Motorcycle Gas Tank Repair | FZR1000 Restoration - EP3

The original gas tank was so badly (rust) damaged that I didn't think I'd be able to use it. I bought a spare gas tank as soon as one became available in hopes that it might be in better shape than my original one. These Genesis fuel tanks are quickly becoming unobtanium.

The original tank needed a lot of work - the rust was so bad that there were holes left in the tank after the paint stripping and acid dipping. The spare tank turned out to be in much better shape but still needed repairs before it could fend for itself in the wild. Both tanks are now prepped in a 2K epoxy primer but still need the cosmetic body work done before they can be painted.

A lot of people have mentioned the POR-15 tank sealer product and I considered that for the original tank. I'm not a fan of single part (air dry) products - they just don't have the long-term chemical resistance to fuels that contain alcohol. What I found was MAX GRE which is a two-part epoxy specifically designed in fabricating carbon fiber fuel cells and is completely resistant to all fuels (gasoline, alcohol, diesel, etc.). Since I have a lot of confidence encapsulating the tank with a fine fiberglass cloth, that's what I've chosen to do (I've built a number of boats). It may not be conventional thinking for motorcycle restorations, but for long-term results, I think this is going to work best.

Teaser at the end...you'll see what's coming next.