
Originally Posted by
upperb
I first used exhaust wrap in the late 80's on a friend's FZR400 road racer. I did so after reading about it in a book entitled "Power Secrets" by legendary stock car builder Smokey Yunick. The book is no longer in print. However, from time to time, a copy will appear on ebay (for a hefty price). Lots of interesting stuff in that book, including the benefits of using as long a connecting rod as possible and how air flows around valves. The guy was an innovator, to say the least. If you come upon a copy, grab it.
The thinking regarding exhaust wrap, was that the wrap would keep the exhaust gas temperature up and, as such, allow for better scavenging. We didn't have access to a dyno, so, quite frankly, I'm not sure whether it improved performance. It definitely looked cool, though. I still remember all the riders/mechanics who noticed it on the primary tubes that were visible, coming over and asking about it. However, for the reasons Lee pointed out, it doesn't belong on a street bike.