$$$ well spent

Some of you are aware I recently purchased an E-bay Special 2005 R1200RT.

The bike was listed by a second party, not the owner. This was not made clear in the auction. Additionally, the bike was reported to be in excellent condition with 14,000 miles. Excellent condition, judge for yourself.

As the new owner, I'd say that the miles are accurate but owner #1 never cleaned the bottom half of the bike. Rode it in Vermont, probably in the winter. Anyway, I'm posting here to show how $250.00 in exhaust polishing and $80.00 of powder coating can address prior neglect.

Might take a few posts due to file size

David Parobek

Another shot

Centerstand

After

I'm aware that the pipe will discolor quickly.
However, I'm content that now it doesn't look and feel like 50 grit sandpaper.
I should add that the engine brackets for the side panels were included in the powder coating and the mufller was included in the polishing. However, the muffler was in pretty good shape going in. Of interest is that the shop informed me that the muffler was "plated" and that the header was not. Muffler was polished/stripped of its plating down to stainless steel. It also looks like new.
Dmilan

On last

Another

Wow, nice work! So does this mean you won't be riding during the winter?

dancogan said:

Wow, nice work! So does this mean you won't be riding during the winter?

Click to expand...

Yeah..
I'm no rounder.
In no particular order..
Ice, Chuck holes, Road Salt. Driving in my car today on I-71 here in N-East OH, I saw an erroding seam in the asphalt. Middle lane, paralel with traffic flow, 10 + yards long, just about wide enough for a motorcycle tire.

I usually put 'em away sometime in December, back in business in late March.

DMilan

Tend to agree with DMilan

The roads may even be clear and dry but that white coating seen on many surfaces is salt. One that fine coating of salt gets into the inner cracks and crevices - especially aluminum surfaces, the salt does not exit.

Salt most likely contributed to the bike damage in the first place.

Looks like you got your $330 worth and more.

What an improvement . . . . nize!

Very impressive work - looks nice.

Who did you use or what did you use for the exhaust?

DMilan said:

Yeah..
I'm no rounder.
In no particular order..
Ice, Chuck holes, Road Salt. Driving in my car today on I-71 here in N-East OH, I saw an erroding seam in the asphalt. Middle lane, paralel with traffic flow, 10 + yards long, just about wide enough for a motorcycle tire.

I usually put 'em away sometime in December, back in business in late March.

DMilan

Click to expand...

In 2006, one of those put me in a serious hurt bracket during some March light rain riding on I-71. I'm still a rounder but I run some local errands to keep in good running order. Promised my significant other no more bad weather touring...