Autosol...

I'd like mine done too..

Originally Posted by BillyC

Jonboy... lord of pipe-polishing!

WTF?

Originally Posted by Scoobs

WTF?

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Originally Posted by jonboy

Okay Mitch here's what you do. Wash off the crap. Then use steel wool together with a metal polish like Autosol (or something like it) and just keep rubbing and rubbing till the corroded surface layer is eventually worn away. This will take forever BTW so be prepared to do this in several goes.

Now you should have a silver coloured pipe with a totally matt finish. If there are still marks on it then you need to go back to stage one.

Get a long strip of rag (about a metre by 5 cm) and then (after liberally coating the header pipe with more Autosol) loop it round the pipe twice so that you are holding both ends of it. Now push and pull in long regular strokes so that the rag is forced round the pipe. Gradually move the rag up and down the pipe while you're doing this adding more Autosol every few minutes. After about two hours you'll genuinely have a mirror finish.

Get a clean rag and wipe off any remains of the metal polish with a few vinegar strokes.

Oh and you'll sweat a lot . Good luck.


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You forgot to add the last 3 steps,

1. Either after 5 miles or 1 week standing in the garage (whichcever comes first) the mirror finish will of dulled to a normal "metal" looking colour.

2. Then, within 100 miles of riding, it'll be back exactly as it was before.

3. Repeat the whole process one more time, realise it wasn't a freak accident that caused it to get dirty again so quick and that there really is no point in getting the bike gleaming if it's for anything other than 5 mile "posing" trips or as a show bike. Perform enough cleaning to avoid rusting/seizing up of bolts, etc. but generally accept that the time to get is in tip top condition is wasted.



That said though, when it does need a bit of a buff, Solvol Autosol is the best

Well it certainly tries to go back to a dull state but it doesn't do it that quickly. To keep a mirror finish just use the looped rag and some metal polish once a week for a minute or so and that should be fine.


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Originally Posted by jonboy

Well it certainly tries to go back to a dull state but it doesn't do it that quickly. To keep a mirror finish just use the looped rag and some metal polish once a week for a minute or so and that should be fine.


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I was exaggerating the time frame, and admittedly, getting it shiny again the second time takes a bit less time than the first. But even so, it is ludicrously fast- after only 200 miles (in reasonable weather conditions) my downpipe was back to the "tarnished" look again.

Hey,

Thanks jonboy! So yes, this may sound like it's not worth it but I may be getting a belly pan soon. So one good cleaning, followed by a few weekly cleans... then put on the pan and not worry about it. Then it will just brown from the heat.

Mitch

Originally Posted by MitchC

Hey,

Thanks jonboy! So yes, this may sound like it's not worth it but I may be getting a belly pan soon. So one good cleaning, followed by a few weekly cleans... then put on the pan and not worry about it. Then it will just brown from the heat.

Mitch

I'm not worried about the browning from the heat, but can anyone with an '04 bike confirm that the patch at the top of the header pipe (nearest the front wheel) is cured by getting a belly pan (and if so which model)? It's quite a specific area, about 2-3" that gets caked in mud/road grime, even when the rest of the bike is fairly clean.

Cheers.

[northwind]

Or just get a pipe with titanium headers and watch it turn a pretty shade of blue under heat discolouration... Knock off the mud every so often with a wet rag. Sorted