Is this pipe turning blue bad? I have two people tell me yes and one no.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/craig.hager/Ducati/photo#5240439079282953970"><img src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/craig.hager/SLnHk9u8TvI/AAAAAAAABBE/d9YzZogSUbk/s144/IMG00111.jpg" /></a>

A certain amount of discoloration is normal.
IMHO yours appears to be running lean / hotter than normal. Check your spark plugs.
White tips = lean.
Tan tips = good.
Black tips = rich.

my pipes are doing the same thing (quat D x box on an s2r1000)

plugs look fine
bike seems to running great

Your blue pipes are probably normal, particularly if your bike is equipped with an 0₂ sensor and running closed loop.  Some cruisers avoid this by using double walled pipes.  If you want peace of mind do a plug check.

Opps no O2 full Arrow system stock ecu and airbox.

Quote from: Gofaster2 on August 30, 2008, 07:18:56 PM
Opps no O2 full Arrow system stock ecu and airbox.

I assume thats a 1000 DS engine.  Those engines tend to run a little lean from the factory, so with the full Arrow system and stock ECU, it is probably a little too lean.  Are you getting any surging at all?

But as several have suggested, just pull a plug and take a look at it.  Also, is the other exhaust header blued as well?  If it isn't as bad, that could indicate that your TPS isn't properly synced.

The other pipe is blue too maybe a touch less, the photos makes the pipe a little bluer then it is. I think I took it after a long ride. I will pull a plug tomorrow to check.
It does surge a little when riding if the rpms are under 4K. Its very slight kind of like chain surge if you know what I mean. Hard to explain, it is very touchy on the throttle and having a qtr turn throttle doesnt help much.
Any online articles about syncing the TPS?

Quote from: Gofaster2 on August 30, 2008, 09:16:02 PM
The other pipe is blue too maybe a touch less, the photos makes the pipe a little bluer then it is. I think I took it after a long ride. I will pull a plug tomorrow to check.
It does surge a little when riding if the rpms are under 4K. Its very slight kind of like chain surge if you know what I mean. Hard to explain, it is very touchy on the throttle and having a qtr turn throttle doesnt help much.
Any online articles about syncing the TPS?

I know exactly what you mean about the surging.  A 14 tooth front sprocket, if you don't have one, will take some of that out but I would think most it means your lean.  There were a lot of threads about surging issues on TOB (ducatimonster.org -- The tech database is the only thing that place is good for anymore) as well as some about adjusting/checking the TPS.

The TPS is usually synced during the valve service.  How close are you to that?  If you plan to take it to a dealer for the valve service, I'd just wait until then.  If both pipes are blue, the surging is most likely coming more or completely from your Air/Fuel mixture.  I'm not that familiar with the FI bikes.  Some of them you can get a PCIII to correct fuel/air issues and some of them you have to get the DP ECU.  Their might also a couple other small fixes.

Definitely check those plugs and let us know what they look like.  Post a picture of them if you can.

Here is left side horizontal cylinder plug. Looks fairy normal maybe just a touch lean.
http://picasaweb.google.com/craig.hager/Ducati/photo#5240673143368605458 

Quote from: Gofaster2 on August 31, 2008, 06:31:14 AM
Here is left side horizontal cylinder plug. Looks fairy normal maybe just a touch lean.
http://picasaweb.google.com/craig.hager/Ducati/photo#5240673143368605458 

Your camera focus was on the bike, so it is a little hard to see the plug.  But the plug looks okay, but it is more in the lean spectrum than the rich.  Did you see any white or light colored residue on them?  If so, then you are defintiely too lean.  If you could richen the mixture a little, the bike and you would probably appreciate it.  Ducs (most engines) tend to run better when a little rich than when a little lean.

Another thing is that the plugs tell you more of an average situation in the engine.  You could be really lean at certain RPM's, but the plugs won't show it immediately unless your so lean you actually burn the electrode.  The only way to tell that without dianogsitc tools, is take the bike up to a certain RPM while underload and kill the engine.  Then inspect the plug and that will of course tell you what the engine condition is around that RPM.  Sorry if you already know all this shit.

Quote from: Gofaster2 on August 30, 2008, 03:21:35 PM
Is the pipe turning blue bad? I have two people tell me yes and one no.

Don't hold it so tight 

I pulled the other plug on the vertical cylinder and its showing lean also. Looks like I need to find some stock exhaust for it or just sell the stupid thing. Not dishing out 1100 dollars for a ECU that pricing is just dumb. Guess I should have bought a Japanese cycle instead. Funny part is the shop I got it from said it had a Dp ecu in it. Not liking Ducati right now... Guess this explains why the throttle is so off-on feeling.

You haven't told us what model you are running.  The plugs actually look pretty normal for a modern emissions control vehicle running unleaded gasoline, but if you are running a full system without tuning you are running lean, even more so if you have an open air box.  If you do have a DP ECU there is a CO trim adjustment and TPS needs to be set, which requires setting with the factory scan tool or VDST software.  From what I am reading, your problem is with the shop you bought it from, not Ducati.  Start there.

2006 S2R1k full arrow stock ecu and airbox. I bought the bike used, as is no warranty.

Quote from: Gofaster2 on September 03, 2008, 04:19:39 AM
2006 S2R1k full arrow stock ecu and airbox. I bought the bike used, as is no warranty.

I bought the bike as is no warranty unfortunately.