2021 Rocket 3R - Header Discoloration

SimonRowell

Standard Bore
Joined
Nov 7, 2021
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5
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Triumph Rocket 3R
Hi - I wanted to get opinions about some ugly discoloration I'm seeing on the headers of my 3R. I've other threads on this forum about blue stains but nothing about these rust-looking examples.

Any idea what's causing it? Can it be polished off? I'm going to drop by the dealer, so have not tried anything yet - I have no idea whether the original gold finish of the headers is a veneer like chrome and I'd do more damage.

Thoughts?

Simon

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Some extra fine #4 steel wool should clean it up. I've got spots on mine looks like a mechanic touched it with those rubber dotted gloves. I'm going to pull the heat shields and do the gas briquet lining on them and clean up those spots while they're off.
 
I decided to try some light metal polish (used for cleaning silverware) and the stain was completely removed. I am not sure if it's my imagination but the gold coloring of the headers seemed to get lighter along with the polishing. I wonder what will happen when the surface gets hot again and if the gold finish served any functional purpose...

In any case it's lovely and polished now.

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The gold colour is caused by the heat, it is not a coating so you can polish away as much as you like! The Gold colour will return after a few rides.
We should be glad they don't go blue like many other bikes exhausts!
 
The gold colour is caused by the heat, it is not a coating so you can polish away as much as you like! The Gold colour will return after a few rides.
We should be glad they don't go blue like many other bikes exhausts!
Really good to know - thank you!
 
It wipes right off with a fine Scotchbrite pad. Took off the rubber dots left from gloves. Will clean the rest after removing heat shields.
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in the past I have owned three Honda Valkyrie's. or F6C's if you happen to live in England !! I changed out the stock 3 into 1
pipes for cobra six into sixes on all three bikes.with the originals,they discoloured to blue quite rapidly.after mentioning this to
a friend,he advised me to spray several coats of barbebque paint (it's heatproof} which I did before I fitted the cobras.whilst it didn't
completely stop the blueing ,it reduced it by a Good 80 %.the rest came off quite easily with solvol autosol,or mothers if you
live in the USA.a cheap fix that worked for me. Obviously,the paint is sprayed INSIDE the headers. Sorry,couldn't resist that one !!!
 
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