Header 5 & 6 Heat Shield Results

[Peteg]

I recently installed heat shielding on my 1500 C with 6 into 6 pipes. The shielding starts where headers 5 and 6 exit the heads and runs between my feet and the header pipes back as far as the foot pegs. Initially I had shielding aft of the foot pegs to the back of my foot. Those very ugly rear sections were eliminated during testing as I found no perceptible benefit. I was also running wings.

On my setup, I found the heat shielding to be even more beneficial than wings, and less of a degrade to the look of the motorcycle. Living in Texas I will run with both wings and heat shields in the Summer and heat shields year round as my installation does not allow for easy remove and reinstall without beating up the step flashing covers. I was able to ride down the highway on a 100 degree day with my feet on the OEM pegs without any need to use highway pegs. After driving down the highway at 75 mph with an ambient temperature of  86 degrees I measured the following with the engine running: Header temperature 209 degrees, Upper head temperature 160 degrees, shield temperature 101 degrees. You can actually pull over and touch the metal right around your feet with your finger. All the work is done by 1/2" thick muffler packing installed in the area described above. The step flashing covering without packing provides no perceptible benefit.

An interesting way to test the concept would be to install 1/2" thick muffler packing on one side to do a hot foot cold foot comparison. At this point I could likely bring my step flashing covers to a fab shop if I really wanted black painted steel covers and the steel covers to a finishing shop if I wanted chrome.

The pictures of my finished shields follow.

[Jims99]

Great idea. I know those pipes get hotter than the stock ones. 

[Willow]

Great idea. I know those pipes get hotter than the stock ones. 

They shouldn't.  Less resistance should result in less heat held.  Of course the single walled Cobras (only one version of 6X6) will allow more of the passing through heat to be transmitted by the pipes.  I have 6X6 on three of my Valks and OEMs on two.  I don't touch any of them when they are or have been recently in use.

[Peteg]

Willow, I don't have enough info to know anything but what I have. The reason I've got 6 into 6 is when I decided I wanted to buy a Valkyrie last fall the really nice bike I found had 6 into 6 pipes. The first thing I did when I got home was order muffler packing, so my baffles were packed within a week and a half of ownership. After packing the baffles it seemed like the idle dropped maybe 50 rpms, so I reset the idle and frankly haven't thought about it since. The bike runs great, and now that I ride for mileage it gets about 37 mph, but maybe it's the packed baffles creating the extra heat. All I know is with a high heat index, say 100 degrees, going down the highway at 75, mine was ready to melt my boots. The issue was nowhere near as bad around town, but on my bike muffler packing (heat shielding) made a huge difference. I suppose heavier boots could have a similar effect to the muffler packing (my boots are pretty light). On my setup I found the heat shields to be a no brainer. Of course, probably wouldn't say that if I didn't live in Texas.

[Willow]

... The first thing I did when I got home was order muffler packing, so my baffles were packed within a week and a half of ownership. ... I suppose heavier boots could have a similar effect to the muffler packing (my boots are pretty light). On my setup I found the heat shields to be a no brainer. Of course, probably wouldn't say that if I didn't live in Texas.

Thank you.  I stand corrected.  The added packing creates more resistance than would be in OEM pipes.

Yes, heavier boots would be less susceptible to the heat and provide better ankle support if needed.

Perhaps a set of OEM pipes would serve you well.