Flat Black Exhaust
 

So I'm sitting here debating if I will end up painting my exhaust when I get home. I picked up a set of stockers to swap out with the obnoxiously bafflectomized set that's on there now, and I figured I could paint them before I even install them. I was thinking of using some of the flat black BBQ paint I've seen rated to something like 1800*F, from the point at which the pipes flare from the connectors all the way back.

Quick questions:

Am I insane?

Are there any specific types of paint that would be good or that I should avoid?


I attached my photoshop hack-job attempt at seeing what this might look like:

If you choose to go the route of paining rather than getting them ceramic coated - key the surfaces well with blasting or sanding with aluminum oxide media. Thoroughly wash & degrease with acetone allowing to dry (blow torch) before applying HT primer then HT Stainless Steel paint. Carefully stick back on and cure it with some heat.

BILL HIRSCH EXHAUST AND MANIFOLD PAINTS
PRODUCT INFORMATION SHEET PDF

alternatively VHT paint - How to Paint and Cure - FAQ VHT paints

To avoid all the different coatings and hours of preparation for painting, go for ceramic coating - a tad more expensive but more durable

I'd say ceramic coating is a lot better option... Paint usualy scrape off rather easily even if sandblasted and cured right... And it's not that easy to get it right either...

I've been real happy with my coating from Jet-Hot. Great people to deal with and a good product. Very resilient finish. They will get my business again.

I did a HT BBQ job on a ti pipe on the old F4i and it turned out great. Light sanding and a few light coats. It was hard to scratch too. But ti pipes run much cooler than the stock stainless steel so that could be an issue. A rattle can job doesn't take long so maybe you could try it and if it doesn't work try ceramic coating or proper surface prep. It looks like you're pretty talented with a can too, how 'bout some more pics of your bike?

I used BBQ paint on my head pipes, wasn't long before it flaked off...

I tried some stuff from the auto parts store called VHT. It stands for very high temperature and is ceramic based. I think it was rated for 2000 degrees. I painted my wrapped header and bare midpipes with it in the spring. So far I am very pleased with the result.

Happy to Oblige. I wish I could post the pictures of my prep for the flat-blackness I've got going on right now, but unfortunately the web-sized versions are corrupted on my website, on my hard-drive, and apparently on my backup as well. Maybe they're okay on my wife's computer at home... guess I should look around and see what else may have disappeared...

With that, pics attached are stock tank with beetlebags installed, VFR tank with beetlebags installed, and a shot of the purple over blue color change paint job I did on my wife's GN400 before I bought her GZ250. The biggest thing is surface prep, surface prep, and surface prep. Wet-sanding with 2000-grit sandpaper helps, but the most important paint step is laying down a good primer coat over a well-prepped surface.

The pic attached to the first post is the state the bike is currently in. I'll be spraying and installing the new stock exhaust, but I haven't decided if I want to work up to getting the VFR tank reinstalled. I have a spare VTR tank I'm planning to graft the rear bottom section from onto the VFR tank so the petcock fits and it clears the seat, but it's going to take some welding practice before I go for that one.

What side bags are those?

+ 1 I would also love to know what those are

Corbin Beetlebags. No longer in production from Corbin. I'm actually considering selling them when I get home. Still undecided on that though. If it does happen, they'll be up here first, for sure.

Another option is the fiberglass wraps.... you can get it in black. It might actually be less work to remove the header and wrap it, than sanding and painting. I'd also bet if you do the realistic math, probably close in cost if you factor a bunch of good quality sandpaper, a couple cans of paint, and whatever other consumables you'd use. Plus you'll get the benefits of the wrap.

http://www.caraddons.com/Catalog/sub...xhaustwrap.htm

I like Nuhawk have the JetCoat ceramic coating... am very happy with the coating, wasn't as happy with the customer service, as my pipe was "missing" for 3 weeks, and they didn't exactly follow-up my calls without me hounding them a bit... but it looks pretty good.

J.

i did black header wrap and bbq/stove flat black for the cans...I like it the cans look great but rain and running the bike have washed the header wrap to offwhite but i hear theres paint for header wrap too...

I went with natural tan the way the wrapis in the package. I have full stainless but the heat was annoying me. I cant complain now and i would do it again. The bike runs much cooler and the wrap looks like new after i wash the bike. Wrapping the rear sucks my suggestion get some flashy hose clamps instead of the straps that cant hold s#%$.

Aye, Nuhawk is right: Jet Coat is great. I think I heard somewhere that black is the worse color for ceramic coating for some reason.

I have my header wrapped right now and am pretty happy, but I know that the pipes are more likely to rot and the stuff will smell when it gets hot. Still looks good, IMHO ;)

I ended up going with the flat black BBQ paint after the deerslayer incident last year:
http://www.galaxieman.com/wp-content...Taller-007.jpg

heres the painted and shortened cans on mine, they are old two brothers, also moved the emblem to retain that...thinking of getting rid of these soon as they are beat from being dropped by the previous owner and once by myself...thus the color change from my avatar, also did dirtbike bars, a corbin seat, and some CRC click and roll levers since last time I was on here...I really am happy with how it all came together so far

I personally think that it looks ghetto and ugly as sin, but that's just me.

Does the black ceramic coating put off a high gloss, or does it look like Blake Chrome or something like that? Sorry it may be a stupid question but I haven't seen the ceramic coating done before so I'm trying to think if its what I wanna do