My son has a 2020 Klx300r. Just recently the header pipe started glowing red after about a minute of run time during warm up. We took it to the dealer and have been told it's a normal condition. This hadn't happened in the first two years of owning the bike and now it's happening. Doesn't seem normal to me. Anyone else have experience or advice on this?

 

When I got mine I remember reading that it was indeed "normal." Almost right away though I put a new exhaust and power commander on it, so I never fully experienced that issue.

 

Yes, it is normal. Even in freezing temps the head pipe on my SR500 got glowing red when I let it warm up for a few minutes. Within seconds, once going, it was no longer glowing due to the air flow over it. Most any single wall exhaust will have this happen. Google "exhaust glowing red" images and see what comes up. Cars, bikes, ATVs all have it happen. Nothing is cooling the exhaust except the air around it. No movement, no flow, no cooling. Here's a good explanation at ATV Connection - click here.

Here is a picture of Ryan Villopoto's KX on the start line with his head pipe glowing red. If it wasn't right I'd think his mechanic would take care of that. I't normal.




As one rider posted in one forum, the bike isn't meant to sit and run, it's meant to ride. The air flow of the ride cools the exhaust, but even then the pipe may be glowing, but not able to be seen in normal lighting. It's just the way it is. Street bikes use double wall exhausts or heat shields to cover the pipe and not have the chrome turn blue. I will say if you see a street bike with stock double wall exhausts that are blue up by the head, the rider has a habit of letting the bike run too long in warm up, while sitting still.

 

The stock KLX exhaust is designed to contain heat to make the emissions restrictions. The R runs a little cooler than the SM or DS as the exit is slightly larger in diameter.




I run an FMF header and an aftermarket exhaust so it doesn't glow.