Bikers looking to protect themselves and their pillions and paniers from heat damage caused by their bike’s exhaust can now send exhaust components to thermal management specialist Zircotec for ceramic coating. Heat damage to paniers and their contents is a particular problem for riders undertaking long journeys, as the exhaust silencer reaches high temperatures during the course of the journey. By applying a ceramic coating to their exhaust system, riders gain peace of mind and avoid any costly replacement of luggage, while also gaining the option to dispense with heat shields, as the ceramic offers comprehensive heat protection to rider and pillion.

“Having developed and supplied ceramic coatings to car manufacturers and motorsport teams for many years now, we are keen to extend our service to more motorcyclists,” explains Peter Whyman, sales and marketing director. “Our coatings have been proven to offer a highly effective thermal barrier, and offer a lasting, reliable solution to heat issues for all types of motorcycle.”

Triumph Tiger 1050 trial
Zircotec recently asked a commuter riding a Triumph Tiger 1050 to trial one of its coatings, and report back on his findings. Once the ceramic coating has been applied at Zircotec’s factory, the rider conducted a three month trial, clocking up approximately 5,000 miles on work, social and leisure trips. The bike was kept outside under a cover.

Highly durable, whatever the weather or road surface
The bike was ridden in the winter months, experiencing snow, salt and grit on the roads, as well as heavy rainfall, cold wet conditions and warmer wet conditions. The ceramic coating never faltered and withstood the varying weather conditions without compromising on performance or suffering any blemishes. It was predominantly used for commuting and work trips, often making long journeys, travelling on all types of roads throughout which the coating proved resilient enough not to produce any scratches or chips, even in those areas most exposed to the road. It wore particularly well in comparison to paint based coatings.

Keeping paniers and contents cool
A key benefit was that the rider was able to ensure the paniers and their contents remained completely free from heat damage caused by the silencer, particularly on long journeys. He commented that being able to prevent heat damage to paniers could provide a considerable advantage for bikers using aftermarket paniers, as these are often not as heat resilient as OE specified alternatives.

Rider and pillion legs kept safe
Once the coating had been applied, the rider no longer needed to use the heat shields provided by the manufacturer. He could simply discard these and ride the bike safe in the knowledge that the ceramic would protect his and any pillion riders’ legs from any heat damage. Having the option to increase comfort and safety is becoming increasingly important as manufacturers run the exhaust closer to the rear seat.

Zircotec thermal coatings: a brief history
A spin-out from the UK nuclear industry, Zircotec first began developing coatings for motorsport and automotive applications in 1994 when it developed a coating for the Subaru World Rally Team to help reduce in-cabin temperatures and improve driver comfort. Zircotec has since gone from strength to strength. The company’s engineers pioneer solutions to help manage heat and control temperatures throughout motorsport, including the highly competitive world of Formula One, where thermal management solutions are in strong demand to protect sensitive, carbon composite materials. Its coatings are also widely used within the performance car market with many of the key manufacturers already using Zircotec coatings for heat management. Zircotec’s coatings are also in increasing demand outside the automotive industry, with interest from the industrial, aerospace and marine sectors.

For further information about Zircotec or to make an enquiry about a coating, please visit www.zircotec.com.

About Zircotec
Zircotec offers a wide selection of coating services to protect components against the effects of heat, wear, abrasion and oxidation. Originally developed for the nuclear energy industry, Zircotec’s plasma-spray technology allows engineers to optimise material performance in a range of demanding applications including automotive, motorsport, marine, aerospace and industrial. Its new flexible ceramic coating is the first of its kind, providing lightweight thermal protection with dramatically improved ease of installation.