Fuel tank paint Blistering

[Rusty]

Despite all this do you still like the bike?

I have 99% of the time never had issues with any of the bikes or cars that I have owned ... the turbo on an old Fiesta and the spokes and wheels off a GS that were all sorted under warranty. My mindset is that all these things are mechanical and occasionally they break and you may be the unlucky owner at the time .... despite these misfortunes I loved my little Fiesta and of course the GS and would never put anyone off buying one.

I hope you still like the bike .. when it,s all up and running the GTR is a super bit of kit. 

[pross]

Hi Pete,
Bikes great, proper bonded, performing brilliantly over my latest excursions. Never uncomfortable dispite the shite road surfaces I came across in Scotland/Italy/ Bosnia and the like. A bit addicted to the howl when winding on, which could get expensive, always gives the grin factor, always stable. Unfortunate that the engine runs so dirty. It's probably the only thing that would make me change. If citys continue with emission bans and it starts to affect when and where I can go somewhere. Luckily those citys in France that have introduced emission limits aren't on my radar anymore, been there done that.
what about you, are the bar stewards spoiling it for you?
It's just come to mind, on my second service at Seastar Superbikes in Newton Flotman. Although I was sat at the dealers for the entire time - from behind the counter "We've changed the battery in your keyless fob" not "do you want us to change you're fob battery". Ok I said, looked at the bill three quarters of an hours labour £52.50 + VAT = £66.00.
That was the end of there piece of rope. If it takes me 10 minutes I must have got distracted.

Hi nitty gritty. This is me Pross ( Tony ) lol 😆.
I love the bike it's my second one. First was an 09 in the faster black now owned by brizzle bob 👍.
As I said annoyed bye some Kawasaki personnel not all  who don't give a toss about the product or their customers the only time I would look at changing is if the bike weight became an issue.
Bye the way grey is the second fastest colour don't believe people on here lol 😆   

[Nitty Gritty]

Sorry Tony, my brain fart, age related I'm afraid.

[flatfour]

Was the bike supplied by Seastar? I just wondered, as I have bought two new Kawasaki's from them and had quite a lot of work carried out on other bikes by them as well. During these dealings (over some 20 years) I've never found them to be anything other than very cooperative and if they have supplied the bike, I would have thought that they might have helped more as a matter of goodwill. They've certainly taken that approach with me, when I've had the odd problem with a warranty claim that might be considered borderline.

If they didn't supply it however, the rules set out by Kawasaki for warranty claims will surely be followed precisely, as they have not made any money from the sale to be able to contribute from their side.

If it were me (with some 45 years of motor trade experience, much of it with manufacturers and importers) I would take it up with the supplying dealer, whoever they are. If you do end up with court action, it will, in any case surely be with the retailer, as the last link in the supply chain.

[Nitty Gritty]

You've got it spot on Flatfour, thanks for your input. The bike was purchased from Preston Superbikes (to be fair to them they haven't been involved in the build up except for telling me my local dealer should sort it out for me) they are where the buck stops as far as litigation is concerned. I've no beef with either dealer, whoever assesses the photos of the fuel tank paint at Kawasaki London could do with coming to look at the "tank". Apart from that, I accept this is probably a rare maybe even a one off issue which is always difficult to claim under warranty. So after 15 months I've given up on the warranty route and I'm now pursuing the consumer rights route, just to bring the 15 month feck about to a conclusion. With your many years in the trade have you come across a paint assessor/expert witness by any chance as the nearest that I've found so far is in Bristol.

[flatfour]

Most of my time working for manufacturers and importers was spent in the Far East (Japan and associated markets) or North America, so I have had little to do with UK outlets.

If it were my bike, knowing that you will have to have the tank repainted anyway, I would take it to a really good local body shop who have carried out paintwork to motorcycles before (they are around, the last one that I used for my restorations was near to Cambridge and although it has since changed hands, the same staff are probably in place) and ask them to offer a professional opinion as to the cause of the problem when they strip the tank for paint. (This should cost you little or nothing more than the repaint alone would).

I would pay for the work (and report) and then send copies of the entire invoice and report to the supplying dealer, together with a solicitor's letter demanding full reimbursement within a short period (perhaps 14 days). This is, in my opinion the quickest and easiest way to move matters along and, if it does not work you've left the option of the small claims court open. As to how the supplying dealer recovers their cost well, that is a matter for them to negotiate with the importer.

The engagement of an "Expert Witness" will take time and not actually move the job along, and you will anyway have to pay for their services yourself pending any possible reimbursement by the supplying dealer.

Anyway, that is how I would address matters. Whether you follow this route or not is entirely a matter for you and as I am sure you will understand, I will not be responsible for its outcome if you do decide to try it, succeed or fail!

[Nitty Gritty]

Hi Flatfour,
thanks again for you're input.
The selling dealer is making efforts to resolve the issue, so things are on hold for a short while to let them have their shot at sorting it out. It could be a replacement or a spray job.
I would prefer to choose the painting company if it comes to respraying, but I'd be on dodgy ground after painting if there we're further problems. So I'll let them sort it, If it looks anything other than a new tank in the right colour I will go a similar route to the one you've discribed.
I'm a little concerned if they respray the tank the option for an experts oppinion has gone unless I pay for one beforehand. Vidoes have already been taken with the bike running and close ups of all the panels. A visit to my local spray shop, although they've no interest in going to a court to be witnesses, say warranty job, somethings wrong with the base coats.

[Nitty Gritty]

UPDATE, Fuel tank delivered by hand to Preston Superbikes (selling dealer) as they wanted to see it, they had it a while. They maintained the same line - "shown it to two paint shops with over 30 years experience in the trade - as previous dealer - physical damage". Sent it back to me via a courier, even though I offered to collect the same way as it was delivered and warned they should pack it suitably to travel through a couriers system. It's arrived back proper knackered, front, back and sides bent dented and scratched . Contacted Preston Superbikes and so far total silence. Strangely the cardboard box doesn't show any signs of major impacts, which looking at the damage to the tank you would wonder whether the damaged happened before it was put in the cardboard box. Has the whiff of a possible insurance scam. I took the tank, once unpacked, to a paint shop near me just to check I wasn't barking up the wrong tree. Diagnosed - Micro blistering, no hesitation, any paint shop worth their salt would recognise it. So slightly reassured I wasn't going completely barking...

[flatfour]

As suggested earlier, a good local paint shop and a solicitor's letter might have been the way to move this forward.

Years ago when I worked for a vehicle manufacturer we had lots of problems with micro blistering of paint, generally thought to be caused in our case by top coat being applied before primer was fully hardened. Eventually the top coat would craze after weathering, leaving the impression of "worms" under the paint. A bare metal strip was the only real cure at that point.

In our situation, this most frequently occurred when a model was on "run out" in terms of production and the track in the factory was being used to produce the new vehicle, with a few of the outgoing model being squeezed in when time allowed.

Whether or not this was the case with your bike who knows, however the GTR was probably in its last few months of production when yours was made?

Anyway, I hope that you find a satisfactory resolution to your problems!

[O.C.]

UPDATE, Fuel tank delivered by hand to Preston Superbikes (selling dealer) as they wanted to see it, they had it a while. They maintained the same line - "shown it to two paint shops with over 30 years experience in the trade - as previous dealer - physical damage". Sent it back to me via a courier, even though I offered to collect the same way as it was delivered and warned they should pack it suitably to travel through a couriers system. It's arrived back proper knackered, front, back and sides bent dented and scratched . Contacted Preston Superbikes and so far total silence. Strangely the cardboard box doesn't show any signs of major impacts, which looking at the damage to the tank you would wonder whether the damaged happened before it was put in the cardboard box. Has the whiff of a possible insurance scam. I took the tank, once unpacked, to a paint shop near me just to check I wasn't barking up the wrong tree. Diagnosed - Micro blistering, no hesitation, any paint shop worth their salt would recognise it. So slightly reassured I wasn't going completely barking...

Unreal .... forgive me for asking but have they returned the correct tank   

[Lonewolf]

I feel you have galloped past the point of no return and now need to take this matter to Court. It's  a matter of principle now, obtain a professional report from the company who gave you the confirmation which you have referred to, submit a copy of it with a seven day deadline and then commence proceedings through the small claims Court. Contact every bike magazine you can thing of, contact trading standards, contact Kawasaki direct, consider stating they are in breach of contract for not entertaining the extended warranty. Take advantage of Social Media to get the attention of Kawasaki.

[O.C.]

And if all else fails question their parentage    

[Nitty Gritty]

Fuel tank update:- it has returned from the paint analysis company. Paint too hard, over stoved (I assume too hot when painted), Paint too thick on the top of the tank (lowest 250 micron, maximum 300+). Painted more than twice, Paint too thin on the underside (35 - 45 microns) causing premature rusting. Conclusion "NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE", get in there, couldn't get a better result. Packaging inspected that the tank was returned in. Conclusion - Damage didn't happen inside carton, no paint residue present from impacts that knocked paint off the tank, carton shows no signs of the major impacts the tank must have gone through - cost £192. £100 odd quid for the county court and hopefully Bobs your uncle. Getting xmas out the way, then totting up the costs involved in dealing with this issue, Invoice in - 14 days to pay - then court appearance - be a change not to be in the dock myself

[Lonewolf]

Excellent news, you would think common sense would now prevail and they would just reimburse the costs without challenging the results and wanting another personal inspection.

[Nitty Gritty]

Fuel tank paint update;- Nailed it, Case won, Judgement awarded. Preston Superbikes responded to a county court summons with -  total silence.  Says a lot about customer care, if they can fob you off they will, I assume hoping you'll go away. If in the future you're in the market for a new bike or new kit, I would avoid, shop elsewhere.