Chrome Header pipes

I'm looking for recommendations for a chroming service.
I prefer chrome headers on my pipes but after the ones I had from new started crazing and rusting, I replaced them with a SS set. However, I'm not overly enthusiastic about the various shades appearing along their length so it will be off to the chrome shop with them and I'll refit the shabby/slightly dented/rusted ones in the meanwhile.
Can anyone recommend a service in the UK they have personally used and were 100% with?

I can’t offer any chrome plating recommendations, but I keenly watch for other doing so, I’m quite interested in doing the same.

An alternative, with stainless systems, is to get them re-polished every few years.

http://www.chromerestorationspecialist.co.uk/ Based in Folkestone Kent are high end chromers & I would imagine top money to ,I used them back in the early naughty noughties to chrome & alloy polish my RD400 ,spent £1000 then on the bits & bobs,however I did win best restored bike in 2001 RD club rally.
Back in the seventies/eighties I’m pretty sure jap bikes had double skinned down pipes, so mainly the reason a lot of them looks so good, insulated by air the outer header pipe didn’t take all the heat from engine to discolour , Is this right ? Mind you Steve the Lincolnshire poacher has a very early 961 with great chrome down pipes ,have they alwAys been like that Steve ?

When I look at the pics of super bright n shiny chrome, it makes me think that chrome down pipes would make the silencers look dull and yellow ish.

Thus necessitating having them chromed too...?

StuartSF2015 said:

I'm looking for recommendations for a chroming service.
I prefer chrome headers on my pipes but after the ones I had from new started crazing and rusting, I replaced them with a SS set. However, I'm not overly enthusiastic about the various shades appearing along their length so it will be off to the chrome shop with them and I'll refit the shabby/slightly dented/rusted ones in the meanwhile.
Can anyone recommend a service in the UK they have personally used and were 100% with?

Click to expand...

I would NOT replace the SS for chrome.
If the color change is bothering you, have the SS header pipes ceramic coated inside. This will do two things.
1) stop the header from changing color.
2) keep the heat inside the header and keep the header cooler.

Good Idea ! Or get them wrapped in Mummy Tape ?

Forgive me Stuart as I think it was me that put this idea into your head. However, it seems it may not be such a good idea...

I spoke to both platers suggested (in this and another thread).

One won’t do stainless. Period.

The other will, but warned that with heat, the plating may eventually separate from the base metal.

So, it seems Voodoo’s suggestion may be the best one.

For those interested, a company called Camcoat do this in the U.K.

Some years ago (2008) I looked into ceramic coating for my Hinckley Bonneville's pipes.
The final finish has a chrome-ish appearance but without the luster of real chrome.
The point where your chrome silencers meet the headers looks weird because of the difference in finishes.
I was told at the time that you could not polish ceramic coat, so I ultimately decided against it.
However I subsequently learned that it is possible polish the ceramic finish for a brighter appearance.

Site here in the US:
https://www.jet-hot.com/

Voodoo’s suggestion is to coat the INSIDE of the pipes.