Wrapping the pipes
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,828
Likes: 8
Yup, cake. Two bolts at the cylinder, one O2 plug, one or two at the bracket. Lather, rinse, repeat for the other pipe.
Take it off, the time you save in not taking it off you will waste making a ten minute wrap an hour long job. Plus, you have the chance to pull the bike in top of you when you pull it tight, will get cruddy water all over the engine covers, and will likely have issues getting even coverage. Plus, the trash that you will pick up off the garage floor will be a ton, as the wet wrap will be lying on the ground!
Take the pipes off and get tie the soaked header wrap to something like a garage door, or slam a door on the end of the wrap to hold it into place. Then wrap the pipes and install.
Take it off, the time you save in not taking it off you will waste making a ten minute wrap an hour long job. Plus, you have the chance to pull the bike in top of you when you pull it tight, will get cruddy water all over the engine covers, and will likely have issues getting even coverage. Plus, the trash that you will pick up off the garage floor will be a ton, as the wet wrap will be lying on the ground!
Take the pipes off and get tie the soaked header wrap to something like a garage door, or slam a door on the end of the wrap to hold it into place. Then wrap the pipes and install.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 7
As others have said, just take them off. The added benefit is that you get to know your bike, which in your case sounds like it might be a new thing and a great learning experience. Once you discover how easy something previously unknown really is, it will encourage you to do all sorts of other things on your bike, taking the mystery away (and power) from bike shops, dealers, and allowing you to get freaking creative!
I have plenty of riding friends who are afraid to turn a screw on their bikes, instead they're limited to what they can afford to pay the dealer to do. Me, if I don't like something, I can usually change it out in a day or two, and back again if I don't like it. Didn't get that way by NOT buying some tools and giving it a go.
As things go - pipes are pretty easy, they either fit together or they don't. The hardest part can be getting the proper tools to extend a socket up to the back header bolts, but as we're men, what's more fun than buying tools?
Wrapping your pipes with them off will allow for a better looking, more professional job, less likely to slip or need adjusting. And while they're off - you can clean those hard to reach areas of your bike.
DO IT!
I have plenty of riding friends who are afraid to turn a screw on their bikes, instead they're limited to what they can afford to pay the dealer to do. Me, if I don't like something, I can usually change it out in a day or two, and back again if I don't like it. Didn't get that way by NOT buying some tools and giving it a go.
As things go - pipes are pretty easy, they either fit together or they don't. The hardest part can be getting the proper tools to extend a socket up to the back header bolts, but as we're men, what's more fun than buying tools?
Wrapping your pipes with them off will allow for a better looking, more professional job, less likely to slip or need adjusting. And while they're off - you can clean those hard to reach areas of your bike.
DO IT!
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Jul 14, 2010 03:31 PM
