The biggest thing with painting an exhaust is the need to cure it, and be careful not to chip or scar the paint before then.
I just did a set of stock 750 pipes that were rusty, especially on the underside, but I cheated on removing the rust and used electrolysis to remove the stubborn pitted surface rust after using a wire wheel to remove the heavier built up rust. Incidentally the electrolysis and the wire-wheeling roughed up the surface reasonably nicely. Another light wire-wheel treatment removed the new oxides, then I put three light coats of exhaust paint on the pipes, letting it dry between each. A very light sanding (as again, the paint doesn't really bond until it cures, and it won't do that without heat) then another three coats (again, very light ones). That's where I sit now. I need to put the pipes on the bike and cure them as per the instructions on the paint. After that I plan on taking them back off, giving them another light sanding, then giving them some heavier coats of paint (with light sandings between each) before putting them back on and curing them again permanently. The heavier coats of paint will stick to the lower base coats more readily than they will stick to the slicker surface of the chrome, and the additional layers of paint will provide better chip protection than the recommended three coats (one light, two heavier). Obviously, you need to use new exhaust gaskets each time, so you don't leak. Also, since you will need/want to paint under the collars, be */very/ *careful when you move them. The edges and metal surface of the collars will scratch off the uncured paint in an instant; I buffered them with my fingers and let the backs of my fingernails slide over the paint, rather than letting metal touch paint when I moved them. -Kurt On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 9:26 AM, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: > I've painted some chrome crashbars I found gloss black. They were on a bike > in a salvage yard and had some rust but not much pitting. I took a brass > wire wheel to them to get all the rust out, then I took some 400grit sand > paper to rough them up all over. I then put several light coats of primer on > them. Wetsanding between each coat with 1000 grit sandpaper between each > coat until I could no longer see chrome after sanding. I then began several > light coats of gloss black this time wetsanding with 2000grit sandpaper > between coats until I could no longer see primer after sandings. In all I've > probably got 20 coats of primer and paint on them. They've held up nicely. > No problems with rockchips or bug splatters. > They aren't exhaust pipes though so I didn't have to worry about high temps > and discoloration. The stock pipes on a 700S are actually black chrome > rather than just painted black so they handle the heat better. > > -Kyle > > > On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 6:55 AM, Kurtis <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I am thinking of painting over the chrome exhaust and im wondering >> what to do to prep the surface would think it would be hard to get the >> paint to stick allso would the pipes off a 700 fit the 650 >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
