Kerker header?

[mixongw]

I have a GS1100GL with a Kerker header. The pipes are all very discolored. Is this a stainless header? Can the appearance be improved? Can I get rid of the blue?

[mark m]

I have a GS1100GL with a Kerker header. The pipes are all very discolored. Is this a stainless header? Can the appearance be improved? Can I get rid of the blue?

That sounds like chrome pipes, not stainless. Stainless will have a matte or brushed silver/grey appearance. It is not shiny at all. Typically, SS will turn a very nice golden brown/straw color with use. The blue color is typical of single wall aftermarket headers with a chrome finish. There have been references in the forums to a chrome cleaner that will remove some of the blue, but I cannot remember what it was called.


Mark

[Anonymous]

Blue

I found a product called, funny enough, Blue Job. No, I am not making this up.

http://www.blue-job.com/

Anyway, it is a fine powder in a small tin. You apply it with a wet rag.

It does work, but be warned. It appears to work by stripping the top layer of your chrome plating. I used it on brand new headpipes on a different bike.

One headpipe was bluing more than the other, after adjusting the fuel, etc... I came to the conclusion that one pipe had better chrome than the other. Anyway... The pipe that I continued to use the powder on did, for a while, come out looking nice. But eventually, the chrome plating all wore off from the polishing. Now, it is just a steel pipe and is rusting. The other pipe is still chrome, but a bit blue.

It is my understanding that the bluing results from the actual plating changing from the heat of the exhaust. There really is no way to remove it other than re-chroming.

Michael