How to prevent exhaust headers from turning blue?

grover1949 · Feb 21, 2015

I've obtained a set of NOS exhaust headers and crossover pipes for my '83 R65. I know airheads have a reputation for turning these blue in a short time, but wonder if any of you folks have any hints (other than not running the bike) for keeping them shiny.

darrylri · Feb 21, 2015

All of the stock pipes turn blue. Repop stainless pipes turn golden brown. You can polish them with Blue Away or polish them more with Mother's or Simichrome polish and get rid of it, but it will come right back. BMW pipes are single walled. The pipes that don't blue are double walled. There are ceramic coatings available that may prevent bluing.

akbeemer · Feb 21, 2015

Darryl about covered it. Either get them ceramic coated or just put them out of your mind. You will go looney trying to keep them shined.

nevadaslim · Feb 22, 2015

You might want to check this stuff out. I've never tried it, but am considering when I get a new exhaust system.

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=76214

"An internal exhaust pipe coating that shields against pipe blueing on properly tuned engines – 16 fl. oz. (1 pint)

Blue Shield is an internal exhaust pipe sealant that is designed to prevent ‘pipe blueing’ on properly tuned motors.
Since ‘pipe blueing’ is caused by excessive heat it may still occur if an engine is not in proper tune or if the carburetor
is jetted too lean.

Slight blueing or discoloration may occur on pipes with extremely sharp bends coming from heads."

rich · Feb 22, 2015

I'm no help here, but I've always kind of liked that blued look.

TracerBullet · Feb 22, 2015

Rich said:
I'm no help here, but I've always kind of liked that blued look.

What he said

ccolwell · Feb 22, 2015

Rich said:
I'm no help here, but I've always kind of liked that blued look.

Ditto, although I prefer a proper stainless steel gold. The M4 exhaust on my Honda 650 Hawk was as good as it gets.

chasmrider · Feb 22, 2015

as my friend Owen says "that's what it looks like when you ride it!"

pglaves · Feb 22, 2015

nevadaslim said:
You might want to check this stuff out. I've never tried it, but am considering when I get a new exhaust system.

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=76214

View attachment 48730

"An internal exhaust pipe coating that shields against pipe blueing on properly tuned engines – 16 fl. oz. (1 pint)

Blue Shield is an internal exhaust pipe sealant that is designed to prevent ‘pipe blueing’ on properly tuned motors.
Since ‘pipe blueing’ is caused by excessive heat it may still occur if an engine is not in proper tune or if the carburetor
is jetted too lean.

Slight blueing or discoloration may occur on pipes with extremely sharp bends coming from heads."

I truly hate to burst their marketing bubble but BMW single walled pipes will blue - period - at normal operating temperatures and there is no way to keep them cool enough to prevent it in normal operation of the motorcycle.

pglaves · Feb 22, 2015

ccolwell said:
Ditto, although I prefer a proper stainless steel gold. The M4 exhaust on my Honda 650 Hawk was as good as it gets.

If you have enough cubic feet of dollars you can probably get an all stainless exhaust for an Airhead. I haven't looked in the past 20 years so don't really know who is making what now days.

lmo1131 · Feb 22, 2015

Shields; they don't stop the headers from turning blue, but a least you won't see it. Krauser made them for both the header and the silencers. NLA, but you can often find them on fleabag.

Of course, those band clamps aren't going to be too friendly to the chrome underneath.... ..
Personally, I'm just going to re-new the high temp paint on mine :whistle

barryg · Feb 22, 2015

If your running a newer airhead, /7 to the end with the single sided swing arm, they have the smaller exhaust nut holding the head pipe to the head. Remove it and install the larger /6 exhaust nut. It might help dissapate more heat at the exhaust port of the head. Also, try not to idle for extended periods where air is not flowing over heads. The engine is air cooled. No air flow no cooling.more heat more bluing.

rangerreece · Feb 22, 2015

I hit my chrome about once a month with blue job, followed by or mixed with mothers chrome polish. It doesn't prevent the blueing but does remind me how pretty that chrome is periodically.

View attachment 48737

lkchris · Feb 23, 2015

Back in the day, blue pipes were considered a badge of honor.

The Oriental bikes all had double-wall pipes to prevent this, but of course that added lots of weight. You can look all over the bikes of this generation and most have nearly iron pipe frames compared to BMW's thin oval tubing and glittery chrome metal fenders compared to BMW's fiberglass--which had to be painted and hand pinstriped.

I'll take light.

akbeemer · Feb 23, 2015

Be a nice guy and buy your riding partner a lower front fender. That will help with keeping her nice golden SS exhaust pipe, and many other bits, clean.

rangerreece said:
View attachment 48737

dennisdarrow · Feb 23, 2015

lkchris said:
Back in the day, blue pipes were considered a badge of honor.
.

So right and TRUE....................The further back on your exhaust pipe that was blue told everyone how hard you ran..........Yes, for sure you hit it with the Semichrome; but you surely don't/didn't want the "chrome" look.........God bless......Dennis

dpmonk · Feb 23, 2015

blue pipes, nicks, bugs and other things

A few years ago I went to a local BMW rally. The guys asked if I was going to enter my 90/6 in the bike show. Man I came to ride. Anayway next thing I know someone started unloading a several spotless, better than showroom bikes out of a trailer. Not a speck of blue on those pipes. I asked him if they ran and he said yeah they could be run (once maybe).
So I cleaned some bugs from my windshield, checked my oil level and went for a ride. Had a good time too.
Of course the other guy ended up with all the trophies. But I never saw him on a living motorcycle.

So whatever floats your boat. I would rather ride!

rangerreece · Feb 23, 2015

akbeemer said:
Be a nice guy and buy your riding partner a lower front fender. That will help with keeping her nice golden SS exhaust pipe, and many other bits, clean.

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into that.

akbeemer · Feb 23, 2015

Annie had a 650GS as her first bike. We still have it and I ride it more than she does. She rode it between the states and Alaska, to Deadhorse and on many other dirt rides in AK and the Yukon. It is a great bike and can do almost any kind of riding. A bit busy at interstate speeds. One more suggestion: they are prone to fork seal problems. Most leaks can be stopped with a Seal Mate, but it is a good idea to put Shock Sox or a similar product on the forks.

rangerreece · Feb 23, 2015

Just ordered a touratech fender. Looks easy to install. I'll keep an eye on the fork seals.
We rode home in the rain 2 hours and she got a dirty bath.

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