These are the two pictures i had of my exaust and I really want it to shine,not like chrome but like original, the discoloration from heat i get i can't really get rid of. I'm not so much concerned about the can (because im going to replace it) as i want the midpipe and headers to look nice, any advice or is this even possible

 

Try some "mothers" aluminum / metalpolish, or something similar?

 

You're going for a satiny type shine, right? Take it off the bike and wet sand it; I startmaybe a 500 grit to take those scratches out.
Set it on a chair or flat surface, get a bucket of water, wet your sand paper, and go to town. Once your satisfied the whole thing has been sanded thoroughly in one direction, go to a higher grit and sand perpendicular to your last. This will show you when you've sanded away any lines left by the last. By the time you get to 900, 1000, lines will be hard to come by. I'd stop at 800 and rinse it real good, dry, then polish up with some Mother's aluminum polish. See how it comes out. If not satisfied, go up 100 grit.

 

i dont think that aluminum does it anyway but will it tarnish at all? or is that what the aluminum polish does?

 

I almost forgot to add, it might have some kind of clearcoat on it from manufacturing, so you might want to start with a more aggressive grit. Aluminum will oxidize, more or less depending on where you live. The mother's does a good job of polishing up the metal and sealing it a bit. It'll keep you from having to repolish every 2 weeks. Maybe more like months? You just have to keep an eye on it.
Here's a clutch cover I did, ending w/ about 1000 grit IIRC and some mothers. You'll be surprised what the mothers does. When you think it's got a good satin sheen on it, you can use the mother's and it'll shine like this:



[IMG]local://upfiles/32480/3599222BFD6B4B5F9D80A24E38D09584.jpg[/IMG]

 

awesome, thats just what im looking for, thanks alot

 

am i also correct in believing that the headers have some sort of crush gasket that i would need to replace if i too them off to polish

 

I can't say, I don't have an F2. If they're like lots of Honda exhausts they will. For what it's worth (nothing), my bike did. Check parts diagrams, they'll have your answer.

 

So how did that work out for you? Pics?

 

The F2 does have the copper crush rings for the exhaust headers.

Just FYI. Roughly a couple bucks each.