| Author | Message | ||
     Skobie |
This is a good one :-) - especially for my first post! Very cold this morning, so at a long red light, I get the bright idea to warm my hands by lying forward on the airbox cover and hanging my gloved hands "near" the toasty warm engine. I do a walk-around the bike when I get to work this morning, and I see a blemish / smudge on one of the factory header pipes (stock finish - a kind-of satin pewter color, somewhat rough to touch). I look at my gloves - sure enough, I melted a bit of my Olympia winter glove fingertip onto the pipe! (so, it is a blemish of melted plastic) Now, here's the challenge - how do I remove the blemish - figuring I have almost NO materials at work - water and dishwashing soap only. Will it be baked on by the time I get home tonight (or will it be baked off?) What should I do? Thanks in advance! | ||
| Swordsman |
Haha, I've done that... but my glove was leather, so it didn't melt. Headers make good hand warmers! ~SM | ||
| Froggy |
My plastic chin spoiler came loose and melted against the header. After fixing the spoiler the melted part eventually burned its way off. | ||
| Nillaice |
just ride. it'll cook off and leave a ghost or a mark that only you'll be able to see. | ||
| Nillaice |
and welcome! | ||
| Miami78 |
Yep, melted my cover onto the header...took about 500 miles and it has all cooked off. I used my fingers to pick off the big chunks, rest went away on it's own. | ||
| Skobie |
Hi Folks- Thanks for the warm welcome (my headers are not the only warm thing!) It looks like hell, but if the fix is as simple as riding it, then I'm happy! | ||
| Krueger08xb12s |
I once heard that oven cleaner took off blemishes, but it didn't help me at all after my leather jacket melted on the header after using my handle bar as a coat hook! Still bugs me when i see it! | ||
| Greg_e |
Exhaust wrap. Those headers stay hot for a long time too. | ||
| Saratoga |
I melted my jacket sleeve on the header if it's any conciilation. Laid the jacket over the airbox one day at a restaurant downtown and didn't realize the sleeve was hanging over too far- someone says to me- "Hey your bike's smoking!" The melted nylon burned off on the way home and I removed the stain with some #0000 steel wool and metal polish. It eventually turned back to the same color as the rest of the pipe. Doh! (Message edited by saratoga on October 26, 2009) | ||
| Smac |
Might want to purchase some heated grips! I never had heated grips before until I bought my XBXT this summer. I can't believe I've been riding for about 15 years now and never thought of that!  Cheap investment for keeping your hands nice and toasty whenever needed. I believe the XT heated grips will fit your Lightning with no issues. | ||
| Jomartijr |
I've used a single edge razor blade to carefully scrape off the residue then green Scotchbrite pad to blend/remove any scratches. Final polish with #0000 steel wool. This leaves a polished area which will soon turn the usual heated stainless steel golden color. | ||
| Sticks |
I've, err um... heard...of someone melting a nice new bike cover to a nice new XB before. Not me, mind you. | ||
| Dennista15 |
I melted my Buell sling bag on my header after hanging it on the handlebar. I got it all off by starting the bike and getting the header really hot. Then I wiped the melted goo away with a paper towel folded really thick. Be careful because the paper towel will burn and get very hot. It does work though. |
