Is this normal?
- Thread starter CB360T_imp
- Start date
kennyw
Road warrior
Here is a close up of my headers with 19K+miles after a few weeks of riding in the rain. Most of the grime washed off a few days later.
FYI, 'gave them a call, the Arizona location is no more - just NC & OK. It costs $215 for a simple polished 1 coat & $250 for a color coat. The polished is good to 1300 degrees and the color to 1500. He suggested color to be safe. S&H is apx $45 each way. $350 option.
olekzap_imp
Running like a top
Gumby 1100_imp said:
It doesn't look so much abused as neglected. As mentioned previously, the blotching and pitting is likely due to being ridden in the rain and put away wet. With the amount of bluing near the top of the headers it may have been caught in some California-Summer-stop-and-go-traffic. You don't want to leave air-cooled engines idling and stationary for extended periods of time. However, all four pipes look uniformly blue, so it is likely not a mechanical issue or necessarily a sign of abuse.
There are several CB owners on this forum who are not concerned about an aesthetic issue like the bronzing/discoloring of headers. It is, after-all, an inevitable problem with stainless steel. A rare few may not know that there are products to temporarily remedy the issue (like Optiglanz or Autosol). Some may just not have had the time to clean the headers properly as they would prefer to be riding. And finally, there may just be some who are plain lazy. However, based on the many members of this forum, who go to great lengths to make their CB headers shiny again, the lazy are clearly in the minority
[/QUOTE]
It doesn't look so much abused as neglected. As mentioned previously, the blotching and pitting is likely due to being ridden in the rain and put away wet. With the amount of bluing near the top of the headers it may have been caught in some California-Summer-stop-and-go-traffic. You don't want to leave air-cooled engines idling and stationary for extended periods of time. However, all four pipes look uniformly blue, so it is likely not a mechanical issue or necessarily a sign of abuse.
There are several CB owners on this forum who are not concerned about an aesthetic issue like the bronzing/discoloring of headers. It is, after-all, an inevitable problem with stainless steel. A rare few may not know that there are products to temporarily remedy the issue (like Optiglanz or Autosol). Some may just not have had the time to clean the headers properly as they would prefer to be riding. And finally, there may just be some who are plain lazy. However, based on the many members of this forum, who go to great lengths to make their CB headers shiny again, the lazy are clearly in the minority
[/QUOTE]
You forgot the people who think it looks better with bronzed headers. Personally I'm not a fan at all of the chrome perfect look on some.
Retsel_imp
Been there
Bronze is the new chrome!
Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk
Ferrealls_imp
Running like a top
What you're looking at is an oxidation reaction of stainless steel. The parabolic rate constant, which governs the scale formation for a specific time frame is dependent on both temperature and humidity. Since both increased temperature and increased humidity are catalysts for that reaction, that gives credence to the old saying "road hard and put away wet." While it's a simple surface contaminate that can be cleaned with various methods, the fundamental process is the issue here. This bike was typically ridden at high rpms for extended periods in wet or humid climate. You can make your own judgement on current quality of the components, but I can guarantee you that bike will require more maintenance in its lifetime than average. It's not a bike I would buy, personally. I like to break my own stuff. After all, you wouldn't paint your masterpiece on someone else's doodle, would you?
the Ferret
Road warrior
My ST has stainless headers but since they are covered in plastic I don't care. However it drove me nuts that on my 13 CB the header pipes tarnished. Glad my 14 has the double walled chrome headers even if I'm not anal about keeping them shiny.
weird huh?
weird huh?
After 9600 miles of riding my '13, my headers look just like the advertised bike. Everything else on the bike looks quite nice.
I don't ride my bike hard and I don't ride in the rain but summers in New England can be humid at times.
I like the bronze/copper look. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
I don't ride my bike hard and I don't ride in the rain but summers in New England can be humid at times.
I like the bronze/copper look. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Rebel73_imp
Been there
My pipes still look pretty good, but I will definitely be cleaning them to try to avoid or minimize that effect. I kind of see my bike like my own rolling canvas. That would just drive me nuts.
Django
Road warrior
Reminds me at Don Quijote's tilt at windmills. 
MikeOxbig_imp
Running like a top
It doesn't bother me at all. If anything it adds to the retro/vintage look. I'm pretty sure a good metal polish will get it back to new.
the Ferret
Road warrior
One of the things that separated the Japanese bikes in the 60's from the brit bikes and Harleys was the pipes remaining bright shiny chrome that always looked good and new. Those of us that grew up with Japanese bikes were proud of that distinction. There is nothing retro (historically) about a Honda with tinted pipes.
MikeOxbig_imp
Running like a top
In that case I may have used the wrong words to describe that look. Just saying I sort of like that "aged" look and doesn't seem too out of place considering some people think my CB has survived through several decades since the 60's. Then I tell them it's a 2014 model and they almost don't believe me.The ferret_imp said:
flynrider
Road warrior
Well, it depends on how you look at it. As I recall, back in the day, the first thing that 9 out of 10 UJM owners did was ditch the beautiful chrome pipes and fit a MAC/Kerker/Yosh 4 into 1 SS pipe.The ferret_imp said:
When I initially saw the 4 into 1 on the CB1100 I thought that's what Honda was going for.
kmoney_imp
Road warrior
That's how I've thought about it too. Maybe not so much the vintage look, but the worn in and worked out look -- similar to rubber pilling on the sides of sportbike tires.MikeOxbig_imp said:
Carguy1959_imp
Been there
I to have a 14 STD. For the first couple of months I cleaned the headers with Mothers mag polish and a power ball. They would look like new. I also tried Optiglaze. After a few months they seemed to tarnish faster. So I thru in the towel. Mine are dark now and they don't bother me a bit. I am not lazy, I just chose to spend my time enjoying myself. If it gets to the point that I can't take any more (doughtful) then I will buy a full black system.
I have also thought of wrapping them.
I have also thought of wrapping them.
Jeff the CB CBX guy_imp
First service completed
Agree. Except polishing is good for muscle tone.
Retsel_imp
Been there
Hummmm, as one of those proud Harley riders, in years passed, everyone I knew loved the bright and shinny chrome pipes. That was until they rotted out and blew out at the throat. I only wished we had a stainless steel option. I'll take modernized retro over true retro any day. That said, I would be concerned with the color of the pipes on this bike with only 4300 miles on it! I have considered blacking my stainless headers but, if they are going to turn as black as these anyway, why bother?The ferret_imp said:
Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk
