 Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15
Complete Newb
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OP
Complete Newb
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15 |
Hi. I'm now one day away from biting on the bullet and buying myself a Triumph Bonneville America, thanks in part to the sound advice and recommendations of people on this forum, which means I've dropped the idea of buying a V Star Classic in favour of one which will hopefully outlive me. The TBA I have seen is through a highly respected dealer and it comes with three months' warranty. The only issue seems to be some blueing on the curve of the exhaust pipes and I wondered if this is something that is inevitable with hot chrome and oxidisation pipes or whether I should steer clear of the bike. Personally, I find the blue quite attractive as the bike's colour is British Racing Green and in a surreal way it seems to complement the overall look of the bike. Perhaps it's me that's surreal. I don't know. Please let me know what you think, guys and gals. 
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 326
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 326 |
Thats normal, no problems there.
regards,
Nick
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,164 Likes: 1
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,164 Likes: 1 |
It's pretty normal. If it is a pre-2009 model (carbs instead of fuel injection) you can remove the air injection system and it should stop the pipes from bluing any more.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,028 Likes: 8
New Tires
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New Tires
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,028 Likes: 8 |
TBAs and Speedys have double sided headers that shouldn't blue. But, sometimes with the AI intact and factory tune they will, also if they are running lean they will.
My brand new stock 03 TBA blued about 3 inches out from the head before I eliminated the AI (very easy) and changed pipes (mufflers), of course re-tuned. The simple fix was Blue Job polish, hasn't blued in 8 years.
FYI, new Bonnevilles don't have double lined headers so their headers almost always go from purple to gold just past the first header bend.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354 |
I too almost a bought a Yamaha V-Star, when I went looking. Then my brother (H-D rider) suggested Triumph. I've never regretted it, especially when I go back and check out Yamahas these days. They just don't feel right compared to my TBA.
And yes, as others have already stated, the blueing is normal. Get rid of the Air Injector (Save the bits & pieces, especially the tubing - can come in handy in the future.).
Some people are bothered by the blueing, they want a nice chrone look all the way. I am not as bothered by it. I see it as a sign the bike gets ridden.
Good luck and post pics of your new acquisition!!
Blue/White 2007 TBA, Thruxton needles, Unifilter, AI removed, Polaris Bellmouth, Bubs, Nology Coils/wires, Lightbar, Ricor Intiminators, Hagon Nitros, Tall Sissy Bar w/luggage rack, Dart flyscreen & Lowers. 130 Mains, TrueGel Battery MG12-BS.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 373
Adjunct
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Adjunct
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The blueing is normal on bikes that have the AI still on them like mine. As my son the engineer said when he was an engineer for one of the automotive companies, "There is a reason we design vehicles the way we do." So I left my AI intact, I figure the engineers at Triumph had a reason for putting it on the bike.
'06 America, Raask foot controls, the bike use to be Graphite and Silver, now its Red and Black.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15
Complete Newb
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OP
Complete Newb
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15 |
Thanks for all your useful comments. Much appreciated. Em
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,096 Likes: 2 |
Quote:
Personally, I find the blue quite attractive as the bike's colour is British Racing Green and in a surreal way it seems to complement the overall look of the bike. Perhaps it's me that's surreal. I don't know. Please let me know what you think, guys and gals.
Well Emlyn, I really don't see a problem here...unless once you get your Triumph tomorrow, you ALSO start gettin' an overwhelming desire to repaint it with Salvador Dali pictures all over it...and THEN I'd say this surrealistic bent of yours COULD be a little out of control!!!
(...but then again, I'm not a shrink...I only play one over the internet!!!)
 
Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,467 Likes: 3
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,467 Likes: 3 |
Quote:
Personally, I find the blue quite attractive as the bike's colour is British Racing Green and in a surreal way it seems to complement the overall look of the bike.
Blued header pipes are a status symbol - they show the bike is actually ridden instead of just being garage candy. Show 'em with pride.
No disrespect for you chromaholics...
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,419
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,419 |
My headers (an '09 EFI) are double skinned and don't blue at all and it gets ridden hard. The bike has been running on the TORs tune since birth so that might explain it. The factory tune with stock pipes is lean/hot.
Cheers, Richard
~~~~~~~~~~~~
09 America, Staintune Pipes, K&N, Breathe, Hagon Nitros, AI & O2 removed, tune 20184 (modified), MTX-L a/f gauge
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 231
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 231 |
Well, the heads on my 02 America have gone beyond blue to rust in some spots. Before I even think about spending $300 per side for replacements, are there any suggestions?
Ted
BTW: the blueing and rust started within 6 mos of getting my new bike.
Send lawyers, guns and money, cause the sh*t has hit the fan!
-W. Zevon
2020 Bud Ekins T100
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7 |
ceramic coating, they have some that looks like an aluminum finish, maybe almost could call it shiny
especially four you in a salty air climate
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 119
Adjunct
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Adjunct
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Here is a silly question what is the difference between powder coatinf and ceramic coatings?For us that dont know.
Thanks
07 speedmaster,Trident pipes,freak,nology coils
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7 |
as far as I know, ceramic coating is for high temp applications like headers and stuff. powder coat is more for things that would also just be painted
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,738
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,738 |
Just wrap it! It looks badass. 
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,425
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,425 |
Quote:
"There is a reason we design vehicles the way we do." So I left my AI intact, I figure the engineers at Triumph had a reason for putting it on the bike.
Yep,,, to meet the emmisions requirements of the USA.
Rip that crap out and grab some slip-on's. you will FEEL a powere differance.(uni or k&n filters help a lot also.)
Mal: "Y'all see the man hanging out of the spaceship with the really big gun?{ref, Jayne} Man's lookin' to kill some folk. So really, it's his will y'all should worry about thwarting."
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,425
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,425 |
I will add a +1 for "Just wrap it"
I did this also due to some pitting and just got got tired of trying to keep 'em polished. My wrap has been standard black(with some black hightemp grill paint over top also) and now I have changed it out to red.. well worth the time. Add aome gators for a old school look and feel.
Mal: "Y'all see the man hanging out of the spaceship with the really big gun?{ref, Jayne} Man's lookin' to kill some folk. So really, it's his will y'all should worry about thwarting."
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 189
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 189 |
What was Triumph trying to do when they installed the AI in the 1st place? I was lucky and bought my 07 with the AI removalkit. But what was the point of it if everyone was going to remove it?
07 TBA, 32" Turnouts, DIY Freak, hard saddlebags, 18" screen, dresser bars, highway pegs, floorboards, fog lights, amber run/turn lights front, red run/turn/stop lights back, blue speedo/tach lights, LED console lights
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964 |
Quote:
What was Triumph trying to do when they installed the AI in the 1st place?
Pass emissions laws.
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 896
phoenix
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phoenix
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 896 |
Quote:
as far as I know, ceramic coating is for high temp applications like headers and stuff. powder coat is more for things that would also just be painted [/quote roadworthy ---has the idea. He is right on the definitions I have the ceramic coating on an LT-1 350 sbc.Its been coated 5 years and still looks like chrome. Me personally i would'nt wrap OR paint the pipes  .It cheapens the look of the bike.and purely, because it makes a bike look old, before its time  mpo
Last edited by bsa_bob; 05/17/2011 12:14 PM.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 373
Adjunct
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Adjunct
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I guess I am one of the few on this site who has respect for the emissions and environment.
Last edited by Bruce; 05/17/2011 5:54 PM.
'06 America, Raask foot controls, the bike use to be Graphite and Silver, now its Red and Black.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 896
phoenix
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phoenix
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 896 |
Quote:
I guess I am the only one on this site who has repect for the emissions and environment.
No bruce i go along with emissions, i just don't like the guys who hand out tickets for not joining them in their belief that i do. in other words . cops, or whatever your favorite reference to them is. 
bob s
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7 |
Quote:
I guess I am the only one on this site who has repect for the emissions and environment.
I feel that if you can get over 40 mpg, you can bend the rules however you want
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 373
Adjunct
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Adjunct
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Quote:
Quote:
I guess I am the only one on this site who has repect for the emissions and environment.
I feel that if you can get over 40 mpg, you can bend the rules however you want
There are over 800 guys in the prison that I work at that feel the same way.
'06 America, Raask foot controls, the bike use to be Graphite and Silver, now its Red and Black.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7 |
right, drag pipes are like murder 
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Adjunct
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Adjunct
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Thanks for the input, two other questions. Will the ceramic coating fill in the imperfections in the pipes, ie. small scratches and pitting or just 'paint' over them? And one of the companies I looked at talked about coating the inside as well. Why would I do that? Why should I not do that? I would think that would give a foreign substance the opportunity, perhaps far fetched, to enter my cylinders.
Ted
Send lawyers, guns and money, cause the sh*t has hit the fan!
-W. Zevon
2020 Bud Ekins T100
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,735 Likes: 7 |
I would think a good shop will sand them down smooth before they coat them, and from the ones I've seen, you won't notice any previous scratches or cracks
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
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Re: Is blueing a sign of problems?
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 896
phoenix
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phoenix
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 896 |
Quote:
I would think a good shop will sand them down smooth before they coat them, and from the ones I've seen, you won't notice any previous scratches or cracks
There i beg to differ --How you give them your pipes is how you will get them back.grind down as good as possible,When i did my cast iron ramshorns [sbc]i wish i'd paid attention to the advice i was given, there were places i missed or ignored.But on the genrally smooth parts of them they came out gang busters.
Take the time you won't be sorry jmo 
bob s
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