Topic: CB550 Super Sport exhaust

[gears77]

Hi,
Am I dreaming? Is there any hope of finding the sweeping header new or repro?? Or good used? There are plenty of the non super sport headers but the super sport sweeping right headers are so iconic to the look.
I have the stock header but I can't imagine any chromer willing to contaminate their tanks with a polluted header.

I really want it chrome. Ceramic or heat wrap just don't have the look.

What ya think?
Thanks.

[bryanj]

That is a very difficult part to find, all you can do is keep trawling the auction sites

[Scott S]

 Show us some pics of your header. From the front and the other side of the bike.
 There are some products and treatments you can use to bring back a LOT of the luster of chrome. What shape is yours in?

[dave500]

do your best to clean the old header inside and out and show the platers,ive had filthy headers de-chromed at a plating place,they came out like new raw steel.

[wolf550]

there is one that comes and goes from japan that is nos super sport for 3K.
that is the only one new that I have seen.

the last good set through F.B. mkt was for 900.

[kerryb]

I am reluctant to get into this now, but here goes...I have an f 550 exhaust that doesn't look too bad.  It came on a parts bike I bought for the engine.  How good do you need it to be?  I know, pictures, but I haven't taken any of the exhaust.  I will.

[Flyin900]

As noted above it can be done at a platers shop. I have done lots of high end restoration and my plater has done many exhaust systems for me. I do try to clean the inside somewhat, yet they use plugs the seal the system up, so it doesn’t contaminate the tank.

Downside is typically $800-$1200. + for a header system. Possibly more depending on the amount of metal prep work needed, if the headers have gouged areas or dents etc.

Well worth the expense if you can justify the cost vs buying an aftermarket system that normally is a repop of the original part if/when available.

[carnivorous chicken]

I've found that 550F headers have not  been too difficult to find, and has been reasonably priced: $150 - $200 or less depending on condition. Admittedly it's been a couple years, but I sold a complete exhaust with a decent muffler for $200 5 years ago. Maybe the last couple years have seen an increase, but I don't think the headers were too hard to find and I imagine they're out there still.

Similarly, I had a few exhausts plated over the years in Phoenix and the most it cost me was $250 or so, again a few years ago. I had a bumper for my '64 Valiant straightened and rechromed for $300. Chrome pricing depends on where you are and the environmental regulations. Phoenix, I'm guessing, is at the low end of the cost spectrum -- but it might make it worth it to send it there or elsewhere and pay for shipping to save money overall. And I've never had a plating place tell me they couldn't do exhaust.

[dave500]

im in the garbage industry,years ago i delivered 3 or 4 skip bins at a chrome platers here on the gold coast,they have to have the tanks cleaned and desludged PH neutalised and what not,we picked up the bins once full and the owner told me it was $25,000 for the process thats done on some i forget now regular bi annual program?we didnt empty them straight away but had them sitting in a yard for a month,all this green almost glow in dark copper sulphate looking #$%* with yellow and brown swirls was oozing out of the rain drain holes,once we emptied them they rusted right out in no time!toxic acidic #$%* no doubt?

[jlh3rd]

Hi,
Am I dreaming? Is there any hope of finding the sweeping header new or repro?? Or good used? There are plenty of the non super sport headers but the super sport sweeping right headers are so iconic to the look.
I have the stock header but I can't imagine any chromer willing to contaminate their tanks with a polluted header.

I really want it chrome. Ceramic or heat wrap just don't have the look.

What ya think?
Thanks.


from 2019....

[Kevnz]

Let's face it, chrome work is expensive. This little lot, plus the 2 fenders cost me $2,200 about 2 years ago, and I can't imagine it's any cheaper now. But you will probably find the finished product better than factory.

[doomsayer559]

On my '76 Shiny Orange 550F my father hacked the muffler off in a drunken stupor. Cutting the end of the header off with it. I think it could be repaired. But I was a little disappointed in that move. But I couldn't be too upset. He bought it new and that was before I inherited it. I now run a Delkevic header and Cone Engineering shorty reverse cone. Excellent exhaust.

[carnivorous chicken]

I called the place I last used to chrome an exhaust, and they quoted me between $300 and $400 for a complete 4-1 (as an estimate, they'd have to see it first). Location matters.

[newday777]

I called the place I last used to chrome an exhaust, and they quoted me between $300 and $400 for a complete 4-1 (as an estimate, they'd have to see it first). Location matters.

Hmmmm. I have a Kerker 4into1 header that needs rechrome. And some fenders and some handlebars.

[RAFster122s]

We need to setup someone with access to a good chrome shop in Mexico, they could have a side hustle doing bike rechroming work as an intermediary taking parts to the chrome shops once a quarter or however often the demand would warrant…
Biggest challenge is not having parts received that really shouldn’t be rechromed as they won’t look good afterwards because of dents that cannot be fixed or are too far gone…

[carnivorous chicken]

We need to setup someone with access to a good chrome shop in Mexico, they could have a side hustle doing bike rechroming work as an intermediary taking parts to the chrome shops once a quarter or however often the demand would warrant…
Biggest challenge is not having parts received that really shouldn’t be rechromed as they won’t look good afterwards because of dents that cannot be fixed or are too far gone…

I've thought about this as well since I live in Mexico -- although I'm in Mexico City, not anywhere near the border. I do have a friend who is just across the border from Yuma and he has a huge collection of old cars and does resto-mod work. He might have a connection. But... I'm too busy to manage it. The other tricky part is that you can't bring spare parts into Mexico without paying a bribe or taxes. If you want to bring a bike, you have to demonstrate that it is running -- although I think this isn't really enforced. There may be some way around it if you demonstrate that you are doing business in Mexico and bringing everything back, but I dunno.

At the same time, I've brought plenty of spares in my luggage for my 350F flying back from Phoenix without any hassle. I think it's just luck of the draw.

[Stev-o]

Cen Tex Plating in Austin will work on exhaust.  I had an Kawasaki H1 exhaust [3 pipes] plated a couple years back, I think it was around $400. Family run place been there forever...  [since '60]

https://centexplating.com/