HELP....my shiny exhaust on my XVS650 has got a big blob of plastic melted on it. How can I get it off without scratching the chrome to bits                                                                                                                                                                             

Hi there ogr... due to the odd occasion to have had a girlie passenger not wearing sensible boots/shoes I have used an old penny to gently scrape off the plastic as it is softer than the chrome surface then a quick polish...dont use a newish copper coin as they have a high nickle iron content....easiest way to check the penny is with a magnet if it sticks dont use it.....hope this helps.......

How about copper pipe cut in half well polished edge and use as a scraper ?                                                                                                                                                                              

  Depending on how big the blob of plastic is   I've used the following method   As I've had to remove the melted remains of a ladies boot heel from a silencer before   Heating up the plastic with a heat gun or hair drier & slicing off as much as possible, is a good start   For the residue, wait till it's hardened again, then adopt the suggestions above   A fine "suede" or brass wire brush (softer than the chrome) will get the last bits off     I find it's best to do this when the exhaust is hot *   Final polish with Solvol or chrome cleaner of your choice & job done     * Chrome is a very hard but quite porous metal. Minute particles of plastic will be embedded into the surface. Getting the silencer hot will expand the surface and mke it easier to dislodge any remaining deposits                                                                                                                                                                               

I 've had the same problem with my dragstar. used the same method as emzed. but I don't use the solvol in a tube as it scratches the chrome.

Solvol do a liquid chrome cleaner in a tin. you have to work harder to get the last few spots of plastic off but the result is better.

As  for the hole in my waterproofs best cure I found was the bin. Then fitted a heatguard to the exhaust.

Some great advice there.. Thanks guys!

Ziggy seems to have more of my textiles on his exhaust than I have on my leg 

I'll definitely be trying this!

I don't suppose anyone knows how to repair molten holes in textiles do they?                                                                                                                                                                             

Duct tape is great for repairing them and its waterproof-ish
                                                                                                                                                                             

Ahhh John... as you know Duct/Gaffa tape is my bestest friend.. seeing as Ziggy is held together with it.. I may as well colour co-ordinate my textiles too

Cheers hun