Is heat the cause of the darkening of the chrome? It seems like there are some bikes that only slightly display it and others much more so. Is it a "bad" sign?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Header/Muffler Discolorization
- Thread starter Dave Pitman
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It's a sign the bike is ridden and there is nothing wrong with it or wrong that causes it. There is no way to adjust the fuel/air mixture on the ST1300 except at idle so you can't "adjust" it away but you can clean it off. Some people like the badge of honor but I regularly removed the yellowish gold oxidation and restored the sparkling clean finish about every 10,000 miles. At some point it quit needing it as often but it was well over 100,000 miles.
To clean the cats and mufflers and remove the oxidation wet the surfaces with a liquid paste of Bar Keeper's Friend applied with a rag or sponge. Leave it on two or three minutes and rub lightly before rinsing the BK past off. Do not rub or scrub aggressively and it will not scratch the finish. A toothbrush or paper towel can get the weld crevices clean as a pin.
To clean the cats and mufflers and remove the oxidation wet the surfaces with a liquid paste of Bar Keeper's Friend applied with a rag or sponge. Leave it on two or three minutes and rub lightly before rinsing the BK past off. Do not rub or scrub aggressively and it will not scratch the finish. A toothbrush or paper towel can get the weld crevices clean as a pin.
STumped
Because I usually am . . . .
Barkeeper's Friend will take that discoloring right out! Add some water to make a paste and rub on the pipe with your hands. Let it sit for a while and then hose off with water. No scrubbing! It's a chemical reaction. 
STumped
Because I usually am . . . .
LOL, Dave beat me to it!
mello dude
Half genius, half dumazz whackjob foole
Have to keep this in mind when its time.....
OP
OP
Excellent. Thank you!
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Not sure if they sell bar keepers friend where I am
Here is the product I use to polish metal.
A little elbow grease and you will have sparkling chrome instead of that tarnished look.
Description
One product, many uses. Metal, plastic, fiberglass, glass, Corian®…
This is our signature product. The one that launched our company over 30 years ago. A concentrated cream, Flitz Polish is unsurpassed in its ability to Clean, Polish, Deoxidize and Protect. Tough, durable protection; Non-abrasive formula; Non-toxic; Non-flammable; USDA authorized; Protects up to 6 months in fresh water; up to 3 months in salt water.
Easily Removes:
Tarnish, Rust, Water Stains, Chalking, Lime Deposits, Heat Discoloration, Lead & Powder Residue, Oxidation, Bugs, Tar, Oil, Fingerprints, Tree Sap, Bird Droppings, Graffiti, Dyes, Black Streaks/Scuff Marks.
Use on:
Brass, Copper, Silverplate, Sterling Silver, Chrome, Stainless Steel, Nickel, Bronze, Solid Gold, Aluminum, Annodized Aluminum, Beryllium, Magnesium, Platinum, Pewter, Factory Hot Gun Bluing, Painted Surfaces, Formica®, Cultured Marble, Corian®, Glass, Plexiglas®, Plastics, Fiberglass, Eisenglass, and Armatel®
Here is the product I use to polish metal.
A little elbow grease and you will have sparkling chrome instead of that tarnished look.
Description
One product, many uses. Metal, plastic, fiberglass, glass, Corian®…
This is our signature product. The one that launched our company over 30 years ago. A concentrated cream, Flitz Polish is unsurpassed in its ability to Clean, Polish, Deoxidize and Protect. Tough, durable protection; Non-abrasive formula; Non-toxic; Non-flammable; USDA authorized; Protects up to 6 months in fresh water; up to 3 months in salt water.
Easily Removes:
Tarnish, Rust, Water Stains, Chalking, Lime Deposits, Heat Discoloration, Lead & Powder Residue, Oxidation, Bugs, Tar, Oil, Fingerprints, Tree Sap, Bird Droppings, Graffiti, Dyes, Black Streaks/Scuff Marks.
Use on:
Brass, Copper, Silverplate, Sterling Silver, Chrome, Stainless Steel, Nickel, Bronze, Solid Gold, Aluminum, Annodized Aluminum, Beryllium, Magnesium, Platinum, Pewter, Factory Hot Gun Bluing, Painted Surfaces, Formica®, Cultured Marble, Corian®, Glass, Plexiglas®, Plastics, Fiberglass, Eisenglass, and Armatel®
Attachments
I have discovered that my new bike 2012 ThunderSTruck,,, runs considerably hotter than my 2004 BlueSTar. The extra heat has not caused any serious issues for me yet,,, but one result is the straw/blue-ish discoloration of the oem exhausts, just forward of, and including the catalytic's. But I don't feel the need to polish it back to a gleaming chrome-ish finish. I did put some autosol on the mufflers,, just to clean them up. But,, I like the way the heat discoloration on the headers describes how well the emissions, fuel economy and performance design is functioning. The high heat is a function of how well the system is working,,, so I can like and live with it. But it's a personal preference, of course,, cheers,, CAt'
Yes indeed heat is the cause of the patina developing on the exhaust system. Older Hondas such as my CB750 had double wall headers so they stayed shiny chrome for the life of my bike. I saw other examples that turned yellow and yellow-blue indication excessive heat and engine maintenance needed.
Any good polish (Bar Keeper's Friend as mentioned above) should clean up the ST STainless STeel mufflers. The headers would seem like a YMMY deal to me.
I'm in the minority on this: bikes are for riding not polishing. 
mello dude
Half genius, half dumazz whackjob foole
Some bikes you polish, some bikes you don't.
And some days low and slow does the job, other days attacking twistys with your hair on fire is just right.
And some days low and slow does the job, other days attacking twistys with your hair on fire is just right.
Heck, I hardly ever wash mine, much less polish anything. But, she is very well kept under all that plastic.I'm in the minority on this: bikes are for riding not polishing.
Last edited:
jdmccright
Vendor
Not gonna lie, but I don't think I've ever turned a water hose on my beaST. I've used BKF on the headers and wipe the plastics & and wheels down with Hondashine (love that stuff!) & that's it.
To polish or not to polish isn't the question. But there's a lot of knowledge here for those who do. For me - a well detailed bike ridden is a thing of beauty. For some of us there's Zen in motorcycle detailing as well.
rogo
Site Supporter
Lowes carries the original Bar keepers friend. I think I paid a third that price.
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The headers and mufflers are stainless steel with the cats and mufflers polished to a bright finish. The thing we like about stainless steel is that left to it's own out in the weather the outer layer oxidizes to protect the metal. What makes steel "stainless" is small amounts of nickel and chromium added to iron & carbon in the steel making process. The exact percentages make a wide variety of stainless steel alloys. Carbon steel that is chrome plated but has actually little to no chromium actually "in" the metal alloy also oxidizes but we call it "rust" and the rust actively removes the outer surface of the metal and the chromed object left in the weather pits and flakes to pieces and falls apart. In the case here of the mighty ST the alloy pipes turns colors of yellow, gold, and brown but doesn't form flakes that fall off.
It is heat from exhaust gases that accelerates oxidation and it is the oxalic acid in BKF that through a chemical reaction passivates the outer layer of SS thus returning it to the original bright finish. That's how it works without elbow grease required of other metal polishes. Anything that contains oxalic acid would also remove the oxidation but BKF is handy and easily used. I learned about oxalic acid and BKF when I maintained boats we owned and all the stainless items onboard.