Black Chrome

I m looking to have some pieces of my Commando
black chromed. Heard it isnt cheap.
Any happy customers out there who can give me
a source?

Whereabouts in the world are you?

If you are buying new, then Paul Bryant of Viking Exhausts in New Zealand will do some for you.
http://www.vikingexhaust.com/

Beware Pual means well but his shops don't always produce em to even fit or finish to last a season or so. Make sure you make it clear on returns if test fit not good but once sorted set installed its as good as it gets.

Hi, If you're in the U.S. then a company in Fresno California called Meclec (www.meclec.com) does a great job with the black chrome. But, before you plate a bunch of parts with the black chrome you should know that it's a much softer finish than regular chrome or nickel plating and scratches VERY easily. If you even polish it with anything but a micro-fiber cloth you'll see a million small scratches. I think that's why it's not used more........... Cheers :mrgreen:

Hello Goldengatebikes,

I see this is your first post, welcome! nothing goes unnoticed. for long, around here...

Black chrome is georgeous stuff, but if it is as soft as mentioned, maybe you look for the DLC (diamond like coating) found on all sorts of high stress parts. I have no idea if it is generally available, or what its cost may be, although what I seen it on (JS Engineering wrist pins, Ducati fork stancions) leads me to believe that it is hansomely expensive (must be good...)

RS

Hi Roadscholar, thank you. Yes I just joined the forum. I recently picked up a '73 commando and will be restoring it over the winter. I'm a Triumph guy normally but have always wanted to get my hands on a Norton. I figure I can get many of my questions answered through this group and hopefully avoid some costly mistakes along the way!

I have had some parts plated with the black chrome and although it's absolutely beautiful stuff I wouldn't use it again unless it's on a show-only bike. And you're absolutely right, it's about half again as expensive as regular chrome plating.

I have a set of Viking exhaust pipes on my Fastback and they are a perfect fit, have the original kickstarter and it has never hit the muffler. I know he backs his product without me going into details about how I know.
Ian

Recently I was looking to get some exhausts coated black, black chrome was hard to source. One website that I did like the look of was Zircotec and their ceramic coatings, it used to be very expensive but seems to getting cheaper, I think this is the way I'll go when I re-new my exhausts. It seems to be common in the race world to use this ceramic coating as a performance boost and safety as it allegedly keeps the exhausts from getting very hot. Reviews only seem to support the application by the appointed Zircotec workshops, and that other ceramic coatings don't seem to last well.