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What does everybody use to clean their headers?
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Stichill Offline
Road Warrior

Northern Kentucky, USA
Posts: 2,353
Joined: Oct 2014
Post: #11
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
(04-14-2018 09:06 AM)Perry Wrote:  Impressive, StichillThumbs Up

Did you pull the exhaust to get that shine?

It’s good stuff. No pipe removal; you just wrap your rag around the pipe and buff back and forth like a shoe shine. Where you can’t buff, just rub with your fingers and liberal amounts of cleaner.

2012 Honda CBR250RA Candy Ruby Red/Silver
04-14-2018 09:39 AM
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Banned Offline
Banned

earth
Posts: 644
Joined: May 2017
Post: #12
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
(04-14-2018 09:08 AM)SportsterDoc Wrote:  
(04-14-2018 07:45 AM)Teamwalker Wrote:  This may be heresy, but I kinda like the "golden glow" of the SS pipes on my 14 Std.

I'm with you and mine are evenly colored.

Yep, count me as firmly entrenched in Camp Bronze Coloured Headers.

It's one my favorite features of the bike.
04-14-2018 11:09 AM
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Guth Offline
Forum Founder

Portland, OR
Posts: 3,918
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #13
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
I'm cool with the light bronze look. That's how it is with the Hawk GT as well. I use Honda's own "Pro Honda Metal Polish". The Pro Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish worked so good everywhere else, I figured that I'd give their metal cleaner a try on the headers. It's likely a rebranded, repackaged version of a product made by someone else, but I have no idea which product it is if that's so. It's a cream that you apply with a rag and then rub it in (i.e. polish) using good old elbow grease (I'm not sure what the chemical to elbow grease cleaning ratio would be in this case, lol.) At any rate, it takes care of the blotchiness and leaves the headers with a consistent shade of light bronze. If you spend enough time rubbing it in, you can pretty much remove the bronze look completely for those who have such a goal.

Sorry that I don't have a recent daytime photo. But there's enough light in this shot for you to get the general idea.

İmage

The Honda CB1100: STILL air-COOLed
Deposit placed 11/12/2012.
Received delivery 04/05/2013.
04-14-2018 12:10 PM
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misterprofessionality Online
Road Warrior

Charleston, SC, USA
Posts: 2,266
Joined: Apr 2018
Post: #14
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
thanks everybody for your input here. bringing the discussion back to the Optiglanz, since i've looked up a few videos of it being used and it seems pretty magical, do you folks know of any retailers that sell it? an internet search seems to only turn it up on amazon. I'd like to get some cleaning in tomorrow if i can.
04-14-2018 02:35 PM
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clearviewx Offline
High Mileage

Western Mass
Posts: 964
Joined: Dec 2013
Post: #15
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
(04-14-2018 12:10 PM)Guth Wrote:  I'm cool with the light bronze look. That's how it is with the Hawk GT as well. I use Honda's own "Pro Honda Metal Polish". The Pro Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish worked so good everywhere else, I figured that I'd give their metal cleaner a try on the headers. It's likely a rebranded, repackaged version of a product made by someone else, but I have no idea which product it is if that's so. It's a cream that you apply with a rag and then rub it in (i.e. polish) using good old elbow grease (I'm not sure what the chemical to elbow grease cleaning ratio would be in this case, lol.) At any rate, it takes care of the blotchiness and leaves the headers with a consistent shade of light bronze. If you spend enough time rubbing it in, you can pretty much remove the bronze look completely for those who have such a goal.

Sorry that I don't have a recent daytime photo. But there's enough light in this shot for you to get the general idea.

İmage

Those look awesome. Beer

2014 CB1100 Deluxe #244Excited
2002 CB750 Nighthawk #549Celebrate
You should of bought a DLX
04-14-2018 04:06 PM
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Gumby 1100 Offline
Running Like a Top

Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 489
Joined: May 2014
Post: #16
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
(04-14-2018 02:35 PM)misterprofessionality Wrote:  thanks everybody for your input here. bringing the discussion back to the Optiglanz, since i've looked up a few videos of it being used and it seems pretty magical, do you folks know of any retailers that sell it? an internet search seems to only turn it up on amazon. I'd like to get some cleaning in tomorrow if i can.

I never tried it, but Napoleon makes a similar product to remove the discoloration from Stainless Steel BBQs: Stainless Steel Cleaner P/N: 10231

You might be able to find it at your local BBQ supply store or:
https://www.appliancesconnection.com/nap...10231.html

Word of caution: The active ingredient in 10231 is Sulfuric Acid vs Phosphoric Acid as used in OptiGlanz. Both require the use of rubber gloves and thorough rinsing with water afterward to neutralize, but you would want to be careful and not let it contact parts other than the headers.

I personally used the OptiGlanz, but I never sprayed it on. I used a low abrasive ScotchBrite pad to apply it which also helped remove some of the more stubborn spotting or "freckles".

2014 CB1100A (Canadian) #068 (Sold)
2018 Harley-Davidson Road King
04-15-2018 05:57 AM
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misterprofessionality Online
Road Warrior

Charleston, SC, USA
Posts: 2,266
Joined: Apr 2018
Post: #17
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
good tip gumby. all the videos show them spraying it on all willy nilly like it's windex. perhaps there's a more controlled squirt bottle i can use to get the same effect of dousing the pipes without it spraying everywhere wildly. using a sponge is good too, but i'm still going to need to spray or squirt some of it in order to get the inside/backside of the pipes thoroughly.
04-15-2018 07:25 AM
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kennyw Offline
High Mileage

Gold Bar
Posts: 1,407
Joined: May 2015
Post: #18
What does everybody use to clean their headers?
I think the black spots come from riding in the rain more than anything. Optiglanze didn't help with removing them but did return the rest of my headers to clean stainless. Then I quit trying to clean them. I do remember the only vendor I found selling it was located in England selling it on Amazon.

KennyW
04-15-2018 04:25 PM
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misterprofessionality Online
Road Warrior

Charleston, SC, USA
Posts: 2,266
Joined: Apr 2018
Post: #19
RE: What does everybody use to clean their headers?
interesting. the videos i saw showed bye blotchiness and the color just melting right off. i do ride in the rain, since i can't call out of work just for rain. i guess all I can do is give it a try and report on my success or failure.

that must be why it's only on amazon. it's from europe. i found a website in germany selling it cheaper than amazon, even with shipping.
04-15-2018 04:49 PM
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kennyw Offline
High Mileage

Gold Bar
Posts: 1,407
Joined: May 2015
Post: #20
What does everybody use to clean their headers?
Well, I ride year round in the Seattle area so my bike sees a lot of rain. If I didn't wait until 30K mike's to remove the build up, they may have come clean.

KennyW
04-15-2018 05:20 PM
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