Coating the headers
02-10-2009, 06:48 AM
#1
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Squid
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Coating the headers
Alright - I've made up my mind that my headers look rediculous. When I get everything back together, I'm going to need to do something. I don't really want to wrap them (just doesn't look clean in my opinion), but I'd like to paint or coat them with something. Can you guys give a few ideas of what I could do?
I've seen "Jet Hot" mentioned in a few places, but I'm not sure exactly what it is (have NEVER heard it mentioned outside of this forum). Thanks for the help in advance...
I've seen "Jet Hot" mentioned in a few places, but I'm not sure exactly what it is (have NEVER heard it mentioned outside of this forum). Thanks for the help in advance...
02-10-2009, 07:04 AM
#2
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02-10-2009, 07:05 AM
#3
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Jet Hot is a coating that gets bake on. It works like header wrap just looks better. I use it a lot with snowmobile exhaust to keep temps down under the cowling. The track bikle I bought has had it's header coated.
02-10-2009, 08:06 AM
#4
evil man of nothing
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Jet Hot looks really nice. Not quite as shiny as polished stainless though. If you're into elbow grease on the cheap you could wet sand and polish the stock header. It will look like chrome and then turn shiny gold immediately after you run the bike. As longs as you polish it up often with some mothers in my opinion I think the polished golden header looks the best of all.
Last edited by captainchaos; 02-10-2009 at 08:09 AM.
02-10-2009, 08:12 AM
#5
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Just wondering, but how would powder coating or ceramic coating hold up? Anyone tried either?
02-10-2009, 08:30 AM
#6
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There are other companies that do ceramic coating like Jet-Hot. I don't think that powder coating is as durable. While I have infinite respect for CC's opinion I do not like the tubes to turn bronze from the heat. Especially on a bike that has no other elements that are golden. If I had a black '03 with gold wheels and other gold components maybe but on a bike that is red, black, and silver I don't think so. Besides I do not have the time or the interest in maintaining polished surfaces.
When I built the bike I was pissed that I had the header coated, Jardine polished aluminum cans and the friggin' midpipes come in mill finish stainless. As soon as I started the bike they started to turn yellow. I was so pissed. I got chrome looking header, I got chrome looking cans and yellow midpipes. I tore the whole thing apart and sent the mids to Jet-Hot.
When I built the bike I was pissed that I had the header coated, Jardine polished aluminum cans and the friggin' midpipes come in mill finish stainless. As soon as I started the bike they started to turn yellow. I was so pissed. I got chrome looking header, I got chrome looking cans and yellow midpipes. I tore the whole thing apart and sent the mids to Jet-Hot.
02-10-2009, 09:13 AM
#7
evil man of nothing
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Yeah like nuhawk said they really look best when you match them up with the midpipes. If you have polished mids then a polished header looks good-then they turn gold together. The golden thing is totally a personal preference. Some like it and some don't. If you jet hot the header then do the midpipes too so everything matches. I have a used jet hot coated two bros header with stainless mids on my leo's and they don't match up quite right colorwise. Oh well it's the least of my problems right now with the bike 
Last edited by captainchaos; 02-10-2009 at 09:15 AM.
02-10-2009, 09:34 AM
#8
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Jet Hot is just a ceramic coating. There are tons of places that do that kind of ceramic exhaust coating now. Contact your local powder coating places and I'm sure one of them does it. It's not always a silver color either, I recently saw a guy who got his done in black that looked really sweet.
02-10-2009, 09:35 AM
#9
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There is a link on the site to find a local person that does this for you using the Jet Hot coating.
02-10-2009, 12:33 PM
#11
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There are other companies that do ceramic coating like Jet-Hot. I don't think that powder coating is as durable. While I have infinite respect for CC's opinion I do not like the tubes to turn bronze from the heat. Especially on a bike that has no other elements that are golden. If I had a black '03 with gold wheels and other gold components maybe but on a bike that is red, black, and silver I don't think so. Besides I do not have the time or the interest in maintaining polished surfaces.
When I built the bike I was pissed that I had the header coated, Jardine polished aluminum cans and the friggin' midpipes come in mill finish stainless. As soon as I started the bike they started to turn yellow. I was so pissed. I got chrome looking header, I got chrome looking cans and yellow midpipes. I tore the whole thing apart and sent the mids to Jet-Hot.
When I built the bike I was pissed that I had the header coated, Jardine polished aluminum cans and the friggin' midpipes come in mill finish stainless. As soon as I started the bike they started to turn yellow. I was so pissed. I got chrome looking header, I got chrome looking cans and yellow midpipes. I tore the whole thing apart and sent the mids to Jet-Hot.
02-10-2009, 05:37 PM
#14
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Nuhawk - what did this cost you? and how long ago? I have a Jet-Hot dealer close by. I just emailed him the pic of your pipes and asked for a ball park price for the same thing in semi gloss black. With my yellow bike and the Carbon slipons I'm thinking black would be the hot ticket
I think the Wet-look black (I'm sure they got thier own name for it) would really look trick on a Yellow Bird! Remember the finish looses a little gloss over time with the heat and dirt so if you want to end up Semi - start out with High. (just my .02) To complete the theme I would jerk the bearings out of the wheels and have them powder coated the same color. Wheels can't take the heat of ceramic coating but powder works great for them. How hot would that look? Wow!
02-10-2009, 05:48 PM
#15
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Not that I'm all about being that kind of poser but once you put this kind of money in the upgrade all you see on other bikes in the peeling, pitted, discolored headers. Besides, I think the chin fairing is about the queerest **** on the road.
I see guys drop a grand on CF cans and stainless mids and I wonder, "Do these guys ever stand back and look at their bike?" Why hang a thousand bucks worth of cans on a piece of **** like that?
I see guys drop a grand on CF cans and stainless mids and I wonder, "Do these guys ever stand back and look at their bike?" Why hang a thousand bucks worth of cans on a piece of **** like that?
02-10-2009, 06:32 PM
#16
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I had my header and mids (Jardine high mounts) done by Jet Hot... it was like 160 plus shipping. I didn't have the most pleasurable experience, as my headers went to their new facitility in PA the week it opened... needless to say, they misplaced my header for a week, told me they never got it until I finally scanned and emailed the delivery confirm from UPS... magically it then appeared... eventually after hounding them for my pipes for two weeks, they gave me a discount for the wait...
Regarless, the coating is really nice... I'd probably even go back to them next time, as I'd hope my issue was a one time deal.
ONLY word of caution.... and this applies to all coatings... you will have to fiddle with the pipes to get them back together.... I had a hell of a time getting my mids back into the cans as the coating adds thickness to the diameter. Be prepared with some sand paper, and be willing to take a little time to get it all back together.
J.
Regarless, the coating is really nice... I'd probably even go back to them next time, as I'd hope my issue was a one time deal.
ONLY word of caution.... and this applies to all coatings... you will have to fiddle with the pipes to get them back together.... I had a hell of a time getting my mids back into the cans as the coating adds thickness to the diameter. Be prepared with some sand paper, and be willing to take a little time to get it all back together.
J.
02-10-2009, 06:50 PM
#17
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i got my pipes the jet-hot black coating a couple of years ago and if i remember it was about $225 shipped back and forth for the black. I have the jardine high mount cans and it looks sweet. I will try to post a pic of them. and if i remember it was about a 3 week turn around and that was middle of august i sent them in.
02-10-2009, 08:03 PM
#19
geezer
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I tried the BBQ flat black, after awhile it just cooks and flakes off...you're better off with a good engine paint...the last one I used was Dupli-Color High Heat (1200 deg) "with Ceramic", the Ceramic is supposed to disperse heat to make the paint last longer...it won't look as good, or cool things down a bit like a true ceramic coating...
02-10-2009, 08:19 PM
#21
evil man of nothing
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I'll tell you nothing annoys me more than when I see some shitty brown header on a superhawk. It really does make the owner look like a lazy bastard because it's really not rocket science to clean the thing up a little.
The problem with the stock header is it doesn't come smooth from the factory. It's rough and needs to be wet sanded and polished smooth. Then even if it gets grungy you can just hand rub it with mothers and it'll be shiny again.
The problem with the stock header is it doesn't come smooth from the factory. It's rough and needs to be wet sanded and polished smooth. Then even if it gets grungy you can just hand rub it with mothers and it'll be shiny again.
02-10-2009, 11:04 PM
#22
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I had my header and mids (Jardine high mounts) done by Jet Hot... it was like 160 plus shipping. I didn't have the most pleasurable experience, as my headers went to their new facitility in PA the week it opened... needless to say, they misplaced my header for a week, told me they never got it until I finally scanned and emailed the delivery confirm from UPS... magically it then appeared... eventually after hounding them for my pipes for two weeks, they gave me a discount for the wait...J.
You're right about fitting them back together.
02-10-2009, 11:06 PM
#23
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02-11-2009, 06:47 AM
#24
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I'll tell you nothing annoys me more than when I see some shitty brown header on a superhawk. It really does make the owner look like a lazy bastard because it's really not rocket science to clean the thing up a little.
The problem with the stock header is it doesn't come smooth from the factory. It's rough and needs to be wet sanded and polished smooth. Then even if it gets grungy you can just hand rub it with mothers and it'll be shiny again.
The problem with the stock header is it doesn't come smooth from the factory. It's rough and needs to be wet sanded and polished smooth. Then even if it gets grungy you can just hand rub it with mothers and it'll be shiny again.
Nothing annoys me more than when some other rider critizes my bike or my inteligence because I didn't do things their way/they way THEY like to do things. IMHO, Motorcycles should look like motorcycles. Not be poslished gleaming bling from every metalic and painted surface. They should have dirt on em, bug guts on em. I'm not gonna polish my header EVER. Not to remove the rough, not to remove the brown, and sure as hell not to return the 'golden glow'. It's a bit of metal that regularly heats up to over 1200 degrees, then has tar, oil, grease, anti-freeze, dirt, et al.. baked on it. It's going to turn colors. Get used to it.
Try to look on the bright side, Why not be pleasantly suprised when you find another ****-retentive, way too much time on their hands I must polish my header every week, guy like yourself.
Someday you'll be able to get married in all states. 
02-11-2009, 09:01 AM
#25
evil man of nothing
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Aren't we sensitive-didn't mean to hurt your feelings...so in other words you're saying everyone on here who details their bike also takes it in the ***? HE said his header looked "rediculous." I didn't bitch about his header, he did, as have tons of others. This subject has been covered how many times already? I have a jet-hot coated tbr header so I barely touch it. I'm sure I have less time on my hands than many or most on here. I was just always of the frame of mind that you should appreciate your **** & take care of it, & always took pride in the fact that my cars & bikes always looked better than most, even more so because they were never the latest greatest. It must be only me though, as there's not AN ENTIRE CULTURE AND INDUSTRY built around good looking custom cars and bikes that people keep CLEAN because they look better that way. I didn't say you were a bad person but if you never want to clean your bike & have it look like **** knock yourself out. I'm entitled to think someone who neglects their stuff is lazy, and I'm sure the majority of other people who's custom bike is their pride and joy will too. And I said it's not rocket science because many folks on here have way more skills than I do. I happen to be good at polishing stuff. I'm not a big fan of bling bling chrome and polish sportbikes, but certain details make it look awesome. That's fine though I love to buy bikes for cheap from people who don't take care of them, clean them up, have people oogle over how nice they look, and then resell them for two and three times what I paid for them, for a minimal amount of effort. It's a fun hobby. Also, a clean bike holds it's value better, works better, is easier and more fun to work on, and gives you a chance to give the bike a going over to find any problems or issues. Also looks newer and is just more fun to own and ride.
My apologies you're the first person on here in 3 years I've managed to **** off. Hey at least I didn't screw you out of any money like a few others have from me...
My apologies you're the first person on here in 3 years I've managed to **** off. Hey at least I didn't screw you out of any money like a few others have from me...
Last edited by captainchaos; 02-11-2009 at 09:12 AM.
02-11-2009, 09:07 AM
#26
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captainchaos
Relax dude, I included smilies...it was a joke!
Gay, straight, cross-dresser, or man in costume, we love ya! (well, not it THAT way!)
I didn't intend to **** in your cornflakes, but apparently I did. My apologies!
But just to keep playing devils advocate, there are lots "CULTURE AND INDUSTRY" based things out there, it doesn't mean everyone subscribes to them, and just because it exists, it doesn't mean it's valid for everyone.
Relax dude, I included smilies...it was a joke!Gay, straight, cross-dresser, or man in costume, we love ya! (well, not it THAT way!)
I didn't intend to **** in your cornflakes, but apparently I did. My apologies!
But just to keep playing devils advocate, there are lots "CULTURE AND INDUSTRY" based things out there, it doesn't mean everyone subscribes to them, and just because it exists, it doesn't mean it's valid for everyone.
Last edited by RPV-Hawk; 02-11-2009 at 09:09 AM.
02-11-2009, 09:14 AM
#27
evil man of nothing
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Sorry brother like I said this is the last place I come to to **** anyone off. And there are lots of folks that I'm sure wrench better and ride better than I do who never clean their bikes. And you're right just 'cause it's not on tv (my cable has been disconnected for 6 years) doesn't mean it's for everyone.
Now go clean your ******* header
Now go clean your ******* header
02-11-2009, 09:21 AM
#28
evil man of nothing
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The reason I like the polishing thing is that many folks don't want to spend or don't have the money to spend on jet-hot coatings, and polishing is something that's more elbow grease than cost and still looks great. If you don't care then you bypass that whole issue. But what the hell do I know I have marchesini wheels, brembo radial mc, SP2 forks with custom radial mounted r1 calipers, braking wave rotors, ohlins shock, gilles rearsets, sp2 swingarm, jet hot coated tbr header & carbon leo highmounts, sargent seat and a ******* titanium kickstand on a bike that's worth about 3k so I can't be too bright
, that is okay? Cool
