Melted Plastic Bag on Exhaust - good result.
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Melted Plastic Bag on Exhaust - good result.
I was going to say something like Happy Ending to get everyone's attention but if my experience to today can help another member here - then I'm happy.
Went on a ride to a rally today and when I parked, a plastic bag, the ubiquitous type one gets when purchasing anything just about anywhere except perhaps California, was lofting about in the parking lot - carried by a light breeze. Well, that darned breeze blew that thing right up against my hot exhaust while I had both hands occupied undoing my helmet strap!&*%!*(&%^!^
The wind kept it moving past my bike but not before the bag left it's mark, and a pretty good size one at that. It's the '08 Fat Bob which I bought right complete with some rally tattoos (scratches, scuffs and the like) but very low miles; it's my so-called Beater Cruiser destined for Daytona where it will remain - fulfilling that mission profile; but I still wanted to get that darned plastic off the exhaust. I was going to wait until I got home and get some very fine steel wool but then, while cruising around the rally, I got to thinking ... heat melted it on there and heat should get it off.
There was an outdoor cafe' with a gentleman eating at a street-side table. He was by himself and I thought he may not mind conversation. I asked him if I could use a couple of paper napkins and wah-lah (oua la?) ! In less time than it took type this verbositous rendition of my experience today ... the plastic was gone! I kid you not - it was gone almost as fast at is got there.
Went on a ride to a rally today and when I parked, a plastic bag, the ubiquitous type one gets when purchasing anything just about anywhere except perhaps California, was lofting about in the parking lot - carried by a light breeze. Well, that darned breeze blew that thing right up against my hot exhaust while I had both hands occupied undoing my helmet strap!&*%!*(&%^!^
The wind kept it moving past my bike but not before the bag left it's mark, and a pretty good size one at that. It's the '08 Fat Bob which I bought right complete with some rally tattoos (scratches, scuffs and the like) but very low miles; it's my so-called Beater Cruiser destined for Daytona where it will remain - fulfilling that mission profile; but I still wanted to get that darned plastic off the exhaust. I was going to wait until I got home and get some very fine steel wool but then, while cruising around the rally, I got to thinking ... heat melted it on there and heat should get it off.
There was an outdoor cafe' with a gentleman eating at a street-side table. He was by himself and I thought he may not mind conversation. I asked him if I could use a couple of paper napkins and wah-lah (oua la?) ! In less time than it took type this verbositous rendition of my experience today ... the plastic was gone! I kid you not - it was gone almost as fast at is got there.
Last edited by Jehu; Sep 7, 2019 at 05:48 PM.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: North Carolina
Holy Cow, so the exhaust was still hot and it just wiped right off?
Fantastic to know. Happened to my brother a few years back and we spent hours trying to get it off. One of the most difficult things to remove I have ever seen.
Thanks for sharing.
Fantastic to know. Happened to my brother a few years back and we spent hours trying to get it off. One of the most difficult things to remove I have ever seen.
Thanks for sharing.
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Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
It works, in a situation like that I soak an old towel in a bucket of cold water, get the pipes hot keep the bike running and start wiping while dunking the towel to keep it wet and cold. Cleaned a lot of cooked on crap off pipes over the years that way. Had a balled up blue tarp fly into mine once........
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
If your expecting back to new won't happen but it will get the majority or all in the OP's case if it hasn't cooked on real hard yet timewise. My instances I got between 95 to 99% of the it off with a wet towel and a wood spoon for the hard parts. Pipes will already be marred or discolored so what do you have to lose?
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: North Carolina
They make medication for that!
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From: Variable
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Well, any reference about "back to new" should take into account that the bike and the exhaust are both 2008; but, the section of the exhaust that the bag melted to was "like new" and after wiping with a few paper napkins - it returned to the way it was a second before the bag got on there.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Florida
I've gotten Female boot marks (Man buys it; woman ruins it) off my pipes by scraping with a guitar pick. Fender Heavy works great.
BTW, it's "Voila"!
Last edited by dickey; Sep 8, 2019 at 05:36 PM.
