Repaint the tank
Explanations and practical tips for maintaining your motorcycle
Tutorial for Correct Reservoir Recovery
Lugs, indentations, scratches, paint chips, paint wear, rust ... A motorcycle tank is especially prone to falls, but also wear and tear over time. It often ages faster than other parts of the motorcycle, especially on the outside.
If the tank just has a bump or hole with no paint chips or rust, then you should start with a dent, which is a quick and inexpensive professional operation. We invite you to read our article on the different methods for removing tank dents.
If pickling, anti-corrosion treatment of ferrous metals, good preparation and paint needs to be considered, you can do it yourself. To do this, you need good equipment, a lot of time and a good wrist punch.
This restoration work is time-consuming and tedious, not to mention the cost of supplies. With a slight bump of chewing, sanding can be thought of as filling the dip before sanding and repainting. On the big sink, like on the Kawazaki zx6r 636 restoration, either we aim at the professional, or we change the tanks for a model without dents, even if that means having to repaint it ...
As always with the tank, the tank is first dismantled and left outdoors at least a week before working on it, so there is no more gasoline vapor. It will save you from setting fire to your house by chopping up the motorcycle, which is what happened to this poor biker. Metal, a spark with an electric tool and a little gasoline vapor can actually degenerate very quickly.
Rebuild the tank in 6 steps, empty and disassemble the tank
Stripper
Apply solvent to remove dirt and grease before removing.
Medium grit first, 240 to 280, and then finer grit for finishing: 400, 800 and 1000. Ideally, an orbital sander is a plus to not spend days there ... but manual baiting is possible.
Chemical etching is highly dependent on the quality of the original paint and especially on the quality of the product used. This is almost as long as manual baiting and requires human intervention anyway to clean up the dissolved layers. Not to mention the smell: be sure to have an isolated and well-ventilated place.
Attention, most of the decorations on the tanks are stickers. Some brands lacquer them, others don't. Whatever happens, nail remover or acetone are your allies!
Once the tank is exposed, apply the putty
If necessary, matically lowering or fibrow. For the casing, a plug must be used before the finishing putty.
For fiber, the same applies to what you want to fill. Mediator? Fiberglass body putty. It works like a normal filler when loading fiber. The finish is good and easy to work with. On the other hand, it is very important not to pass yourself into the hardener. Do it well!
Prepare the surface.
A layer of primer or primer is placed. This allows the paint to stick. Pay attention to the primer chosen according to the material to be repainted.
Sand
Optional sand with fine sandpaper (600 to 800). For this, the support must be moistened with soapy water.
Краска
Paint with paint compatible with the primer. Several coats of paint are required, even if well coated.
It is important to smooth out the pigments between each layer and therefore the sand with soapy water.
Лак
Varnish with 2K paint compatible varnish. 2k clearcoat is highly resistant and can be applied to parts prone to scratches and splashes. It is important to apply a good varnish.
Result: the tank is like new
Budget:
A total of over 120 euros of material, paint and varnish ...
Deliveries:
- Sanding cable Fine to medium grit sandpaper (240 to 1000)
- Acetone and solvent, if stickers are available
- Filling putty
- Paint: Count at least two 120ml or 400ml paint cans for the tank and a large 2K varnish bomb. You can contact BST Colors for quality information and equipment.
Another solution
If you don't have the time or desire, you can also consider “covering up the suffering” by choosing a tank mat in the color of your motorcycle. In addition to masking aesthetic defects, it allows you to fix an additional luggage compartment.
