After reading all the headaches people have had with melting fairing lowers, I decided I wanted to do something about it when I get my new bike. I checked into a coating used on alot of race cars and bikes, called HPC Hypercoat. It is a ceramic type paint that is applied at the HPC factory, in a variety of colors, and it reduces the temperatures outside the pipes by about 50%. It is also claimed to increase flow speed and also horsepower by 1-5 hp, depending on applications. I think it is only a couple hundred dollars, and it would be a rust and corrosion proof coating, a horsepower increaser, and a very good looking and lightweight way to stop the fairings from melting. Has anyone used this HPC coating? Is there any reason to not use it on the MV? It seems like the perfect solution to me.

-- Tom Lyons (twlyons@juno.com), February 12, 2003

Answers

Also, I think if you did it all the way back to the tips, you could eliminate the "hot seat" effect that is commonly mentioned, when the exhaust heats up the seat, making it uncomfortable. As well as keeping the heat out of the computer.

-- Tom Lyons (twlyons@juno.com), February 12, 2003.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I have a 2001 MV, and even in the middle of the summer here in Arkansas (where the temperature can easily break 100F with 90% humidty) I haven't had any problems with melted fairings. The heat shield is looking a bit brown in one spot, but after almost 2 years that's nothing.

As far as the "hot seat", I don't notice it at all. Spend the money on the RG-3 exhaust.

-- Brad Cowell (bcowell@sbcglobal.net), February 12, 2003.

Do they have a clear/ almost colourless coating? Just askin'. thanks! :)

-- dza (dzaprojects@yahoo.co.uk), February 12, 2003.

I have the '00 F4S and I've never had a problem with melt down. However, during hot weather in traffic the seat is not so bad but the fairing touching my thighs will cook my skin right through my jeans. I end up with a red welt on my thigh which can last for hours. It's the main reason I avoid traffic like the plague. Otherwise, I'll have to ride with my knees away from the bike.

-- Tony Perez (tonymvf4@aol.com), February 13, 2003.

They have the Hypercoat which is good to 1600 degrees F, in colors of polished silver, semi-gloss red, gray, black, blue, green. They have the Extreme Hypercoat in semi-gloss black and semi-gloss gray only. The Extreme is good to 2500 degrees F. It has a lifetime guarantee for corrosion-free protection of the header. They don't list their prices, but I think it is around $200-$250. The Hypercoat reduces skin temp of the header by 35%, and the Extreme reduces it by 50%. They have examples on the site, of race engines that had between 10% to 13% power increases from using this coating. And they show pictures of bike headers including a Ducati 996. It is currently used in many areas of racing including NHRA, Winston Cup, Marine racing applications, and others. It can be applied to used exhaust systems, as well as new. In my opinion, if I can help to save my fairings, make my seat more comfortable, provide lifetime header protection, and increase my power by a couple or more hp, for a few hundred dollars, I think it's worth it. I'm going to buy the Special Parts racing headers, and have them Extreme Hypercoated in semi-gloss gray. And I'm going to buy the RG3 slipons, and have them Hypercoated in polished silver. Heck, with the 146hp SPR, if you add the racing headers and RG3, you move up to about 155 crank hp. Add the Hypercoat and maybe 3-5hp more, and you are at the same hp level as top liter bikes.

-- Tom Lyons (twlyons@juno.com), February 13, 2003.

In my experience, none of those coatings work. The only way to really reduce transmission of heat is to have a barrier that is NOT attached to the item producing heat, but rather suspended directly above / along side it. This is why manufacturers build heat shields such as those on Ducks and our MV's that are just a centimeter or so above the surface of the exhaust pipes to protect our legs. When heat is dispersed from metal to air -- even if only a little bit of air -- it is very difficult for the air to "reheat" something else (i.e., a heat shield). Note that the heat shields are almost always made out of steel or aluminum plate, which is extremely heat conductive and therefore proves how difficult it is for the hot air just beneath the shield to actually heat the shield itself. If you don't believe me, take the factory heel guards and heat shield off your MV and go for a ride and see how much hotter it is. The only way to protect your legs/fairing pieces is by having a barrier that is NOT touching the pipes, so its logically not possible for those coatings to work.

Put even more simply, IF the coatings worked, why doesn't ANY manufacturer (cars or bikes) use them? This is akin to brake dust shields that can be inserted inside car wheels to prevent black brake dust all over your front wheels? IF they weren't bad for your car/brakes, then why doesn't Mercedes/BMW/etc. use them?

-- Frank Tavani (ftav4444@yahoo.com), February 13, 2003.

Well, I don't know Frank. It seems it was good enough to be on Jeff Hornish's Indy car when the won the IRL title in 2001. Also on Bobby Rahal's Indy car when he won the Indy 500. Sterling Marlin uses it on his Winston Cup cars and wins alot. Car Craft did a test and said it lowered exhaust skin temps, as well as the entire engine compartment temps. If you aren't having a problem, then don't use it if you don't want. I think I'm going to try it.

-- Tom Lyons (twlyons@juno.com), February 13, 2003.

Tom...I buddy of mine had the header pipes of his Triumph Daytona T595 done by a company called JET-HOT (same or similar exhaust coating). He said he did notice a little bit of difference as far as heat transfer. The biggest benefit was in looks. It looked good. The pipes were no longer discolored. I'd like to here back from you after it's done to hear your opinion.

-- john milotzky (jmilotzky@wi.rr.com), February 13, 2003.

Keep in mind Tom that a lot of racers and even magazines use/endorse/say good things about a product not so much because of a material benefit it offers, but because they are paid to do so. I know I sound like a prick sometimes, but my statements aren't just based on pomposity, but some real life experience -- I actually had pipe wrap on my 748S. I was tired of my legs getting fried in the summer! I painfully wrapped and then coated the wrap with layers of silicone spray. It took about five minutes for the wrap to get just as hot (or close enough) as the pipes themselves. It looked cool, but didn't help my leg.

If you go to Ferracci's website and look under "Ferracci specials" you'll see a yellow 2002 748 he is selling. Click on the image. You notice a heat shield he designed on the pipe. It covers the entire length of the pipe, is aluminum, and sits just above -- but not on -- the pipe. Seems to me something like THAT would work great.

Also, look at Honda's new VFR. It has large heatshield literally wrapped around its new underseat mufflers. Again, they do not directly touch the muffler's skin and are also aluminum (or steel).

-- Frank Tavani (ftav4444@yahoo.com), February 13, 2003.

I think it's important to consider costs to manufacturers in a discussion on coatings. Various coatings are used in all sorts of static and fluid applications, turbines, housings, headers, exhausts, brake calipers, pistons, hubs, etc. Look to just about every extreme form of motorsport and you will find an assortment of coatings employed; Le Mans, F1, WRC, etc. Coating compounds are costly themselves and extremely labour intensive to apply. This is why you don't often see them on OEM applications. Heat shields are much cheaper and easier.

I'll be interested to see how it goes. Is it possible to take some before and after readings for a bit of data logging? Don't forget to consider ambient temps and humidity. Thanks, James C Dallas TX

-- James C (jamesacorell@hotmail.com), February 13, 2003.

I've used them on several full exhaust systems and on top of pistons. It works and is cooler to the touch onthe exhaust. It is good for a little more HP and reduces the heat from the vertical cylinder on my 916SP. The coated high pipes on my Monster no longer melt my boots.

Some people are coating the exhaust ports on air cooled motors to reduce the heat transfer.

The stuff works--and the world is round....

-- martin wong (martin@motowheels.com), April 23, 2003.

franks onto something here, take a lok at the ducati 999 and see the muffler looks solid but its just a aluminum skin over the real muffler, and runs real cool on the biposto, passenger complaints -zero

-- david rookaird (rookaird@cs.com), April 24, 2003.

hey guys,

i just got a 748, i haven't ridden it much in traffic or slow conditions to warrant any concern. however, if the time comes, id rather not found out if the exhaust can melt my shoes. could someone point me in the direction to prevent this. several posts earlier mention a heat shield over the pipes, about 1/4" above the surface should cure the heat. does anyone build a heat sheild for the 748/996 models that does this?

-- beeb rock (beebhouserock@yahoo.com), May 03, 2004.

Going back to the orriginal problem of overheated fairing pannels.

Yes the left hand side fairing lower is at risk. If the inner heatsheild slips (the glue can fail) then it can be damaged.

If you look at the clutch cover bolts you should see one with a rubber cover, bottom right corner. Take this one out and replace it with a 10mm longer bolt with a nut. Use the nut to tighten the bolt then put the rubber stopper back on the bolt head. This will push the fairing a little further away from the exhaust mid pipe, allowing more air to flow through as well.

Total cost 50pence (or about $50 at the current exchange rate ;- )...)

-- Mark M (m.magenis@btinternet.com), May 04, 2004.