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Cleaning Headers
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:58 pm
by dbrick
What techniques and products do you use to clean the headers? I'm not aiming for showroom, but a little cleaner would be nice.
Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:20 pm
by mogu83
Stainless or chrome
Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:06 pm
by dbrick
I don't know. It's an '07 with the chrome muffler.
The headers look stainless...but I don't know.
Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:28 pm
by deilenberger
David,
Are they goat-poop brown color (stainless) or blue-rainbow colors (chrome)?
If they're GPB - any metal polish will temporarily make them shiny and pretty again. A buffing wheel in an electric drill makes it go a lot faster (but splatters polish around..)
If they're blue-rainbows, some chrome polish, or Blue-Off (or whatever) from your local friendly HD dealer will clear them up for a while (and wear through some of the chrome.)
I did one of mine once. After about 300 miles of you couldn't tell which side I'd done. Mine are SPB/stainless headers. I'll do it again if I ever decide to sell the bike. Now I just scrape big bugs guts off them..
Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:40 pm
by dbrick
Blue-rainbow is closer.
What's "GSB" mean?
Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:57 pm
by deilenberger
dbrick wrote:Blue-rainbow is closer.
What's "GSB" mean?
It meant "goat-'fecalmatter'-brown" - we can't say the word that rhymes with "ship" here apparently.. so - phrase revised.. GPB now.

Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:37 pm
by dbrick
I geddit, thanks.
Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:41 pm
by Boxerpunk
dbrick wrote:Blue-rainbow is closer.
What's "GSB" mean?
deilenberger wrote:It meant "goat-'fecalmatter'-brown" - we can't say the word that rhymes with "ship" here apparently.. so - phrase revised.. GPB now.

In Dutch it is "geiten stront bruin" (goats hit brown)

Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:03 pm
by parkec
I clean mine with water. Sometimes I use a very soft wheel brush...no polish, or steel wool here.
Re: Cleaning Headers
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:07 pm
by towerworker
I wouldn't advise using anything abrasive. You can spend hours cleaning and polishing and after one ride they are dull again. I gave up years ago trying to make them pretty.
The headers are stainless and will only get but so shiny. The gold blue colors are distinctive.