Before I haul stuff off to powder coat, I figured I would get your guys' opinion on something. Instead of having the 33" Samson's coated, I thought I might go a different route first. I wanted to keep a small amount of chrome on the 'Dark Night' ('04 Night Train) build. What are your thoughts on doing some exhaust wrap on this set? I thought either titanium (because it is a different look) or black. I also thought that I could wrap the intake tube for the heavy breather intake with the same wrap to give it a match. I just don't know if I want to coat this 800$ set of pipes and not be sure it is what I want. Kind of looking for an opinion here. My thought is that the wrap would end where the mufflers/heat shield meet. This would give a good 2 feet of chrome Samson's still exposed.

One question: I know that the front pipe would be easy to wrap, but the rear may prove to be a challenge. Anyone have any experience with installing the rear pipe as one piece? Seems to me it would be the only way to do it and have the wrap look uniform.

 

PC them I was going to run black fishtails and went 2 into 2 sometimes I wished I would of

 

Kizzle: If you planned on getting them coated you should wrap them first. The wrap with dis-color the finish on the chrome. I think they'll look good wrapped and chrome, it's a nice contrast.

 

Wrap exhaust looks good on some bikes like Branner said try to wrap first and see if you like the look can always get coated later but think the heavy breather should go to the coaters and black exhaust wrap sense you got a train

 

I started "ceramic talk' in another thead. I personally never liked the wrap so that was never a consideration for me. Also, they have a heat sheild, you want to wrap around that too? I don't know, I'm just asking. I am going the coated route. I am getting the chromex ceramic coating, my pipes get dropped off Monday and I was told a 7 to 10 busniess day turn around time. Some people say they have to much heat off of the left pipe, some say it doesn't bother them at all. To play it safe I am going to get them coated regardless. I figure what the hell, I am already way over budget so I am just going to go ahead and get them done before I even install them. I don't want to get my bike all together only to find out I have a heat issue too so I am just going to take the plunge before hand. The chromex is going to run me 125.00 I also think the heat issue some are having comes from a shorter inseam. I have a 30" inseam and the poeple I have talked with that has heat issues have the same inseam, just a tad shorter or a tad longer.

 

Well, guys. I'm thinking I am going to go with black exhaust wrap. Worst case scenario is I waste 35 bucks and end up leaving them chrome, or spending a few bucks to have the coated. I was going to pull the pipes apart anyhow to put some of the RTV sealer on the connections to prevent any leaks - saw this trick on the forum here while reading a while back. Here is a list of what I am having coated:

Triple Trees
Fork Lowers
Heavy Breather Assembly
Headlight bucket (not the trim ring)
Apes
Clutch/brake levers
All foot pegs/controls?
Turn signal housings (I'm not even sure if I can - Are they metal?)

I think the chrome accent pieces on the primary (derby cover, inspection hole cover) as well as the cam cover accent piece. that came on the bike would be cool to get coated hammered finish to match the rest of the motor casings.

 

This is what I did.

Wrapped the headers, then sand blasted the fishtails and spray painted them with high temp BBQ in flat black.

 

Wrap has been over done...

 

you can powder your pipes as well we do them all the time!

 

Well guys,

I received my 50' roll of black exhaust wrap from ThermoTec, as well s the high heat coating. Was able to get this roll for just over $50 off of Ebay. Pulled the right side pipe off and have it warming up in the living room now (It's about 5 degrees outside, maybe 20 in the garage). I had no issue pulling the right side off but from what I can tell, I am going to have to do the left side as two pieces. Anyone else have a trick to getting the Left side pipe on a set of Samson off in one piece? Seems to me that it is darn near impossible.

Any opinions on whether or not to wrap over the heat shields, or to remove them? It seems that the left side pipe (particularly the crossover section) will be extremely tight should I decide to leave the heat shields on. I'm thinking it might be best to remove them. (Maybe this would allow me to get the pipe off and on in one piece, too).