Cleaned Downpipes

[MarkJ]

Now that I've finished uni I have a bit of spare time to do things on the bike. I decided that i'd clean the downpipes and exhaust today as it's been bugging me how grubby they've looked for ages.

So I took off the belly pan, bought some wire wool and Autosol and set about them:

Hornet minus belly pan.
https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes1.jpg

Tarnished downpipes.
https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes2.jpg

https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes3.jpg

One side cleaned, the other awaiting cleaning. Bit of a difference!
https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes4.jpg

Finished!
https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes5.jpg

https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes6.jpg

Belly pan back on.
https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes7.jpg

https://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/markjackson13/downpipes8.jpg

I'm dead chuffed with how it's come out

[cc123]

That Autosol looks the business. Good result.
____________________
Old bikes >>> https://www.bikepics.com/members/cc123/

[m0l0t0v]

*Note to self: Get some autosol and wire wool and clean downpipes*

I like your bellypan a lot more than mine. And I just love those headlights. Wish I could afford them instead of the big old lump.

Question by the way, but how are the lights for when riding at night? Better, worse? Any difference? Just remembered my bike instructor said that some aftermarket lights tend to be shit.

Nice Hornet btw. Though I prefer blue with matched wheels

not biased at all of course
____________________
'99 Hornet 600 , VFR 400 NC30 '92 , Kasawamasaki GT 550 , '98 Hornet 600
**\Tarmacsurfer/** said: It's that immaculately manly coiffure of yours isn't it. One glimpse of your virile locks and the punters can't wait to buy whatever it is you suggest, as it might let them be just a little bit like the Adonis that is our very own Molly Doovydoo said: Its not my fault I can't get it up properly, I just wasn't blessed

[ram_doom]

Nice result, I need to get the autosol out for mine, as their tarnished badly in places. Hornet's look the business with a decent bellypan

Oh, and molotov, wanna sell me your standard headlight?
____________________
TL1000s, KDX200

[m0l0t0v]

Haha depends if I can get the twin chrome dominators like MarkJ has. If I know I could get them by a certain time and could fit them easily then yes I would.


____________________
'99 Hornet 600 , VFR 400 NC30 '92 , Kasawamasaki GT 550 , '98 Hornet 600
**\Tarmacsurfer/** said: It's that immaculately manly coiffure of yours isn't it. One glimpse of your virile locks and the punters can't wait to buy whatever it is you suggest, as it might let them be just a little bit like the Adonis that is our very own Molly Doovydoo said: Its not my fault I can't get it up properly, I just wasn't blessed

[MarkJ]

[nick606]

your not suppose to change fuses you know for bigger ones to stop them blowing. thats how fires are started

[400bandit]

How can you afford the Hornet at Uni? I'm far too skint to have a bike atm.
Top work on those downpipes mind!

Joe
____________________
Current Bikes 650 Honda Bros, VTR1000 Firestorm // Past Bikes: Sachs Madass 50/110cc - Bandit 400 - FZR750
(+ a XS650 in lots of pieces in my garage and other places...)

[m0l0t0v]

[MarkJ]

[m0l0t0v]

Nope. Didn't l;eave the lights on and the battery wasn't holding any charge. And I can't check for acid levels as it's sealed. When I got home I put it on the charger for over 24 hours and put it back on the bike. So still nothing. Battery had died. So had to fork out 40 quid for a new one.

Still think there was something wrong with the reg/rec as it jut wouldn't run without anything.
____________________
'99 Hornet 600 , VFR 400 NC30 '92 , Kasawamasaki GT 550 , '98 Hornet 600
**\Tarmacsurfer/** said: It's that immaculately manly coiffure of yours isn't it. One glimpse of your virile locks and the punters can't wait to buy whatever it is you suggest, as it might let them be just a little bit like the Adonis that is our very own Molly Doovydoo said: Its not my fault I can't get it up properly, I just wasn't blessed

[feef]

I cleaned my pipes last night...

had to use a few kleenex to clear up the mess

a
____________________
Mudskipper wrote: feef, that is such a beautiful post that it gave me a lady tingle
Windchill calculator - London Bike parking
Blog and stuff - PlentyMoreFish dating

[MarkJ]

[m0l0t0v]

The new one worked fine, started up first time with lights on and everything. And I got the original Honda manual but no Haynes.

I jst thought that with bikes, even if the fuse is blown while riding there should be enough charge in the battery to actually be able to ride the bike.
____________________
'99 Hornet 600 , VFR 400 NC30 '92 , Kasawamasaki GT 550 , '98 Hornet 600
**\Tarmacsurfer/** said: It's that immaculately manly coiffure of yours isn't it. One glimpse of your virile locks and the punters can't wait to buy whatever it is you suggest, as it might let them be just a little bit like the Adonis that is our very own Molly Doovydoo said: Its not my fault I can't get it up properly, I just wasn't blessed

[MarkJ]

Oh right so everything works fine with the new battery?

I think the bike should run OK without a battery, but when my last one went, it would sometimes stall the bike straight after starting it if I didn't get moving

[m0l0t0v]

Ok cool. It's just with my 125 the battery was pretty much dead all the time, wasn't holding it's charge yet I could still use it. Thought it'd be the same with bigger bikes. I know that being the bigger engine it'd need more charge but meh.
____________________
'99 Hornet 600 , VFR 400 NC30 '92 , Kasawamasaki GT 550 , '98 Hornet 600
**\Tarmacsurfer/** said: It's that immaculately manly coiffure of yours isn't it. One glimpse of your virile locks and the punters can't wait to buy whatever it is you suggest, as it might let them be just a little bit like the Adonis that is our very own Molly Doovydoo said: Its not my fault I can't get it up properly, I just wasn't blessed

[numark1]

looks sweet. how did you do it? i would have thought the wire wool would have scratched the pipes.

[MarkJ]

So did I to be honest, so I tried it on a small patch of the exhaust under the sump first - no scratches at all. I used the fine grade wire wool (bought from Halfords in a pack of 5 - 2 fine, 2 medium 1 coarse). Just put a bit of Autosol on a cut out piece of the wool and scrub the downpipes with it. Takes a bit of effort but you get used to it. Probably took me an hour max to get the exhaust like that. I went all the way under the sump but that part didn't look as impressive.

[Pte1643]

[Dazbo666]

After seeing this thread, I guess I really took the easy way out...

I recently bought new stainless steel downpipes because the existing mild steel ones resembled swiss cheese. I particularly didn't want the pipes to get tarnished, (but I'm also quite lazy when it comes to ongoing maintenance) so I used some of this to make sure the colour stayed consistent.
____________________
1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Andy C]

[riichy]

god dam there clean pipes .... how long did it take ya?
____________________
.......... PLOD ............ zx636 2004