Started the bike up this morning to go to school, and let it warm up for about 5 minutes. When I went to get on the bike I noticed that about the first 4 or 5 inches of the front header were glowing red. Not sure what the problem is yet, but when I figure it out I'll let everyone know.
I don't know how you can say its normal, I've talked to a couple very experienced techs today, and have gotten some good info. But being that everyone thinks this is normal and that everything is ok I don't feel the need to share the info that I've collected. The problem has been fixed and the bike is running just fine.
You never said your bike wasn't running right. You just said that the pipe was glowing. Not having seen your bike, we responded with our experiences. We weren't trying to withhold a fix from you, so I don't understand the attitude (if that was your intention). Sometimes it is very hard to internet troubleshoot. So if you did find some kind of fix, it would be nice of you to share. Most people here share all their knowledge, for the good of the group.
i got all freaked out when i noticed mine glowing too, but i talked to the buell tech at my dealer( he cares)and he said it was normal, maybe a little out of tune. you should see my bros. harley after idling for a while,shizz! also my nephew's ducati monster. but it sounds like you got it all sorted out so no worries.( ever look at your rear header)
I apolohize for any attitude that it seemed I gave in my last post. I had talked to my Buell instructor and he said it sounds like a couple of things but the thing he said to check first would be check for an intake leak which in turn would cause the bike to run lean. Unfortunately I was "freaked out" this morning and never left the driveway with it, cause I don't feel that should be a normal event. But he also told me that sometime when running them on the Dyno they headers get red like that. He also suggested I talk to my dyno instructor which I did. I explained to him that since I went down I haven't rode much infact its only been about 3 or 4 times since then and the last time was a month ago. He suggested the first thing I do is get out on an open road(which is hard to find in Orlando) and just cruise in 3rd to 5th gear and allow the ECM reconfigure the fuel map. I let the bike warm up like I always do and went on my way, the pipe wasn't red when I left so I don't know if it was a freak thing this morning or not, but definitely the first time I noticed. I'm definitely riding tomorrow morning and going to be checking to see how it looks. Again I apologize for and attitude earlier.
It's normal for those thin headers to glow at idle, you just never notice it because it has to be pretty dark and sitting still to see. Does it clear up as soon as you hit the throttle? If yes, nothing to worry about.
You should see what a 4-stroke MX bike looks like when it idles. The paper thin titanium headers they have will glow cherry red literally in seconds. Blip the throttle and it cools off instantly.
There is no air flow when sitting still idling/reving etc. Thus things will get hotter and not be cooled by the same air flow as when riding. I have owned and seen dirt bikes and 4 wheelers do the same thing when setting still....
when mine starts to get hot I just turn the thing off its done by the key or the kill switch and then I never see anything glow and it starts right back up when i want to go riding... kinda neat
My headers have glowed a couple of times on me. Hell I use the first five inches or so to light a cigarette when I forget my lighter.
You should have seen the headers on my old Bandit 400 after a top speed run.
If you want to see something glow, look up vids of turbocharged cars doing dyno runs. The whole snail shell of the turbine turns red hot, +some of the down pipe.
Thats what I need to check for, I suspect and intake leak as a possibility. I when I used to ride early in the morning before I went down I never noticed it, and now I am so I will have to get into it one of these days when I have a chance.