Topic: MAC exhaust ruined after 2 minutes!

[robdrobd]

My all black MAC exhaust was cosmetically destroyed after 2 minutes. I turned on my bike, fiddled with the idle/mixture screws for a minute before the garage was filled with smoke. The paint on the exhaust bubbled up instantly and flaked right off. What the hell?

[heffay]

new mac?  ebay'd mac, which was most likely repainted?  etc?

[robdrobd]

Wow, really? It was off eBay from a seller called Niche Cycles. Are you telling me they just sprayed some black paint on these things and resold them as new?

[heffay]

VERY likely

[robdrobd]

WTF!

[Stev-o]

First the seat and now this?!

[lucky]

When you got them they looked nice -right? 

[robdrobd]

First the seat and now this?!

I know right! I think I have to sell on eBay and buy elsewhere!

[robdrobd]

When you got them they looked nice -right?

When I got them they looked perfect. Now they look terrible.

[heffay]

You could always wrap the pipes

[seanbarney41]

Pics?...I think mine kinda bubbled and burned a little and then cured and were a little better...but yeah, that paint sucks, mine was definately completely toasted after 1 season, have been using VHT header paint and it holds up for 2 seasons but turns grey when you get it wet...that MAC paint is actually better than what you get with cheapo automotive headers, they actually tell you in the directions to just sand it off and re-paint with something good...

[rangerboy2788]

I would use some of that header paint^ but yeah ya gotta redo it alot depending on your weather...

[robdrobd]

Anybody try wrapping while the exhaust is installed?

[heffay]

Nope, but i think it would go great with your overall theme.

[crackerbat]

Anybody try wrapping while the exhaust is installed?

I don't see why you couldn't... but hell if i have that kind of patients

[robdrobd]

Grey wrap might look pretty sweet

[flybox1]

Wow, really? It was off eBay from a seller called Niche Cycles. Are you telling me they just sprayed some black paint on these things and resold them as new?

oohh...bad karma on their part. sorry.  call and complain, send pictures, etc. they better send you some cash or merch for your troubles.  last thing they want is bad rap on a site like this.... 

YES!! gray wrap would look great!

anyone ever try to dye (RIT brand) fiberglass pipe wrap before install.  i wonder. a soak in black for a few minutes might do the trick. you probably would get them wet for install anyways.  if not, VHT spray 'em.

[robdrobd]

Wow, really? It was off eBay from a seller called Niche Cycles. Are you telling me they just sprayed some black paint on these things and resold them as new?

oohh...bad karma on their part. sorry.  call and complain, send pictures, etc. they better send you some cash or merch for your troubles.  last thing they want is bad rap on a site like this.... 

YES!! gray wrap would look great!

anyone ever try to dye (RIT brand) fiberglass pipe wrap before install.  i wonder. a soak in black for a few minutes might do the trick. you probably would get them wet for install anyways.  if not, VHT spray 'em.

Good thinking, some threats of bad press might get me a new chrome set

[phil71]

you're in syracuse, i bet you have a backyard.. go get yourself some barbeque paint, and build a rig where you can have a fire burning and your exhaust above it. Paint it a bunch and hang it over the fire.. then paint it some more, hang it some more.
Then... clean off the soot, and give it one last coat. that will last freaking forever.

[robdrobd]

you're in syracuse, i bet you have a backyard.. go get yourself some barbeque paint, and build a rig where you can have a fire burning and your exhaust above it. Paint it a bunch and hang it over the fire.. then paint it some more, hang it some more.
Then... clean off the soot, and give it one last coat. that will last freaking forever.

I think I'll see what the seller says first, but if nothing comes of it, I'll paint or wrap!

[robdrobd]

MAC paint is usually very good for what it is-paint. Every year I redo the exhaust with VHT or BBQ paint. Both paints are good enough for government work. I cook the painted header inside the BBQ for a bit before mounting to the bike. Seems to do the trick. The MAC paint has a nicer low gloss sheen to it though.

rt

So what do you think happened with mine?

[robdrobd]

I received this response from the seller.

"the possible reason for that could be that after sitting for the winter months the carbs may have gotten a little gummy and caused the bike to run lead for a little bit till the carbs ran clean causing excess heat on the header hence burning the silicate coating off, just a possibility. Other than that this is a MAC Performance warranty issue and must be handles through MAC Performance."

Of course, as you know, this couldn't be the case because I cleaned the carbs inside and out before starting it for the first time, and just about the easiest thing to clean is the gummed up bowls.

[Big Bob]

Funny this should come up.  I was just talking about MAC pipes the other day.

I had a set, new in the box.  Paint was gone in under a week.  Lived with it until the next year.  Sandblasted them, used a good high temp paint (Duplicolor?  I forget.) and baked the pipes before installation.  They paint rusted off from underneath.

I think MAC makes their pipes out of cast rust.

[flybox1]

we call that NMP (not my problem) lame.  buttniche cycles, pretty good at passing the buck.   

if it were me, 2" black header wrap, a few stainless zip ties, beers, and call it good.
it will look sweet! 

[nayto550]

Other than that this is a MAC Performance warranty issue and must be handles through MAC Performance."

Unfortunately, MAC doesn't warranty anything that was sold through Ebay.  And I would venture a guess that Niche knows that.
http://www.macperformance.com/store/PDF/warranty.pdf