Black Chrome - experiences ?

D

DavidH

Senior member
I,m looking at a new exhaust system for our Sprint JOTA.
Once of the choices is a full Malcolm Cox black chrome system.

As the JOTA came with black headers and silencers when we purchased new back in November 84, I'm not averse to going with the black chrome, but am wondering how servicable it is.
All experience gratefully received
 
Hi Dave, hope you're doing well if you're getting my drift. Years ago when we all had 860 bevels there was a lot of chroming happening and my brother had the Jota bars on his black chromed to see what it was like. Thats not a big surface to get a good effect on but to me it came out in a blackish-blue look, almost like it was mottled and tarnished.Not a consistent colour at all and that was Premier Plating who did great work. I expected it would be deep black and shiny, so I wasn't that impressed. So that's my sample size of ONE so not so conclusive statistically. It sounded like a great idea at the time, maybe Malcomes does come bright and shiny black and if it does that would be pretty sexy.
 
My sample size of 1... my second bike (the CB250N only lasting 3 weeks before being found too slow...) bought in 1989 at the age 16 and 9.75 months was an '82 GPz550.  Cracking bike, loved it, first of the Uni-trak ones, red with the bikini fairing.  Anyhow, it had lovely black chrome 4-into-2's - looked awesome.  Now in fairness the bike was 7 years old at that time, but my experience of black chrome will indelibly be the left hand muffler blowing out from rust on the THIRD DAY I owned it!  A severe financial blow at that stage of life, I think I managed to go halves with the bank of Dad for the replacement Hanco 4-1 which was really loud and therefore extremely cool when you're that age (and even now come to think of it).

What does that tell you?... Nothing!

Actually, now I think of it, Craig Mac has black chrome exhaust system on his (black) SFC1K, made in NZ but a long while back.  They look good.

I'd say go for it, it's a rare option these days as not many chrome places will do it.  The alternative would be to buy them unplated (if he sells them as such) and get them black ceramic coated here.  That is perhaps closest to the original finish (??) and perhaps the best finish for longevity also.
 
I have a Malc Cox system , black chrome on my Jota.The headers have discoloured  Malc has been at great pains to say he will redo them , but its an effort to take them off send back etc and they are not so bad that i can make the time to  go to the trouble. I would buy them again and the silencers look great..i  cant say how they would cope with day to day use or bad weather. I had actually bought a ceramic finished collector from Malc and used that..there were some ridges inside which had to be ground out to get the silencers to fit, but all ok now. They look and sound great.
 
I have seen them on several bikes  he has prepared and they do look really good - I had Kawasaki?s for years with black chrome and they took a bit of tlc mainly WD40 in those days - Malcolms finish is far better than any of the jap versions
 
Is it actually black chrome, I dont understand, but what I can say is that the Black chrome system on the old duffers 1200 all black Anni turned into a green colour and is coming off.
CLEM
 
Paul Marx said:
Wouldn't any chrome discolour on our Laverda with single walled exhaust tubes?

Paul
Click to expand...

As Paul says, downpipes are bound to discolour whether the finish is the normal 'silver' or 'black' chrome.
Many do not realise that 'black' chrome should not be subjected to traditional chrome polishes, which will scratch and, ultimately, wear through the 'black' finish.
 
I went for the black chrome on Malc?s Atlas exhaust system for my bike in full expectation the original finish wouldn?t last for ever, but what finish does? It?s probably going to last better than some other alternatives. If I remember, I will take a photo tomorrow so you can see how they are faring after a few months use.
 
The Cox system I have on my 500 has done a few 1000km's now and has shown a very light "greying" of the surface for the first 6 inches or so from the head. This has proven easy to clean off with a damp rag - which I have done once so far. Rest is perfect.


Rob
 
My black crome Jota  style pipes from Malcom are excellent and light but loud!
The small inner tubes have bigger diameter and they are very short. For me it is too loud for driving on streets in Germany.
Maybe you think about it and he can do it in a different way, smaller dia and longer.
Andre
 
Paul Marx said:
Wouldn't any chrome discolour on our Laverda with single walled exhaust tubes?

Paul
Click to expand...
  I went another route and got the headers and collector box ceramic coated, fantastic looking finish, and never gets that heat induced color changes, also got the exhaust flanges coated too. Ceramic coating can be done in just about any color you want, Cheers Dave
 

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Thats how I did mine as well, it was very nice for the first 5ish years and then it gradually needed some Autosol and a scotch bright to get looking good. Even so its gradually dulled to a grey finish from its original pretty shinny look. Its never been as shiny as a good 3 coat chrome finish but its never blued or rusted either.
 
I have been using stainless for about 36 years on 40 year old TOG, they were not even new when bought, two years ago I had to repair the fronts of the Jota pipes as they had become very thin and where braking up, cost nothing as done at home, except the polishing which I do every so often, maybe four times in all those years, doesn't cost much, and if the system is adjusted (which in my case called for cutting and welding) so as to be sitting on the bike with no stressing at all, they have lasted all this while, they never look bad and when re-polished for a few quid look brand new again.
what's not too like?
CLEM
 
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