Couple of Motorcycle Questions

[Marnoot]

My wife and I just bought a 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan 500.

Question 1: Somewhere along the ride from the dealer I got some... something on the left exhaust pipe. Looks kind of like (but pretty sure it's not) mud that I swiped onto the tailpipe with my shoe when I missed the kickstand. It baked on pretty well whatever it is. I used a blue "non-scratch" 3m scrubby (it ain't non-scratch for chrome! Won't do that again.) and some Goof-off. That got rid of most of it, and the scratches from poor tool-selection are only visible from a few inches away. All that's left is a quarter-sized coppery colored spot.

I'm having trouble getting the last of it off. Still not sure what it is. I've heard 0000 steel wool can be used with plenty of elbow grease without scratching the chrome. Anyone have any experience with this method?

Question 2: While overall the design of the motorcycle is great, the placement of the OEM helmet lock is atrocious. Assuming you can get your helmet strap into the deep recess to get it successfully locked, you then have to be careful to keep the helmet from resting on the hot tailpipe. Anyone have any experience with some good aftermarket helmet locks I could place elsewhere on the bike?

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

step one is teaching wife she is resposible for cleaning and polishing bike  if that works please report back and tell us how you did it

[coppertales]

Get a plastic covered cable and lock to attach your helmets to the bike.  Can't help you with the poo on your pipe.  My bikes are 26 years old so I don't worry about things like that. But, with a new bike, I can understand your problem with it....chris3

[Gewehr98]

The pipes on my 2 bikes are a pretty shade of purply-blue.

They used to have a lot more shiny silver chrome on them, and I also used to use Blue Away almost religiously.

After I saw some bikes being trailered to Daytona during Bike Week, I'm not so concerned about the discoloration, anymore.

Blue Away works, if you really want to maintain the shiny chrome finish.

[MillCreek]

Some Mothers PowerMetal scratch removing polish, followed up by Mothers chrome polish, each applied and polished with a microfiber cloth, may be just the ticket.

PS: My maxi-scooter and Suzuki DR650 have very little in the way of any shiny bits.  The scooter has a chrome exhaust shield.  I polish it on occasion, but with our weather, keeping the shiny bits polished is something I more or less gave up on a long time ago.

[Marnoot]

I'm not too concerned with bluing and such over time. Looking well-used-but-cared-for doesn't bother me, but the splotch of unidentified crap on the pipe needs to go. 

[Lee]

Sorry, no answers here...but I never leave my helmet strapped to the bike.  It cost me too much and there are too many jerks in the world.  I've heard quite a few stories of straps being cut for spite, and or bodily fluids deposited in helmets.  Either way, I need that helmet to wear home. I got a givi top case that locks.   

[bedlamite]

Check the corner of your boot heel for a melty spot.

[Marnoot]

Check the corner of your boot heel for a melty spot.

  First thing I checked. No melty spot.

[Thor]

You MIGHT try some toothpaste (like Pepsodent) to remove the rest of the stain. Another thing to TRY might be oven cleaner. I had a spot on my old KZ 550 that was caused by a lady friend's boot heel. It got "baked in" and I never worried about removing it.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I've heard quite a few stories of straps being cut for spite, and or bodily fluids deposited in helmets.

best trick is a whole bottle of nair  dump it in when its warm and has time to dry before they come back  when they sweat in helmet it reactivates and will create very odd pattern baldness. optional to own up to it. some folks have no sense of humour