SkyTeam paint finish attacked by Fuel

[Plado]

Not sure if this should be in general topics but I have to ask all you experts on motorcycle paint finishes what I can do about a serious problem with my new SkyTeam V-Raptor 250 purchased a couple of months ago.

I filled the fuel tank almost to the top in readiness for a week away in Wales and I towed the bike on a trailer in hot weather not realizing that the hot weather expanding the fuel and the shaking of the bike caused by the trailer in tow at 60mph caused some of the unleaded petrol (Gasoline) to spill out from the filler cap even though it was properly closed and locked. The fuel spillage wasn't discovered until I'd stopped by which time it had evaporated and left horrible dark grey streaks that have eaten through the glaze and stained the paint beneath.

Now I would have thought the Chinese manufacturer would have sprayed the gloss glaze with petrol-resistant lacquer but I'm sure now that they haven't done this. Without delay I found some T-Cut abrasive polish for reviving paintwork but that did nothing to cut into the paint the way it does with old jaded car finishes, because the tank is sealed with this gloss lacquer.

I have tried all manner of remedies but I fear the tank will have to be resprayed. That is a very annoying thing. Who in their right mind designs a petrol tank that has its finish attacked by spillages when such things are highly likely to occur even when filling up with petrol at the pumps where the fast flow is going to fill the tiny tank in seconds?

I have a good mind to send the bike back to SkyTeam for a warranty tank replacement. But I thought it might be best to put this question here to see what folks advise who may have met this problem before.

Looking forward to some advice here please if anyone can push me in the right direction.
Thanks
Plado

[FastDoc]

That sucks.

With all the collective exposure we have had to Chinese paint quality I don't think any of us have had any serious reports of damage on exposure to petrol.

I wonder if your tank's paint was not defective somehow?

Perhaps Skyteam will compensate you with a replacement tank.

[SpudRider]

I would certainly contact Skyteam and ask them to replace the fuel tank. You have nothing to lose by asking them to honor the warranty.

[SpudRider]

I have moved your thread to the Dual Sport Forum, where it will get more exposure.

[migu]

i have the same bike, (black fuel-tank) an there was some spillage when the bike was send to me. i took some car-polish and it looked like new again.
I think Skyteam needs to give you a replacement tank

[Krasi_BG]

I'm 99% sure I have done some small spillages when fueling the same bike (red tank), and I don't have any marks on it. Either yours is faulty, or gas drops must be wiped off quickly when they occur.

[Weldangrind]

If they won't help you with a warranty claim, perhaps a local body shop will spray it with clear for you for a good price.

[Trailbikeryder]

I was on a trip to Ireland the last few days and didn't see this post. You probably have a yellow V-raptor, right?

No worries. The same thing happened to me a few times. It looks like the paint has stains, but this will disappear after a few days and you will see nothing! I still have some brownish stains around the edge, but you don't see these when the cap is on. The long drip stains on the side will go away after a while.

[Plado]

Thanks to SpudRider and all the others who have commented. Sorry to be late in responding but I've been away again for a few days.

Now I must say I think I will ask SkyTeam what their opinion of this is.
I've not had the marks disappear over days in fact it's now 13 days since the spillage dried on the bike on a baking hot day whilst on my trailer being towed to Wales.

I've tried to use Yellow tinted T-Cut to no avail. I even tried a paint polish restorer near the worst stains by the fuel filler cap but it rubbed right through the finish and left a grey spot about the size of a thumb-nail.

The stain has gone right through the glaze and possibly even marked the yellow base color. So I think either a respray and refinish with some proper fuel repellant glaze as a final coat, or see if I can get SkyTeam to honour a new tank under warranty.

I'll report back what they say. I don't hold out much hope because they may decide to tell me that in the User Manual (Handbook) it says to wipe off any fuel spillages immediately to avoid damage to the paintwork finish. Well I've never had spillage affect paint on a Japanese or German or British built bike in my life. So who's at fault here?

Catch you later
Cheers
Plado

Originally Posted by SpudRider

I would certainly contact Skyteam and ask them to replace the fuel tank. You have nothing to lose by asking them to honor the warranty.

[Plado]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

I have moved your thread to the Dual Sport Forum, where it will get more exposure.

I forgot to thank you SpudRider for moving my thread to a more appropriate place. This reply is to serve two purposes but I think it would be silly to reply to my own last posting in the thread so I thought I'd combine it with my thanks to you.

So what has happened? Everyone who suggested I should contact SkyTeam to tell them what had happened, was correct. I rang the important guy at SkyTeam in the next County (Somerset) to where I live in Devon. He was very helpful and told me it is a known issue affecting only bikes supplied to the UK and only certain examples are affected.
This points to there being something orrible' in UK Unleaded petrol and the finish on some examples of the new machines is being attacked by the chemicals in said petrol (gasoline). He asked me to take some photos of the damage and send them to him in email and he will submit a request to the factory in China who he says are very good and he's pretty sure he can get them to send me a replacement tank.

The downside is that it may take up to 8 to 10 weeks but that's no big deal for me. I am reassured that there will be a good outcome to this as a warranty claim. I had to add to the email the 17 character Frame number stamped on the Headstock which was no problem.
Photographing the stains was another story. Even though I have a superb digital camera it was hard to find the right light to show the stains in their worst light. I got there by moving the bike into my garage and photographing close-ups of the worst part where the fuel streaked out from the filler-cap both sides and then also three lines of stains running down both sides. There should be enough for them to see just how serious the stains are on a colour like Yellow. It certainly hasn't improved just leaving it for a week and a half.

So I now wait and see. I'm very reluctant to putting any petrol-resistant glaze sprayed over the top of the factory finish when the new tank arrives. I've heard some pretty bad reports by people who tried that and the aerosol of glaze was not compatible and caused the finish to craze. Imagine trying to get a warranty replacement after doing that

My only worry for the future is how can I protect the finish from this happening again? Certainly I won't tow the bike on a trailer with a tank chocked full of fuel. I may even have to put some kind of seal under the filler cap such as polythene or cling-film but I have to be sure the filler cap can still "breathe" through it's expansion vent or the whole thing could get very messy indeed. I'm sure to wipe off any spillages as they occur and probably it would be a good thing to polish the new tank liberally with a silicone slippery wax such as Liquid Diamond Polymer or Turtle Wax - or maybe some of the expensive Carnuba Wax that costs about 25 pounds ($50) a tin There's sure to be a wax that would borrow time if some spillage does occur - as there is a risk even when filling up at the pump.

Enough.
I'll return to this story when I get the new tank or respond if anyone has anything they'd like to say.
Cheers and Beers to All
--
Plado

[SpudRider]

Thanks for the update; I'm glad to hear your report of good customer service. After the new fuel tank arrives, please do post some photographs of it.

[Plado]

I'm not sure if I should post this here or tell the admin part of the forum but maybe you could pass this message to the appropriate area or paste it where it matters.
It is with much sadness and regret that my SkyTeam V Raptor is no more and I will never ride again due to a very serious accident that nearly took my life and put me in hospital for 20 weeks,
As briefly as possible the account is as follows:-
Afternoon of July 26th 2014-
Riding home on a 50 mile round trip to help run my bike in, I was half a mile from home when an old man of 85 with a heart pacemaker driving a Peugeot blacked out at the wheel and his runaway car oncoming headed straight for me head on. I was doing 30mph so was he and apparently I tried to swerve by counter steering, but at a closing speed between us of 60mph there wasn't time or anywhere to go.

His car struck my right side smashing my leg and threw me 30 feet through the air and totally wrote off my bike,

I was air lifted by Helicopter 30 miles to hospital
One month in Intensive Care in induced coma.
Lost my right let above the knee.
Broke my pelvis in two places.
Damaged nerves in neck right arm and right hand.
Lost the top half of the middle finger of my right hand.
Had damage to kidneys and liver.
Had 7 general anaesthetics.

I remember nothing of the accident so no flash backs or nightmares. Hospital attendance was spread over 4 places finally in a recovery hospital that prepared me for getting up and sitting in a chair, then doing exercises to stand but not walk,
When pelvis is strong enough to stand impact of walking I will be sent for training and fitting of a prosthetic leg sometime in 2015.

Luckily I got compatible with a wheelchair and was sent home to my wife just a week ago in time for Christmas.

I wont be riding any more as I am concentrating on having Car and RV converted to special controls for disabled who have lost a right leg.d

Luckily my wife wasnt on the pillion as she would not have survived. I was wearing armored jacket and a good crash helmet, so that likely saved my life but only just. Claims for damages are being made. The driver surrendered his drivers license to the police and wont ever drive again. He should have done that ten years ago.

Ive had 50 years of good safe biking but at 68 Im ready to pack it in so wont be able to contribute much to this forum now. Thanks to all who helped me with advice earlier this year. Much appreciated. we none of us know when the cosmic fly-swat will strike next.
Cheers and Beers to you all
Plado (South Devon England)

Originally Posted by SpudRider

Thanks for the update; I'm glad to hear your report of good customer service. After the new fuel tank arrives, please do post some photographs of it.

[Weldangrind]

Good Heavens! I'm so grateful that your life was spared. I'm very saddened to hear about your accident.

[SpudRider]

My goodness! I am very sorry to hear of your accident, but I am glad to know you are recovering so well. Thank you for checking in, and letting us know what happened. We will remember you in our prayers.

[Krasi_BG]

Whatever one says in a situation like that it won't be appropriate I guess....

We're all glad you're still amoung us and made the effort to write your post. I know we're too spread around the world, but I'm sure that if by some strange fall of dice any of us is near you, we'd be glad to take you on a ride as pillion (if not let you drive ).

Cheers, and wish you trouble-free recovery!