UK heat-protection company expands into local market

Ceramic coated exhausts protect riders and their pillion passengers from burns and the application means bikers can dispense with heat shields and protect paniers and their contents from heat damage. Motorcyclists who do a lot of long distance touring will know that heat damage to paniers and their contents is a particular problem when the exhaust silencer reaches high temperatures during the course of the journey. A spin-off from the UK nuclear industry, Zircotec first began developing coatings for motorsport and automotive applications back in 1994 when it developed a coating for the Subaru World Rally Team to help reduce in-cabin temperatures and improve driver comfort.

Zircotec delivers a wide range of coating services to protect components against the effects of heat, wear, abrasion and oxidation and the company's plasma spray technology allows engineers to optimise material performance in a range of demanding applications including automotive, motorsport, marine, aerospace and industrial. The new flexible ceramic coating that is now being applied to motorcycle exhausts is the first of its kind, providing lightweight thermal protection with dramatically improved ease of installation. The company's engineers pioneer solutions to help manage heat and control temperatures in various motorsports, including Formula One, where thermal management solutions are vital in protecting sensitive, carbon composite materials.

Zircotec's sales and marketing boss Peter Whyman explains that having developed and supplied ceramic coatings to car manufacturers and motorsport teams for many years now, the company is keen to extend the service to more motorcyclists. "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," he said. As part of its development program, 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 was applied at Zircotec's factory, the rider conducted a three month trial, clocking around 8000km on work, social and leisure trips. The bike was kept outside under a cover. The bike was ridden in the winter months in snow, salt and grit on the roads, as well as heavy rain, cold, wet conditions and warmer, wet conditions and the real world test confirmed that the ceramic coating did not falter and it withstood the varying weather conditions without compromising on performance or suffering any blemishes. For further information about Zircotec visit www.zircotec.com or contact [email protected]