stainless steel exhaust headers. Those fitted to the DLX/EX/RS models are much sharper.

Cormanus, my guess is that the double walled headers underneath the chrome plating are not constructed of stainless steel.

The Honda CB1100: STILL air-COOLed
Deposit placed 11/12/2012.
Received delivery 04/05/2013.
12-10-2017 01:35 PM
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Cormanus Offline
Moderator

Queensland, Australia
Posts: 20,660
Joined: Dec 2013
Post: #17
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
^^
Guth, that's just my ignorance shining through! Perhaps I could rephrase it and say it was shabby of Honda to ship the 2010-2016 standards without headers that would retain their shine. It would be interesting to know if anything has changed on the 2017 standard.
12-10-2017 07:09 PM
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Flynrider Offline
Been There

Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,233
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #18
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
(12-10-2017 11:07 AM)ohiorider Wrote:  In a way, it's good to know that my particular bike isn't having some lean running issues causing the splotchy pipes. I'll be googling for Optiglanz, and the Jet Cote solution looks pretty good, too. I guess I could jet cote in black and call my 2014 "Midnight."

Yeah, single wall stainless pipes discolor naturally. I can see why you'd be concerned, though. If a double walled chrome pipe discolors like that, it's usually a sign of an overly lean condition.

I've found that riding in the rain tends to give the pipes a darker, spottier appearance. I don't ride in the wet very often, but have noticed the color change when I do. A bit of metal polish and elbow grease soon after will bring them back to their natural golden color.

(12-10-2017 01:35 PM)Guth Wrote:  Cormanus, my guess is that the double walled headers underneath the chrome plating are not constructed of stainless steel.

You don't think so? I would have guessed that Honda would use stainless on the inner pipe. The main reason being the large amount of moisture that typically collects in an exhaust pipe. If they didn't use stainless, I'd expect to see some serious corrosion issues in a fairly short time.

Phoenix, AZ
2013 CB1100 - Big Red
1993 CB750 Nighthawk - Tahitian Blue
(This post was last modified: 12-10-2017 11:52 PM by Flynrider.)
12-10-2017 11:43 PM
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Guth Offline
Forum Founder

Portland, OR
Posts: 3,918
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #19
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
(12-10-2017 11:43 PM)Flynrider Wrote:  You don't think so? I would have guessed that Honda would use stainless on the inner pipe.

No, mainly because I think if they had gone to the trouble of using stainless it would have been published somewhere. On the current CB1100 EX they point out the use of stainless steel spokes. But I've never seen it mentioned that they used stainless steel on the double wall exhaust headers. Maybe someone else has though and can share a link.

The Honda CB1100: STILL air-COOLed
Deposit placed 11/12/2012.
Received delivery 04/05/2013.
12-11-2017 12:43 AM
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Northrider Offline
Break-In Period

MT
Posts: 9
Joined: Aug 2017
Post: #20
RE: Discolored exhaust pipes
I asked right away because my 2014 st colored bad on the right side almost the first day,I was told it was normal and haven't given it a second thought sins. Gives it that old bike look. Might be what Honda was going for...
12-11-2017 04:28 PM
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