US vs China/other chrome

[baylensman]

So I bought some bling last year. Some of it from china some of it was US stuff. My bike is outdoors in FL sun and rain always, tried the cover thing but with the winds on the coast it just beats everything up.

 

Well the think that gets me the most was the exhaust clamps I got for the conversion to HD mufflers, there were some cheapos out there but I though, this gets hot then cold then hot again and takes a lot of abuse so I bought the expensive (Baron's) US heavy duty triple chrome clamps for $60.00 bucks. Well the cheap fog lamp bar has held up better! That $30.00 bar to hold my passing lamps from china looks like it just came out of the box, the clamps are starting to rust right at the fold. I did naval jelly the rust away then polished and waxed, but the wax is probally gone (melted) in the first couple of miles.

 

the radiator shell looks new, the caliper covers looks new. The driving lights look new. The bag rails Look new(Yamaha)

the switch block (again $$ US made) replaced due to discoloring. the fog lamp swivel brackets look like **** (US made from auto parts store) going to replace. Stainless steel flag stand (supposed to be stainless US made) is mostly orange with rust except the staff itself. the luggage rack (Chinese) is rusting at the all the joints. the front fender rail is rusting at the joints (Yamaha)

 

No point to this just relaying my experience. My Bike is my car, I ride it every day regardless of the weather(unless i'm picking someone oe something up and the Lincoln starts LOL) letting you all know what held up what didn't so far.

[Condor]

The orange Stainless is due to the part being cast out of 304 SS rather than marine grade 316 SS. OOOO steel wool should clean it right up. The 'triple' chrome probably didn't have the copper nickel base plating??

[djh3]

My high dollar Kuryakyn pegs look like ****** too. I figured it was because they get alot of road debris and sand blasted sort of. But they dont have big nicks,just the chro,me is fading and looks sort of whitish.

[Condor]

My high dollar Kuryakyn pegs look like ****** too. I figured it was because they get alot of road debris and sand blasted sort of. But they dont have big nicks,just the chro,me is fading and looks sort of whitish.

 

They gotta buy them from a manufacture somewhere. Maybe China?? I just bought a set of those long horn mounts off ebay to take a look at them. They haven't arrived yet, but any day now. If you need them quickly this isn't the place to pick them up. Wish they made them out of Stainless.....

[OutKast]

The poor quality of current US chrome is because EPA regs pushed the cost of the good stuff beyond reach. Regulations of brass plumbing fittings have doubled the cost recently. We are using stainless pipe and fittings in lieu of brass now cause it is cheaper. Bought a stainless steel hose bibb this week because it was cheaper than the brass.