rust on chrome pieces

[2011Suzukidude]

Need some advice. I purchased a 2009 GZ 250
With some rust on the chrome pieces. The bike
sat outside last Winter before I bought it. My
question is....will the rust get worse when I
store it this Winter in dry garage? I also keep
bike waxed. Thanks :roll:

[twelveport]

There are a number of ways you can remove light surface rust. 1. Polishing compound and elbow grease. 2. Detailers acid, although it is getting harder and harder to find due to EPA regulations. 3. Navel Jelly. 4. Eastwood.com has a few products for this and so does your local True Value Hardware stores.

[twelveport]

I copied this article off of the Internet;

How to Remove Rust from Your Motorcycle Exhaust


Maintaining a bike is part of the responsibilities of owning a motorcycle. It’s always important to ensure that the engine is running, the gears are working, and the ride itself is smooth and comfortable. However, there may be some things that can happen that are just not in the owner’s control. One such problem is rust. Some owners can go crazy when they see rust form, because their perfect motorcycles aren’t so perfect anymore, while others may shrug and think it’s only a cosmetic problem. While there’s no need to toss out the entire bike when a little bit of rust occurs, there can be consequences down the road if the problem isn’t fixed immediately.

A motorcycle’s exhaust system is especially vulnerable to corrosion, since it’s exposed to a lot of moisture, heat, and other things that cause rust. This document will serve as a guide on how to remove rust from a motorcycle exhaust. It will first examine the science behind corrosion and rust, in order to give the reader a better idea of how rust forms. Next, it will identify the different causes of rust, which will be followed by a step-by-step guide on how to remove rust. Finally, it will give some tips on how to prevent rust from forming on the motorcycle exhaust.
How Rust Forms

Rust is actually a common compound known as iron oxide and is the byproduct of a process known as corrosion. There are three things needed for corrosion to occur: an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. An anode is a metal that releases electrons easily. A cathode, on the other hand, is a metal that acquires electrons, while an electrolyte is a liquid that facilitates the movements of electrons. When the electrolyte comes in contact with a piece of metal, it adds oxygen to the anode portion of the metal. When this happens, the electrons are set free and the electrolytes move these electrons from the anode to the cathode, and the metal that was originally in the anode starts to turn into rust.

Here’s a more concrete example of what happens during the corrosion process, such as when water comes into contact with a piece of metal: when water touches a piece of iron (such as an exhaust pipe), the water merges with carbon dioxide (naturally found in the air) to create a weak carbonic acid. This weak carbonic acid becomes a very effective electrolyte, which starts to dissolve the iron. Now, the water will begin to separate into its basic elements, namely, oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen then bonds with some of the dissolved iron and becomes iron oxide or rust. At the same time, the electrons that were set free by the weak carbonic acid moves from the anode to the cathode, which can be on another piece of metal or another portion of the exhaust itself.
Causes of Motorcycle Exhaust Rust

Rust is a big problem for many motorcycle owners. While the rust itself doesn’t cause direct harm to the rider, it can lead to exhaust failure or even structural failure. Motorcycle exhaust systems can get rusty due to a number of different reasons. The most common reasons are exposure to moisture, addition of header wraps, use of inferior materials, heat, and exposure to salt.
Moisture

Water is one of the best electrolytes out there, and when combined with the carbon dioxide in the air, can lead to serious rusting issues. Since motorcycle exhaust parts are exposed to the elements, they are more susceptible to becoming wet (and therefore rusting). Riding in the rain or snow, or even splashing through wet roads can cause water to get into the system and start the corrosion process. Sometimes, the very hot gases from the motorcycle engine can cause moisture to form on the exhaust parts. Additionally, there’s always a little bit of moisture in the air, and people that live in very humid areas may find that their motorcycles are more susceptible to rusting.
Header Wraps

A header wrap can help shield the rest of the motorcycle and the rider from the engine’s heat and even increase horsepower, but it can also facilitate rusting. When they get wet, these wraps can hold in water and moisture, which can cause the metal around it to rust.
Use of Certain Materials

Technically, all metals corrode or oxidize (even gold and platinum), but some types of metals do it at a slower rate or react differently. The greenish patina often seen on copper after a few years is a form of corrosion. Iron perhaps is the most common type of metal that rusts when it comes into contact with water or heat. It will produce the reddish-brownish material called rust.
Heat

Although heat doesn’t directly cause rust, it does accelerate it (much like any chemical reaction). Iron, however, will rust rapidly when exposed to high temperature. That’s because heat can change the iron’s chemical makeup, which can cause it to oxidize or combine with the oxygen faster.
Salt

Many cities and counties add salt to their roads during the winter season to melt snow. However, this salt is often left on the road, and can stick to vehicles like car and motorcycles when they are driving by. Salt can cause rust in motorcycle exhausts because it actually turns the water into a superconductor for electrons.
Removing Rust from a Motorcycle Exhaust

If the exhaust only has small amounts of rust and hasn’t completely corroded, there are ways to remove rust. There are different methods bike owners can use to remove this rust, and most of them involve many common household products.
Chrome Polish and Steel Wool Method

This method is best for rusted chrome parts, like the muffler or exhaust pipe. It involves using a steel wool pad to remove the rust by hand, followed by a chrome polish to retain the metal’s shiny look. The tools needed are a steel wood scrub or pad, chrome polish, a dry brush, and soft towels.

Use a steel wool pad or scrub to rub the surface rust that has formed on the metal. Sweep away the loosened particles with a dry brush.
Add some chrome polish to the steel wool and start working it into the rusted area in slow, circular motions.
Use the soft towels to wipe away the residual polish and rust particles.

Coca-cola Method

Believe it or not, Coca-cola is a great at removing rust. It contains phosphorus acid, which actually eats away at rust. To utilize this method, owners should get a few bottles of coke, foil, some rust remover, soft rags, and a scrubbing pad.

If possible, remove the affected area and soak it in the Coca-cola for a few days. If the rust part can’t be removed or the owner doesn’t know how, simply soak some balled-up foil in Coke and rub it on the rusty portions.
Wipe away the excess Coke with the rags. If there’s still some deep-seated rust in there, take some of the professional rust remover and rub it in with the scrubbing pad.
Clean up the exhaust and keep dry.

Vinegar and Baking Soda Method

Both baking soda and vinegar are widely used as household cleaners, and together these two items can get rid of rust. To use this method, gather together some baking soda, white vinegar, a spray bottle, soft towels, and a scrub brush.

In the spray bottle, combine 10 ounces of vinegar with three teaspoons of baking soda.
Spray the solution onto the rusted area and begin scrubbing away with the brush.
Add more of the vinegar and baking soda solution to the rusted area and leave on for about 45 minutes to an hour.
Wipe away the remaining residue with a towel. The rust should come off with the solution, but steps one to four should be repeated as necessary.

Tips for Preventing Rust on a Motorcycle Exhaust

Rust is an inevitable part of owning any motor vehicle. Unless owners plan kept their motorcycles in glass cages all the time and never use them, rust will eventually form somewhere. However, there are some ways bike enthusiasts can slow down or prevent their exhausts from rusting out:

Keep it dry. Riding through a rainstorm or near the shore sounds like fun, but the water can do a lot of damage to the bike, and is the leading cause of rust. Make it a habit to wipe down the motorcycle after it’s been outside in wet weather conditions.
For those that absolutely must have headers, install the headers dry, instead of soaking them in water. If the headers do get wet, it’s best to remove them and let them dry, and then re-attach them later.
A high-temperature paint can help prevent rust, so consider investing in some sort of paint, anti-corrosive coating, or silicone spray, especially when living in areas with very high humidity or a tendency to experience a lot of rain and snow.
Spray vulnerable parts with water-displacing spray and lubricants. Many lubricants, like WD-40, also have properties that repel or wick away water, which prevents rust from forming. Spraying these every few weeks can help ensure that water will not stick to the metal surfaces and create rust.
Replace parts made of iron or other metals that are vulnerable to rust. There are many aftermarket exhaust parts available today that won’t rust, like stainless steel mufflers and catalytic converters. It may be wise (and cheaper) to switch out older parts with newer ones before they even begin to rust.

Buying a Motorcycle Exhaust on eBay Motors

For those that wish to replace their exhaust system or some parts with non-corrosive ones or perhaps need to replace a rusty exhaust, eBay Motors is one place on the Internet where you can surely find the exact part or system you need.
Finding a Motorcycle Exhaust on eBay Motors

It’s easy to find the right exhaust system or part for your motorcycle on eBay Motors; just use the search box on any page. While it’s possible to use any search box on eBay, going specifically to the eBay Motors search boxes will ensure you only get vehicle-related items. Use different keywords and phrases that describe the item you want, like "BMW chrome exhaust" or "Honda motorcycle muffler." The more specific your search terms, the more targeted your results. Hit enter or click on search after you’ve typed in the keywords and you’ll be directed to the search results page, where you can further narrow down your choices using a set of parameters like condition, location, and even price range.
Stay Current with the eBay Motors Blog

If you’re a true motorcycle enthusiast, then you love hearing all the latest news and updates about motorcycling or motoring in general. The eBay Motors blog can be a great resource for anything and everything related to motor vehicles. This blog features news, full articles, plus tips and tricks any motoring enthusiast would want to know about. You can even participate in lively discussions with other members by leaving a comment.
Conclusion

Rust is perhaps one of the motorcycle owner’s biggest enemies. Corrosion on certain metals can cause an ugly, reddish-brown residue, which is actually the metal wearing away. Therefore, not only is rust unsightly, but it can also cause major damage to the motorcycle, particularly the exhaust system. Rust is a byproduct of the process of corrosion, which is what happens when an anode and cathode come in contact with an electrolyte. The top causes of rust in motorcycle exhausts include moisture, header wraps, using certain types of metals, heat, and salt. To remove built-up rust, owners can use the chrome polish method, Coca-cola method, and baking soda and vinegar method. However, prevention is the best method of all, and owners should do their best to stop rust from forming in the first place.

Smart shoppers know that buying on the Internet not only brings great savings, but also offers a wider array of choices. When bike owners shop on eBay Motors, they will surely find the right part for their motorcycle exhaust.
Tags: motorcycle exhaust rust, motorcycle engine, motorcycle exhaust, rust, exhaust pipe
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[New GZ250]

Brass brush will remove surface rust