Thermal Wrap exhaust

[ghostrider_23]

Is there any benefit to using thermal wrap on a motorcycle exhaust system?

Has anyone done this?

[mass-hole]

I have heard from other people, who may or may not have any credibility, that wrapping exhaust, especially by the headers will increase flow velocity by keeping the gasses hotter. THis makes sense cause hotter gas will want to stay expanded longer and seeing as the end of the pipe is the only way out it would flow faster than if you let it cool. However, you would be insulating the pipe, and therefore trapping the heat inside which may cause u to overheat the pipe. I know on 2006 GTOs, if its not tuned right, the headers will glow redhot without anything on them. Just imagine how easy it would be to do that on a carburated bike with a wrapped pipe. Steel is not supposed to exceed 1000F or it looses its integrity

FYI I used a thermal camera to run a test on my headers sitting idle for a class I was in. Uninsulated and at idle they exceeded 570 F on a fairly cool day.

[noiseguy]

Thermal wrap = best way to rust out your pipe in a hurry.

[Big Rich]

Actually Noiseguy, as long as a good paint is used underneath they shouldn't rust.

I've used wrap on a bunch of different exhausts- but not for the performance aspect of it. I believe any performance gains from the "hotter, faster" exhaust gases would be lost due to the added weight and wind resistance of the wrap. I always used it to keep heat away from everything else- my legs, boots, oil pan, etc.