gas tank dent - Honda Shadow Forums : Shadow Motorcycle Forum

Doc V · 02-04-2012, 04:32 AM

So i bought my first bike not to long ago and was so desperate to get one i didnt care much about the dent it has on the right side of the gas tank. Of course now that i have been riding it a bit its becoming more of an eye sore. it looks like they painted over it with some flat black paint that seems to be holding pretty well. I realize that the best bet would be to just get a new tank but cant really afford that right now. I was wondering if i could throw some bondo or something over it smooth it out and paint it. Any help would be greatly appriciated. Even if its just hey you idiot thats a bad idea.

some pics of the dent

Thank you

Schattenreiter · 02-04-2012, 06:41 AM

That dent looks a little too deep for just bondo. You need to get as much of the dent out as possible before putting on bondo. It doesn't do well with thick coats. On top of that the dent has multiple pockets which will make removal a little harder. You may need professional help with that one.

Doc V · 02-04-2012, 07:42 AM

yeah i was afraid of that. bars are pretty bent to. maybe 2.5 inches off. fml. oh well still rides like a champ

still_bluenoser · 02-04-2012, 07:52 AM

If your on a tight budget than you could give it a try. Fill it with fiberglass though, it doesn't shrink and crack at all when it cures in thick coats. Top coat the fiberglass with bondo, than spot putty.

Wont be a professional job by any means, but it sure will be better than what you've got.

And replace those bars

dernp · 02-04-2012, 09:58 AM

Sounds to me like the bike may have been in a crash. You might just want to check into the bent bars a little further for your safety.
Just my 2 cents.

Inferno · 02-04-2012, 01:15 PM

If you are patient you can get a tank off of Ebay for about the same amount of money as buying bondo, sand paper, and paint.
The Ebay tank may not be perfect either but it will look better than the one you have.

And if that's not an option then for a REALLY CHEAP but not perfect repair, get some sort of vinyl decal that would spread completely over the dent. You can have a graphic that would "hide" the fact that there's a dent. Then you could either pack some bondo in the dent or just have the vinyl decal float over the dent.

To keep the decal from sticking to the dent and then following the contour, just spread a tiny bit of oil where you don't want the decal to stick.

Hey, you wanted CHEAP, right?

93gc40 · 02-04-2012, 01:56 PM

Do a Youtube search on "paintless tank repair". With a properly bent steal rod those dents can be massaged, out from the inside.

Ps69pher · 02-04-2012, 10:05 PM

i've have dealt with a similar situation but i ran into a lot of opposition towards using bondo on a motorcycle. do you think they can do a PDR job without a shiny surface cus after watching some videos i see that they use the reflection of a card to tell when the surface is just right. also has anybody had any luck using a hot glue and slide hammer kit or is it too think?

John Hopkins · 02-04-2012, 10:15 PM

Ebay tank is the best option..second choice is see if a tire lever will reach the dent from the filler neck and gently try to tap the dent out by hitting the lever against the inside of the tank with a hammer, third option ride it as it is..

John.

Lakota · 02-04-2012, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93gc40

Do a Youtube search on "paintless tank repair". With a properly bent steal rod those dents can be massaged, out from the inside.

^^^^^^^
This. It's your best bet. At least try it, first.

02-04-2012, 04:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
Doc V Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 9	gas tank dent So i bought my first bike not to long ago and was so desperate to get one i didnt care much about the dent it has on the right side of the gas tank. Of course now that i have been riding it a bit its becoming more of an eye sore. it looks like they painted over it with some flat black paint that seems to be holding pretty well. I realize that the best bet would be to just get a new tank but cant really afford that right now. I was wondering if i could throw some bondo or something over it smooth it out and paint it. Any help would be greatly appriciated. Even if its just hey you idiot thats a bad idea. some pics of the dent Thank you

02-04-2012, 07:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
still_bluenoser Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Nova Scotia Canada Posts: 3,206	If your on a tight budget than you could give it a try. Fill it with fiberglass though, it doesn't shrink and crack at all when it cures in thick coats. Top coat the fiberglass with bondo, than spot putty. Wont be a professional job by any means, but it sure will be better than what you've got. And replace those bars __________________ 1981 cb750c with 900f forks, cams, oil cooler. 1983 vt500c 1979 cbx

02-04-2012, 01:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
Inferno Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Portland, Or Posts: 1,242	If you are patient you can get a tank off of Ebay for about the same amount of money as buying bondo, sand paper, and paint. The Ebay tank may not be perfect either but it will look better than the one you have. And if that's not an option then for a REALLY CHEAP but not perfect repair, get some sort of vinyl decal that would spread completely over the dent. You can have a graphic that would "hide" the fact that there's a dent. Then you could either pack some bondo in the dent or just have the vinyl decal float over the dent. To keep the decal from sticking to the dent and then following the contour, just spread a tiny bit of oil where you don't want the decal to stick. Hey, you wanted CHEAP, right? __________________

02-04-2012, 01:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
93gc40 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Visalia, CA Posts: 2,576	Do a Youtube search on "paintless tank repair". With a properly bent steal rod those dents can be massaged, out from the inside. __________________ 93 VT1100C Harley Killer (1150cc), VH Exhaust, 2mm sleeved and bored, Modified Heads and Valves, Adjustable Timing, Touring Seat, Baby Apes, Metzlers

02-04-2012, 10:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Ps69pher Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lebanon, Indiana Posts: 21	i've have dealt with a similar situation but i ran into a lot of opposition towards using bondo on a motorcycle. do you think they can do a PDR job without a shiny surface cus after watching some videos i see that they use the reflection of a card to tell when the surface is just right. also has anybody had any luck using a hot glue and slide hammer kit or is it too think? __________________ 1988 Honda VT600c

02-04-2012, 06:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
Schattenreiter Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Eastern North Carolina Posts: 939	That dent looks a little too deep for just bondo. You need to get as much of the dent out as possible before putting on bondo. It doesn't do well with thick coats. On top of that the dent has multiple pockets which will make removal a little harder. You may need professional help with that one.

02-04-2012, 07:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Doc V Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 9	yeah i was afraid of that. bars are pretty bent to. maybe 2.5 inches off. fml. oh well still rides like a champ

02-04-2012, 10:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
John Hopkins Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Tredegar,South Wales, near England, not far from Scotland. Posts: 1,993	Ebay tank is the best option..second choice is see if a tire lever will reach the dent from the filler neck and gently try to tap the dent out by hitting the lever against the inside of the tank with a hammer, third option ride it as it is.. John. __________________ Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes right to the bone.

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