Mummy Pipes

[MisterCinders]

So other than cosmetics, are there any benefits or detriments to wrapping the exhaust?

[Toasty]

They can rot your pipes really easily if they get rained on and I've heard it smells really bad when you first put it on too. Supposedly it's good for a hp or two.

[Big Rich]

They steam like crazy after getting rained on. But if you paint them, they smoke after they get to temp for the first couple days. I've never seen a dyno comparison of before and after pipe wrap, so I can't speak for that.

The one thing I can say about header wrap is they do contain heat well. If your exhaust runs close to your engine (or your leg), the wrap will help.

[GateKeeper]

I think I will do my headers, I don't typically ride in the rain, so that helps, and I also have a few dents in the pipes, so going to try and mask that, I will first try to get the dents out, but I will see how that will go....

[bruin]

I think the idea is that warmer air moves faster/easier than cool air. This results in using less of the engine's available power to move the exhaust down the pipes and leaves more power available to move the bike. Thus, the one horsepower that Toasty was referring to, and that probably only comes in at redline.

[Nessism]

I'd love to see a dyno chart of header wrap on a bike like a GS. I'd bet a 6 pack the dyno wouldn't see much if any difference.

[JimmyR]

I'm kinda sceptical that they help HP but they sure do hide crappy looking headers! I like the look on some bikes and can't see how they would help rot the headers away. I hear guys saying how they hold moisture in but the headers get so hot when you ride that the moisture would be driven away pretty fast.

I put some wrap on one header last week to see what it would look like. You have to soak the wrap in water before putting it on, so it's a bit messy. Also difficult to apply it neatly. The instructions say to take the bike for a ride after putting the wrap on to dry it out, so I put the wrap on with the pipes on the bike. It would obviously be a LOT easier with the pipes off the bike. But my pipes are a total PITA to put back on.

So for the moment it's in the too hard basket for me!

[Tim Tom]

I'm kinda sceptical that they help HP but they sure do hide crappy looking headers! I like the look on some bikes and can't see how they would help rot the headers away. I hear guys saying how they hold moisture in but the headers get so hot when you ride that the moisture would be driven away pretty fast.

I put some wrap on one header last week to see what it would look like. You have to soak the wrap in water before putting it on, so it's a bit messy. Also difficult to apply it neatly. The instructions say to take the bike for a ride after putting the wrap on to dry it out, so I put the wrap on with the pipes on the bike. It would obviously be a LOT easier with the pipes off the bike. But my pipes are a total PITA to put back on.

So for the moment it's in the too hard basket for me!

Don't you DARE cover those gorgeous pipe's of yours with band aids!!!!

Pipe wrap is solely to cover up crappy looking pipes. I guess it would help as a heat shield, but on a GS the pipes don't go anywhere near your leg, so I don't really see how they'd do much good there. As for adding HP, I hear stickers add 12hp... Seriously though, I doubt they do anything for performance.

Pipewrap is just for looks to cover up shoddy looking pipes. If your pipes look great (JIMMY!!) then pipewrap has no real business in being on the bike.
If your headers are pimpled with bumps, or rust, then maybe you could use the wrap to cover it make it look better. It's a looks only thing at best.

[7981GS]

Don't you DARE cover those gorgeous pipe's of yours with band aids!!!!

Pipe wrap is solely to cover up crappy looking pipes.

AND... it always looks like crap too!

Eric

[razor02097]

On a bike it wouldn't make as much difference. On a car or truck it can help a lot to keep under hood temps down. The HP increase may come from those cooler under hood temps especially if the air entering the engine is cooler. From what I have heard header wraps can torch header paint into powder and damage certain header finishes. Most of the time header wraps will void any warranty associated with your header and or header coating.


IMHO there are more reasons NOT to wrap a pipe. When would it be good? If you need to move heat away from where the header is a wrap will do that for you. If you just need to shield something from the heat a heat shield will do the job and not damage your pipe.

[JimmyR]

It's ok guys - I came around!