Melted microfiber on chrome
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 17,625
Likes: 1,665
From: Blairsville GA
+1 on the oven cleaner. I've used steel wool in extreme (black garbage bag) situations. My new trick got a melted rainsuit off last summer. I got one of those spongy polishing ***** you chuck up in a drill. Used white Diamond polish and let the drill do the work.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 10,471
Likes: 1
From: Heart of Missouri
They all work, it is just what method you prefer, I prefer the 0000 fine steel wool, it has never scratched the pipes and has worked every time I use it. Good for removing road tar and baked on bugs
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
From: West Allis, WI
Try this to get the bulk of it off. Run the engine to heat up the pipes. Then direct a heat gun to the deposit area and use a wooden paddle to scrape the stuff off. (It actually kind of disintegrates). I used one of those wooden paint stirring sticks. They are soft wood and won't scratch the chrome. I used this method on a pipe that was black ceramic coated and it worked great. You can then use brake cleaner to clean up the remainder and finish up with chrome polish. Just take your time, you'll get it off. Good Luck!
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 6
From: Simpson County Kentucky
Hah, you folks are so out to lunch on this. Well except for one very smart individual that chose the penny any way. When the pipes cool off and the towel hardens you can use a penny or a nickel in a pair of vice grips and it will take the towel right the pipe. You would really have to go nuts to hurt the chrome on the pipes because the copper or nickel is very soft in comparison to the chrome. They won't scratch, you don't have to worry about any overspray hitting paint or some other area that really doesn't like things like oven cleaner and there is very little effort required.
