Now that you're on the subject . . . look at 98% of the Superhawks pictured ANYWHERE and they look a whole shitload worse than yours (which I think looks pretty good). Problem is you have to keep it clean - very clean and rub it down a lot with your rubbing compound. See if your local parts store has a Mother's Miniball. Put it in a drill and have fun! I had mine coated last winter during my rebuild but to look good in the meantime just keep it clean and it will look much better than most.

 

So when you say coated you mean powdercoated? When i was down in daytona a few weeks ago i met this 73 year old guy on a superhawk ( how awesome is that.) and he had polished his but they look twice as shiny as mine. I think he said he did his with an attachment on a air tool. I do have a 12000 grit for my air tool but it didn't make it look very good. I dont know.

 

Hopefully in a few years, that will be me. I sent mine to JetHot Coatings. They got their start in business coating parts for hi-performance aircraft and moved to racing parts from there. I had the Extreme Sterling done to mine and I'm mostly happy. The front has turned a little whiteish just below the bend but the finish is still good. They have a good guarantee too. Prices are about like everybody else in the coating business but shipping headers is about $40 from Austin to Pascagoula, Mississippi. Pascagoula is the only plant where they do this hi temp coating. The have four plants with a new one coming online soon. I am only a satisfied customer.

 

If done correctly you can make your stock header look just like chrome. I did mine and yes as soon as you fire the bike up it will turn gold, which I actually liked better than the jet hot look. But I sold it when I got a used jet hot coated two bros header. You're on the right track you probably just need a little practice. Here's a pic of a pair of two bros midpipes and a pair of devil midpipes I cleaned up, also stainless. I start with a light sanding with 200 or so grit from my little mouse sander. Then wet sand 400 and 800 (or just 600), then 1000, and if you want 1500 (2000 isn't necessary for the stainless pipes-I used it when polishing alum frames, etc) then go over once of twice with mothers. Besides the initial grinding to remove any deeper scratches or smooth out lines from when they were made everything else was done by hand. The key when you move on to the next grit is to remove any marks made from the previous grit and so on. And once you're done it's easy to keep looking shiny because unlike the stock pipe now the metal is perfectly smooth so it polishes back easy with a little mothers. And when it turns gold it's still just as shiny it's just more like a golden chrome.

 

Yeah looking at your post 320 to 1500 is way to big of a jump. From 320 you need to use 400 then 800 (or just 600) and then 1000 and maybe 1500. Any higher isn't necessary on the stainless. I'm assuming you're wet sanding right and not doing this dry? Everything from 400 and up. Make sure it says wet sandable on the paper. Best place to get it is at an auto parts store. Again the trick is say if you're at 1000 and you have scratches or marks not coming out you have to go back with a coarser grit. The surface has to as smooth as the grit you're using before you go finer. Yes it's tedious and time consuming-hold it up to the light. But once you get the hang of it it's easy and can also be addicting. It took me a year working almost every day to do just the polishing on my old gsxr (wish I still had that kind of time, and also patience). I also did one of the rims before I'd had enough and decided I liked black wheels better anyway. Yes it looks awesome and yes its a royal pain to maintain and I wouldn't recommend it on a bike that see any kind of regular riding.

 

And by the way not too shabby that's what the pipe looks like when the bike is new. Bet if you add those couple steps in between you'll be all set.

 

Yea i would have used 400,800,and 1000 but they didnt have it. I did not try the auto parts store i will this time. It is just hard to get it looking good with all the bumpy welds and crap. I am going to try it again though.

 

look in the phone book for automotive paint suppliers they'll have all the wet/dry you need. good luck