Exhaust life expectency

[RGP750]

Hi Guys
When i got my 750 last year the guy had owned it from new and had fitted a motad and had new 4 pipes hanging on his garage wall insisting he wouldn't put them on as they only last a year. I would think that would depend on only doing short rides .winter salt etc.
What experiences have you had on exhausts? can i expect to give DS a load of money in a couple of years.?

[Trigger]

Two years if not looked after. I have one customer that put's a motad on for the winter. He flushes his original pipes out with diesel and stores them in his airing cupboard. He has had them OEM pipes for 8 years now.
Theses pipes always rot from the inside out. 

[Bitsa (Ralph Wright - RIP)]

Agree with Trig.Mine are coming up to 4 years old and are still like new.
They are never in the rain,only ridden when its 15 degrees plus and winter time I remove them to indoors or like last winter filled them with I think scottelier sprayed the shit everywhere until it dripped on the floor.Seems to do the job good.Yeah I know I am a fair weather rider but cant afford too many exhaust systems.
Cheers
Bitsa

[RGP750]

Sounds like a plan,i'm a fair weather rider now as well (unless i get caught out)
I'll hibernate it in October and get out the 175.
Cheers.
Out tonight with one of my boys and his mates,hope they don't mind waiting for an old git,still i'll be grinning.

[Johnwebley]

I have a CB500-4,


 I fitted my 4 pipes in around 1991.they cost a princely sum of £250 c/w brackets,
during their life,I try never to ride less than 10mls.
make sure they get very hot !!

also make sure the drain holes are clear,
most of my corrosion was/is caused by salty roads,

after over 20yrs,they are not "as new" surface damage,but hell,the bike gets ridden,

my thoughts are that the exhausts last much longer now,because of unleaded fuel,
check also on car exhausts,
the lead additive cause a chemical reaction with the mild steel,now its not there to do so,



keep them clean,externally,and hot internally,

and you could have them for years and years

check these pics

[Green1]

I'v had my pipes for just over 2 years now and covered about 5000 miles.I tend to use the bike to commute when I can and never do less than 100 miles.When I ride the end of the pipes never get hot if they rot that's were it will be.
It often gets caught out in the rain but they still look new
New pipes cost Mega Bucks but it wouldn't be a 750 without them so I wont be fitting a Motad anytime soon.

When I put the bike away for winter I get the bike hot drain the carbs let the pipes cool and spray a little oil in the ends then wrap the ends in plastic.This year I may even put some small bags of Silica Gel in the ends for good measure 

Mick

[RGP750]

Thanks for that, I took her to work on Monday ,2 miles , but did a 10 mile diversion
to heat them up then had to wait 9 1/2 hrs to ride her again only this time took 20 miles to get home.
I'll heed that advice and take them off for the winter as Bitsa says. and hopefully no massive bill for the years i will be able to ride her.

[Trigger]

I am not sure why some pipes rust and others don't. My winter hack is a 1985 GSX-R 400 and still has the original pipes with no real rust.