View Full Version : Down Pipes
newts924
02-09-08, 03:25 PM
Right my down pipe is getting a bit of a funny colour :(, and i want to know what is the best thing to clean it with.
I know dizzy has polished hers and i was hoping i could do the same but don't know what to use and do you have to remove it to polish it?
Also once it is polished how often do you have to repolish it? Might be being a bit thick here but if you do polish it will it lessen the life of the down pipe?
Cheers in advance
The pipes aren't that thin! :)
Autosol is the choice product. Some wet and dry sandpaper will start you off more easily if it has gone a bit far. It's not difficult. If you want it to be polished chrome looking all the time you'll have to do it every few weeks, but most of us do it just to keep it from going rusty brown.
yorkie_chris
02-09-08, 03:30 PM
I think dizzyblonde does hers after every ride, but she's a bit odd :-P
Get Bar Keepers freinds. You put in a pot, add water and make it into a thinkish paste.
Next, slap it all over the downpipe all the way down. Next, go and chill out, make a coffee, clean other parts of the bike or just stare into the sky.....I left it for about 20 minutes
Next, get a cloth and the BKF will have hardened, wipe it off, its like chalk.....next, grab some coarse wet and dry.......add autosol and sand until the autosol creates a paste and you start to see it going shiny. Wipe off the autosol. If it is still dull and grey / blackish.....keep going. Kept doing this until it was all clear metal. Next I used fine wet and dry....finally......autosol and wire wool to finish.
Once done, just then buff with a cloth.
Thats how we did it anyway. Each bike from start to finish on downpipe only took bout 35 minutes work....but well worth the shiney ness. :grin:
newts924
02-09-08, 03:38 PM
I take it you don't have to remove it from the bike to do it then? ;)
I take it you don't have to remove it from the bike to do it then? ;)
Yes, you also have to remove the engine and invert the polarity of the flux capacitor (which can be found under the rear seat on K4 onwards bikes). ;)
Doing the rear one, meanwhile, is a real struggle.
newts924
02-09-08, 03:45 PM
Yes, you also have to remove the engine and invert the polarity of the flux capacitor (which can be found under the rear seat on K4 onwards bikes). ;)
Doing the rear one, meanwhile, is a real struggle.
I am not that clueless :smt089
Alpinestarhero
02-09-08, 03:51 PM
Yes, you also have to remove the engine and invert the polarity of the flux capacitor (which can be found under the rear seat on K4 onwards bikes). ;)
Doing the rear one, meanwhile, is a real struggle.
ooo those F-C's, they are a pain in the bum to get off, I had to use some 2,7-deoxyploraterium to dissolve the adhesive. WHy suzuki glue their F-C's to their bikes, I'll never know
dizzyblonde
02-09-08, 04:45 PM
Ok as shiny downpipe ambassador i say do as Lily says. But be aware that it will make the pipe dull, which is why you get the elbow grease and autosol out. You only need to use it once mind(the BKF). It was completely by chance i found this marvellous invention shopping in Asda for £1.94. I have since spread the word on here and its catching like wildfire....mwahahahahahaha
on the wet n dry thing you need 240, 400, 800, 1200 in that order
And no Im not a weirdo..I polish my pipes before i go out on a ride, just the downpipe, as the rest doesn't foul as quick.
I use fine wire wool with autosol applied to it. Do not use the wire wool up the link pipe or can it will mark it. Then get out the cheap yellow duster, one to wipe off and one to polish high
And on an odd occasion get the 1200 wet n dry out to get rid of a few odd spots away, cause tar spots mark.
really hopes this helps....as I plan to get the whole org with shiny pipes......mwahahaha
newts924
02-09-08, 05:26 PM
Thanks Dizzy i think i might have a go at getting them shiny as i am off work for a few days, thats if the weather stays fine :(.
I will let you know how i get on lol :)
kwak zzr
02-09-08, 05:45 PM
Autosol and hard work (kwak clean)
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k120/kwak-zzr/dscf0030Copy1.jpg
kwak zzr
02-09-08, 05:46 PM
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k120/kwak-zzr/DSCF0014Copy2.jpg
newts924
02-09-08, 05:56 PM
WOW shiny :thumbsup:
Get Bar Keepers freinds. You put in a pot, add water and make it into a thinkish paste.
Next, slap it all over the downpipe all the way down. Next, go and chill out, make a coffee, clean other parts of the bike or just stare into the sky.....I left it for about 20 minutes
Next, get a cloth and the BKF will have hardened, wipe it off, its like chalk.....next, grab some coarse wet and dry.......add autosol and sand until the autosol creates a paste and you start to see it going shiny. Wipe off the autosol. If it is still dull and grey / blackish.....keep going. Kept doing this until it was all clear metal. Next I used fine wet and dry....finally......autosol and wire wool to finish.
Once done, just then buff with a cloth.
Thats how we did it anyway. Each bike from start to finish on downpipe only took bout 35 minutes work....but well worth the shiney ness. :grin:
I wondered about this as well. I bought the bike new and the pipes looked all shiny. Quickly they started to look brown. I ride mine every day so not going to polish them. But my conclusion is it needs more polishing than a cruiser (had a harley for 2 years before the SV). It's official now blimey 35 minutes. :)
kwak zzr
02-09-08, 06:15 PM
because the quality of the downpipe is poor, it will dis-colour quickly after polishing.
I had no idea they were going to rust none of my other bike's pipes were like that. Oh well. Would painting them black be an option? Or would that look silly?
dizzyblonde
02-09-08, 07:22 PM
I had no idea they were going to rust none of my other bike's pipes were like that. Oh well. Would painting them black be an option? Or would that look silly?
Its not rust its baked on crud. Barkeepers friend eats the burnt on crust.Think about it, its mainly used for household duties, including baked on greasy stuff. Like I said before you only need to use it once to eat the crud, it turns your pipe dull. The autosol and elbow grease make it shiny. But once you've got it clean its a doddle to keep clean...10 mins of a job for a quick fix.
Its not rust its baked on crud. Barkeepers friend eats the burnt on crust.Think about it, its mainly used for household duties, including baked on greasy stuff. Like I said before you only need to use it once to eat the crud, it turns your pipe dull. The autosol and elbow grease make it shiny. But once you've got it clean its a doddle to keep clean...10 mins of a job for a quick fix.
Now 10 mins that's beginning to sound better. Much better. Ta :cheers::)
Coming to think of it think two of my previous bikes has chrome mufflers over the pipes and maybe the pipes were coming out of the side if you see what i mean. Can't remember my little single cylinder 125. That didn't get cleaned much at all.
dizzyblonde
02-09-08, 07:31 PM
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/loubi650/2008_06100014.jpg
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/loubi650/2008_06100015.jpg
kwak is the king of bling, but he already has a head start, suzy is 7 year old, but Dave is 8 year old
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/loubi650/dave1.jpg
as you see I'm not a weirdo, I just got bike polishing OCD, but with all those forks, hangers, pipes, its a very satisfying result is shiny
kwak zzr
02-09-08, 07:35 PM
my gixer pipes are a disgrace! but u cant see them anyhow so i just look the other way when cleaning that bit, theirs 4x the work!
Dave The Rave
02-09-08, 07:51 PM
As said: autosol + plenty of elbow grease = clean pipes.
yorkie_chris
02-09-08, 11:34 PM
Wow, most tractor pipes are chrome plated, that's a much harder surface, also many are double tube construction so the outer doesn't get half as hot. Both those things lead to less discolouration.
You could paint them black, PJ1 or similar, it'd probably fall off as soon as it got wet though. I might try it on mine if I get bored at any point...
Dappa D
03-09-08, 08:49 AM
I painted my old gsf400 pipes black with plasticote BBQ paint from wilkinsons for about a fiver...few coats was a lovely shiny black,.....
not sure id do it on the sv tho....
fizzwheel
03-09-08, 08:57 AM
dont bother they'll never stay shiney... what you want is a pipe that looks like this...
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e344/fizzwheel/DSCN1475.jpg
I'm also finding the can v dull (standard one) the material I mean. So what material are the pipes on the SV then? and the can?
dizzyblonde
03-09-08, 09:26 AM
stainless as far as I am aware. The standard can weighs a tonne, so I recommend an after market one, that is light and sounds better;-)
Autosol and elbow grease again will solve the prob of the whole system looking dull
Thanks Dizzy. I do like the louder cans, I so don't need a lighter bike, it's already close to being blown away when I commute along the coast. Miss my harley at times like these (it's v blowy this week) as it was more stable due to being heavier and weight low down). At the moment I'm thinking of getting a custom-made bike at some point, so I'm only going to do necessary ergonomic improvements. Bar-risers next, till it's becoming clearer what and if I'm going to do next. A cyberfriend had the Beowulf black mat can put on, that looked v cool.
yorkie_chris
03-09-08, 09:52 AM
Match the frame on the pointy nicely, specialy the triangular-ish one they do.
What custom? A nice trick framed 'fighter?
dizzyblonde
03-09-08, 09:54 AM
Thanks Dizzy. I do like the louder cans, I so don't need a lighter bike, it's already close to being blown away when I commute along the coast. Miss my harley at times like these (it's v blowy this week) as it was more stable due to being heavier and weight low down). At the moment I'm thinking of getting a custom-made bike at some point, so I'm only going to do necessary ergonomic improvements. Bar-risers next, till it's becoming clearer what and if I'm going to do next. A cyberfriend had the Beowulf black mat can put on, that looked v cool.
Tis ok chick;). Theres no real noticeable difference weight wise on the bike itself with a new can. Melody recently swapped her standard and hasn't mentioned anything. As for Beowulf they are based in HX and their cans are pretty well recommended. If I wasn't alreadyhappy with mine I'd have one of their warrior tri oval race cans mmmmm
newts924
03-09-08, 03:34 PM
Went and bought all the stuff toady, BKF, autosol, wet and dry assortement, wire wool and some nice new cloths :D.
Came home and it started to pi## it down :twisted:
May have a go at it later if it dries up a bit.
Quick question about BKF how long do you leave it on for?
Shiny pipes here we come :cheers:
where do you get that bfk stuff from?
where did you get all that stuff from newts?
I think i'll have a go at cleaning the downpipe on the SV if I get bored.... need to clean the blade as well...
arrghhh..happy days!
newts924
03-09-08, 04:02 PM
;1613916']where do you get that bfk stuff from?
where did you get all that stuff from newts?
I think i'll have a go at cleaning the downpipe on the SV if I get bored.... need to clean the blade as well...
arrghhh..happy days!
BKF was from asda in the cleaning isle and cost about £1.90.
All the other stuff i got from halfords.
Quick question about BKF how long do you leave it on for?
leave it on for about 20 mins half an hour..... doesn't really matter really just long enough for it to work
Speedy Claire
03-09-08, 04:07 PM
BKF was from asda in the cleaning isle and cost about £1.90.
All the other stuff i got from halfords.
Can also buy it in most supermarkets... is great for your stainless steel pans too :D
yorkie_chris
03-09-08, 04:10 PM
Lol dizzy's started a craze
newts924
03-09-08, 04:21 PM
leave it on for about 20 mins half an hour..... doesn't really matter really just long enough for it to work
Ok cheers mate, it's just that on the bottle it says leave it for 1 min, so just wanted to make sure :)
Lol dizzy's started a craze
and you will soon join that craze :lol:
Ok cheers mate, it's just that on the bottle it says leave it for 1 min, so just wanted to make sure :)
also make it into a really thick paste so that it stays on the pipe. So that you can spread it really.
newts924
03-09-08, 04:32 PM
also make it into a really thick paste so that it stays on the pipe. So that you can spread it really.
Ok cheers mate :p
;1613916']
I think i'll have a go at cleaning the downpipe on the SV if I get bored.... need to clean the blade as well...
arrghhh..happy days!
Has she moved in already ;) ?
dizzyblonde
03-09-08, 09:38 PM
BKF was from asda in the cleaning isle and cost about £1.90.
All the other stuff i got from halfords.
£1.94 and it looks like this
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/content/products/8/8/6/8868_normal.jpgsmells nice too. like Vim. Good stuff but as Lily said ya need to leave it about 20
best thing to do is get a green scour pad and while rinsing it, rub it with the scourer. Gets more crud off
Lol dizzy's started a craze
mwahahahahahha:batman:
and you will soon join that craze :lol:
he did for about 10 minutes, i polished his exhaust one afternoon, even he was impressed. But then of course it didn't match the rest of the bike;)
I had no idea they were going to rust none of my other bike's pipes were like that.
It's a stainless steel downpipe - it isn't rust, it's just accumulated crud.
I've never bothered with the BKF, I just use Autosol on some medium grade steel wool and then polish again with Autosol on a clean dry cloth. Brings my downpipes up better than new in less than 10 minutes
dizzyblonde
03-09-08, 09:44 PM
its a good cheat. I don't mind using some elbow grease, but not all of it. I only found it by accident. I had the full system sat in the kitchen at the time, and it were a right mess, went shopping and thought ......ah ha i wonder...woooohooo it worked like a charm. I'd tried alsorts beforehand and nothing would budge off the damn thing!
Has she moved in already ;) ?
Yeh, picked her up last Sat, been sat in the garage now..
so far have taken the whole back end to bits and re routed all the wiring to have some room under the pillion seat..
now will go for the downpipes...
I just get bored you know.. nothing to do.. so I hide in the garage. :)
newts924
04-09-08, 06:21 PM
well thought i would give it a try today between the rain.
Here are the results.
I didn't use BKF as i put to much water in so it was just autosol and elbow grease
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/newts25/04092008397.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/newts25/04092008400.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/newts25/04092008401.jpg
dizzyblonde
04-09-08, 06:48 PM
`woooo shiny...welcome, your now officially a member of the shiny downpipe club:smt038gotta keep em like that now!! You had a good start with a 2 year old bike. Mine had 7 years of cack on it!
kwak zzr
04-09-08, 06:51 PM
Mine had 7 years of cack on it!
and bambi bits :)
newts924
04-09-08, 06:52 PM
I think i have the bug now, i want to do the heel plates and hanger next. :p
Do you do them the same way????
kwak zzr
04-09-08, 06:55 PM
yea you can polish the silver paint off the heel plates with autosol but its hard going, looks good when done tho.
newts924
04-09-08, 06:56 PM
yea you can polish the silver paint off the heel plates with autosol but its hard going, looks good when done tho.
hmmmmm might have to give it a try :D:D:D
dizzyblonde
04-09-08, 06:58 PM
and bambi bits :)
yeah but the previous owner had already done the downpipe and rims, so had to keep it that way!
I think i have the bug now, i want to do the heel plates and hanger next. :p
Do you do them the same way????
can't do heel plates, but the hangers you need some paint stripper. preferably one that is self neutralising and is pretty thick...i'll put up a pic in a mo
yea you can polish the silver paint off the heel plates with autosol but its hard going, looks good when done tho.
thought they were anodised?
kwak zzr
04-09-08, 06:58 PM
when the paint is polished off you have to always keep ontop of it or it will soon look naff hence suzuki painting them silver.
kwak zzr
04-09-08, 06:59 PM
thought they were anodised?
naaa i did my 650, i'll try find some photos.
dizzyblonde
04-09-08, 07:17 PM
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/loubi650/2008_06100010.jpg
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/loubi650/Image064.jpghttp://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/loubi650/Image063.jpg
the second two were the pegs off the black SV that were spare, so i could experiment first before
I did Suzy
paint stripper, then the wet n dry route..and a lashing of autosol after;-)
Is it best to do this BKF business when the downpipe is mildy warm or completely cold. This may be a stupid question, but thought it worth asking in case it is easier when the pipe is warm (not boiling hot though)
Is it best to do this BKF business when the downpipe is mildy warm or completely cold. This may be a stupid question, but thought it worth asking in case it is easier when the pipe is warm (not boiling hot though)
wanna lend a grinder?
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k295/hovi5/dcp_3285.jpg
I'm gonna work on it Hovis. Don't worry, i'll post pics since you've already done the before, only seems fair that i clean it up and post an after. ;)
dizzyblonde
15-09-08, 02:39 PM
Is it best to do this BKF business when the downpipe is mildy warm or completely cold. This may be a stupid question, but thought it worth asking in case it is easier when the pipe is warm (not boiling hot though)
cold. Downpipes sizzle stuff to them when any temperature is in em. Just follow whats said in this thread and you'll be well away to polished pipe heaven!
Dappa D
15-09-08, 02:44 PM
dizzy.....
whilst popping in asda for some kitchen foil on saturday I saw BKF out the corner of my eye and without thinking just picked it up....
the mrs was like "we dont have a bar!"...
me "dizzy blonde said....." her "who the hells dizzy blonde..something you wanna tell me" hahaha
trouble is now i have it im gonna have to clean my pipes..what have u done!!!!!!!!!!!
dizzyblonde
15-09-08, 02:48 PM
dizzy.....
whilst popping in asda for some kitchen foil on saturday I saw BKF out the corner of my eye and without thinking just picked it up....
the mrs was like "we dont have a bar!"...
me "dizzy blonde said....." her "who the hells dizzy blonde..something you wanna tell me" hahaha
trouble is now i have it im gonna have to clean my pipes..what have u done!!!!!!!!!!!
sssssshhhhh from the corner of the sofa a voice said..''you still haven't cleaned the pipes on the Raptor'' :rolleyes:
Pity he can't bend down far enough to do it himself yet...grrrr
JamesMio
06-11-08, 08:43 AM
Brace yourselves folks.....
Before:
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee87/JMio/DSC00518.jpg
Urrrgh!!
After, with a little help from my (barkeeper's) friends.... Oh, and a LOT of metal, T-Cut, Silvo and more rubbing than it would take to coax a Bull Elephant to climax....
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee87/JMio/DSC00677.jpg
Next step, some black paint to touch up that engine casing me thinks... Any suggestions?
dizzyblonde
06-11-08, 09:43 AM
I'm not sure on painting the water pump housing, they all go the same on curvies, I got a replacement for one of mine given to me, brand new. Unfortunatly the one on Dave is now going the same way...if anyone has got an idea of how to paint then I'd be interested. Can you powder coat them?
punyXpress
06-11-08, 11:22 AM
Two things I've used in cleaning up my front pipe:
1: Flap wheel in drill. Savage, but with a bit of care can get rid of a lot of gunge quickly
2: Loyblox - a rubber block impregnated with abrasive. Come in various grades of grit. Used to be sold by Roy Thersby, who repairs alloy wheels.
Being an idle 8arsteward, anything that makes this job easier gets my vote
Black and Decker mouse with wet and dry paper attached - this gets rid of all manufacturing marks on the pipe as well ( take the pipe off to do this - it's easier, and you can pit lots of coppaslip on the screw threads for next time too ) - then finish with Autosol / peek and a buffing wheel on a drill.
Loyblox are excellent too
And yes, even on a short outing the pipe will start to discolour ( mine went bronzey colour after 30 miles ! ) so it needs maintaining.
HTH :cool:
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