The 2nd WORST bike we ever SOLD
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- The 2nd worst bike we ever sold was a 2014 Suzuki Boulevard c90. The tank was rusty and clogged everything going to the engine. We thought we fixed it, but it shut down while the customer was on his way home from buying it. How are we going to deal with the issues on this bike that we sold?
The worst bike we ever sold was a Harley-Davidson with catastrophic engine failure!
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I really appreciated what you said one thing that always stuck with me as a kid, 17 years old bought an old Ford truck off the back of the lot $1500 which was huge for me, when I found a problem they treated me like I was trash because it was a cheap vehicle to them to me it was my life savings to that point, now I own and run a trucking company deal with big money everyday but that always stays in my mind how not to ever treat someone.
The local bike mechanic I go to made a simple mistake on a repair he did on my bike, he found and fixed the issue, paid for the tow, and the labor... and more than that he admitted to his mistake.
I don’t trust anyone else with my bike now.
Every other man you meet will have the tools to do the work but only a handful of people you’ll ever meet will have integrity. When you find one you build a relationship with them and work to do them better than they do you.
He's a keeper...
Thats how you make a lifetime customer. I have a few people from cars to bikes to haircuts that I will always trust to do the job I pay them for and to be honest.
Beard cut thru a fake tank - the opening on the top of the tank has hose/ conduit to the gas tank that is located under the seat - google it - I owned that bike - a simple on line s e arc
Sometimes its better to take a loss on a sale to preserve your reputation it gets you repeat customers.
And repeat customers means word of mouth :)
100% agree
Too many businesses do not understand this. Piss people off then go under. I cant tell you how many times a little issue could have been solved but the company refused, made a sour taste and never recommended them again to anyone.
Please use proper rust female process it's so easy to clean
@@benson4u215 i
and that why if i'm ever gona buy a bike it will b from You guys even that i'm live in Poland i never see that kind of commitment thowards a customer You treat them with respect and honesty .. You have my respect ..God bless America
gattling9 wow why not introduce a little hate into this non political channel, give it a break!!!!
That's not America dude, that's not anywhere. These guys are the real deal, all dealerships should be like SRK 😁 I think it's the beards.
I hope one day you get to make it here brother. It may not be perfect, but it is the land of the free, and good people like Sean can be found throughout if you look hard enough.
Niech żyje Polska!!
@@XXX-qk2cq GOD BLESS AMERICA
Im not even Christian but I love SRK because of how moral Sean is. Would buy a bike from them in a heartbeat
He's a hustler like any of them, disguised as a Christian. He never got that guy a "new" gas tank. 10:48
@@dutchdna He let this guy travel and freeze his as off broken down along side the road.
@@gman302 Right. Because that's what Jesus would do. ;)
Customer service like this is rare nowadays! Kudos to Sean and his crew
Karma is a thing. Whatever you believe in.
It’s a shame not every sales person or dealership owner is as ethical as you. Bravo for being a stand up guy.
Dude, you are a real stand up guy, and that's hard to come by these days... To me, this is a big reason why you have a successful used motorcycle dealership and You Tube channels.. Keep up the great work 👍
Yep, I learned the hard way many years ago about a rusty tank. Never try to repair it or line it. Simply replace it BEFORE you run fuel through it. Less expensive in the long run.
You guys are honest and I really appreciate that.
I wonder if someone used sea foam as a fuel stabilizer fir storage? I have seen that stuff leave some nasty residue and it might have ruined the rust preventative in the tank.
You guys do good and have a positive message. Keep it up.
Watched a few of your videos before and liked them but never realised what a good person and business you have going. I'm hooked been watching all your videos now and it's amazing the way you treat people. I'm in the process of selling my vstar and looking for a Harley now I know exactly where I'm buying from. Look forward to doing business with you in the near future
Respect the hell out of this dude for how he treats his customers
Yeah he put some house paint in the tank and turned him loose to to freeze his as off.
I’m in the market for a bike. I live in Dallas but I think you may have just earned a customer. It shows real character to handle that situation the way y’all did. Well done.
I'm 15 right now and I am looking for my first bike that I am willing to spend my (so far) life savings on. Hearing this story I am definitely going to try and buy a bike from you guys because I know I'm gonna get good customer support.👍
It is really great to see someone in business with your attitude towards the customer. If only all business owners did the same. God bless you sir!
Once the tank rusts from sitting half empty it’s as good as finished. You could flush it 100 times but it will never be right. In fact I think it just keeps getting worse.
I got a Honda VTX 1800 with a badly rusted tank, so bad that the fuel filter was completely clogged with rust. I cleaned the tank with Metal Rescue. I did not coat it afterwards. I had to replace the fuel pump, because the filter is in it. Cleaned the injectors. I never had another problem and rust never returned, because I always filled the tank after every ride.
Actually, it is possible to clean a rusted tank, and doesn't take 100 flushes. I've never been a fan of tank sealants, because the liners can come loose and clog things up. One of the main keys to success is adding a clear inline fuel filter to the fuel lines, and check it regularly. I've successfully used both Evapo-Rust and vinegar on rusty motorcycle gas tanks. IMHO, those were the two mistakes made before selling the bike. (coating & no filter).
Good job on taking care of the customer.
Dude tried a BS fix and let his customer freeze his as off along side the road.
100% gentleman outstanding customer skills I wish you all the luck in the world that was the right thing to do 👍
Just gotta say you guys are AMAZING! I own my own business myself and must say that I appreciate your business ethic, attitude and integrity! Awesome as heck!
I'm actually shocked you didn't know why that tank was rusty.
It's not uncommon for bike tanks to rust when the bikes are stored for a significant time empty. Which is why it's a good idea to store them fueled up (preferably with stabil)
Empty tanks collect condensation with humidity and temperature changes..
In the day and age when customer service is thrown out the window, you step up to the plate and hit a homerun. I'm going to be buying myself a bike in the near future and this is the customer service I want. Way to to go guys!
I hate the thought of going to a dealership to buy a bike, but I'd definitely do it at your dealership. You have a great mindset when it comes to these things and keeping your customers happy.
Back in 2012 I was going through a
Hard time in my life. Depressed, caught the ex wife cheating, father had a heart attack, and I was dependent on Percocets to help with the pain of multiple surgeries from a car accident in my police car. I put myself through rehab and it was there that I started to think about riding again. I haven't ridden since 1979. The V rod was the only bike that captured my eye. Anyway fast forward I got the kids( only thing that mattered) and I got the house, had 14 more surgeries and my father passed away from a stroke. I discovered your channel and I have to say it's my favorite channel to watch on TH-cam. I'm looking at a Ktm 390 adventure to get me back into riding. Because I lost strength in both hands I don't know if I could handle a full size bike as a starter bike. Any suggestions I should check? I stand 5'8" 215 lbs. Thank you and God Bless.
patrick mcglone best to go and sit on different ones, feel how hard the levers are to pull, and how it sits.
@@totocall1999 I eventually got to sit on a V Rod and it was like we were meant to be together lol..
patrick mcglone
.
This is a good lesson on what NOT to do with a rusty tank. NEVER try to coat the inside of a tank to repair it. After seeing that disaster I wouldn't hesitate to just buy a new tank and save myself the grief.
1, I wish I lived in the US as I would buy my next bike from you, plan and simple even if I had to wait for you to find one. That is the customer service we need more of, shame these large companies are lacking this sort of thing.
2, Why would anyone give this video a thumbs down, if you did I guess you are on the wrong channel and should move along!!!!
It's because of the new ethanol gas, what you found is getting to be commonplace. Plays havoc with old carburetors as well, it can actually ruin them. That Magna you were working with has a pressed-in/fixed jet for low speed idle. Have seen those corrode so bad that once they're cleaned they're no longer in spec.
Same thing happened to a 2007 kubota 1650 with the old walbro lmk carbs, opened up the carb and the tubber tip was dissolved which makes sense why the motor flooded as its used biweekly
@@benson4u215 I've lost some older 2cycle power equipment to higher ethanol blends, and have read some horror stories of landscapers losing gear and having to constantly check their fuel quality. Honda, sometime in the mid to late 80's began including disclaimers in their owner's manuals about not running anything over e10. It's just going to be a big headache.
You folks are straight up honest dudes in the “gently ridden” motorcycle business, a rarity to behold. 👍🏼 👏 🎩
Good to see you guys standing behind your sale and taking care of the customer. This is exactly why when storing your bike for the winter, tank should be filled completely (right to the cap) with stabilized fuel. Otherwise you can get condensation inside the tank which can rust it out.
God bless you brother, i wish there were more like you out there. Most dealers just want the money and dont care about people👊
I used Evaporust to remove the mild rust from my 1984 Yamaha Virago XV1000 fuel tank. The inside looked like new metal. Premium fuel and some Seafoam is all it gets now. Always store with a full tank before winter. I still have it but now ride a 2018 Goldwing. You are a good person for being a stand up businesman!
Thank you for the Evaporust recommendation, my 1982 xj650j has a horribly gunked tank from a year of sitting
Patience is a must with any product. I taped all openings and rotated the tank day by day for about a week. After that I rinsed it out with plain water and then stuck a shop vac into the fill opening to help dry it right away. Then straight Seafoam to coat the walls. Re-install and add gas. Project Farm on TH-cam also did a test on this type of product.
That’s the reason it had rust. It was never ridden and sat empty of gas and full of humid air. Not unusual at all in this circumstance. I asked this question about a Springer you guys had last summer. It was in my initial inquiry which Caleb ignored. I emailed him when he responded asking this again. Again ignored, after asking for a phone call, I gave up trying to get some answers. I would have likely bought that Bike at any reasonable price, but I didn’t feel like perusing it any longer.
Patrick B
That’s why during the winter time my gas tanks on all my bikes are filled with fuel all the way up. Moisture will settle in bare surfaces and create these kinds of problems.
Patrick B Yeah, I had the same issue with these guys. First bike, I reached out to them and got ignored... Three times that happened with the same bike. Finally I got tired of waiting for a response and just quit trying. Next bike I liked, a few months later, I reached out again. I texted them , no response again, Texted them and got a reply "Are you a interested in this bike"... Again I texted yes I am very interested. I got another text," Are you interested in this bike?" I really was, so I called them! I got an answering machine, whoever was on it sounded pretty drunk with a lot of loud background noise. The message said they weren't open because they had some kinda party to go to... Needless to say I didn't bother them again. Now they have a bike that I'm interested in but I don't know if I'd just be wasting my time trying to get in touch with again!!! Time will tell! Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me! Fool me a third time and I'll believe that I'm the dumbest SOB in the world.
@@davestuart1581 Yep, very similar and what irritated me is filling out the initial email contact form. I kept it brief, but very specific with 3-4 direct questions regarding condition. TOTALLY ignored with a reply like yours. “Are you interested in the Bike?” Yes, and again I asked my questions and nothing, so I made a call. But from them....No return calls, NOTHING. It makes me wonder if Sean reads these comments and or hears about this, as we can’t be the only ones. Sean seems like a good dude, but his staff sucks big time on followup. I don’t ask until I am very serious, but excuse me for having questions about buying a Bike sight unseen.
@@theodoremarakas9899 having learned this the hard way, it’s top of my inspection list. You’d think as many bikes as they buy it would be on theirs too long before this.
@@Patrick_B687-3 It is obvious Sean is just too busy to take time to read comments anymore. He is too busy counting money and ordering tank straps and Kevlar lined gloves to listen to customer feed back. That's why he has Caleb in position as G.M. He doesn't understand that Caleb has his own priorities. Not SRK Cycles priorities! His own. Making sure his phone has a full charge, has the video games he enjoys most downloaded. Has menu's from all the best places to order lunch from etc. So what if returning a call or two slips his mind? What difference does it really make? Customers or potential customers calling all day really is bothersome and makes it hard to concentrate on playing video games or to get a nap in while Sean is at the auction
Greettings from Brazil! There's a lot of comments about ethanol and how bad it is, but... Lets throw some divergent info in the mix... Here in Brazil all gasoline has at least 25 ethanol, and a lot of the bigger bikes are imported or simply assembled here, with minimal changes. Never saw a tank with rust. Even in Harleys. The majority of cars here run in pure, hidratated ethanol (yes, pre-hidratated to minimize evaporation), and rusted tanks are quite rare. Cars imported from EUA use the same 25% fuel, and rust is not a problem, even with the tropical weather. The only problem we have here happens in cars over 35 years old, -adapted- to run on pure hidratated ethanol... The topic is more confusing that it seems at the first glance.
Best wishes to everyone!
I learned in school "Quality is when the costumer comes back not the product." and you are a prime example for this.
I have watched several of your video’s, I find your approach to business so refreshing, I am 75 years old and have been in sales all my working life, my motto was always, don’t lie to a customer and deliver what you promised. You live by the same principals and I have the utmost respect for you and your business. May God bless you with prosperity.
Been in business 30 yrs, eat about 20 percent of your mistakes, make a living off 80 percent.
This one just came up in my recommendations. While it's far too late to be of any help on the tank featured, this can possibly help with future trouble with rust. My experience is with a lawnmower fuel tank. It's an old style set up with the steel tank that is essentially a very large float bowl without a float. The mower was given to me by a lady who lived next door to the people who were having a yard sale. It was a clean looking mower, so I gladly accepted the gift. Probably for her, it was an easy way to get rid of the junk. Once home, I pulled the gas cap and discovered why she couldn't use the machine. Someone, probably one of her kids replaced the gasoline with water some time in the past. What remained in the tank was a heavy load of thick rust. I suppose I could have simply gotten a new tank and carburetor, but I'm an experimenter. First, I tried Limeaway. It made a tiny difference in the rust lining, but was essentially ineffective. Next came Naval Jelly. Less effective. At that point, I only had one possible chemical at the house, that might be effective. It was Bulldozer drain cleaner. Because I was aware of the potential for fumes, heat, and eruption, I placed the mower out in the yard and got the high pressure hose ready. I poured a few ounces of the chemical in the tank from the jug. As expected, it began to steam and sizzle. I stepped back and blasted the opening with the hose, surging out the acid and a great deal of rust. Two more passes, doing the same thing, and the tank was pristine shiny. I used compressed air to dry it out and followed with a spray of WD 40 and more air blast to make sure it was fully coated. I cleaned the carburetor parts, changed the oil and air filter, and it was perfect. The only thing that went wrong with the mower was the wheels' plastic. They had been in the sun so long that they deteriorated and broke. Replaced them with steel wheels and it's still going at least ten years later.
Gas with ethanol sucks, I buy mine ethanol free around the house, fill it up when parked and add gas stabilizer when sitting for long periods.
absolutely! i live in Ca. where supposedly NO gas is ethanol free but i go to a cardlock i cannot mention here for fear of retribution from Ca, DOT or EPA or OSHA or some alphabet soup,and have zero problems except our premium is 91 octane
@@michaelhutson9268 Here in CA the gas is up to 10% ethanol. The higher the octane the higher the ethanol. I run 89 for that reason. It's high enough to avoid knocking but still keeps the ethanol below 10%.
Appreciate your business ethic! I woulda band-sawed that sucker up, down and sideways to see what was going on and where (because I have a bandsaw.) I think the factory tank coat failed. Unless they’re hardcore and don’t mind riding in bad weather (and through midwestern winters!) like some of us, people park their bikes three-plus months are a time. That coating should be able to handle three months or three years, regardless.
Ethanol, FREAKIN’ ETHANOL!!! Evil crap!
Well low okthane Gasolin contain as mutch water
Maybe even more
I agree ethanol fuel is corrosive nasty stuff clogs the crap out of carbs, gums injectors. Its brutal! But likely a factor here
Ethanol combines with water and then burns. 24/7/365 in NY all ethanol. Key is keep the tank %100 full.
In my case it was the result of a bike sitting for a long time with a partial tank of gas. I always believed the rust was a matter of condensation. I always fill my tank now before putting the bike up for winter, use no fuel stabilizer, and it fires up immediately the first time after sitting all winter.
Glad to see there are good honest people out there who care more about the customer experience than the all mighty dollar . You know what ? It works !!!! That’s how I have run my business for 25 years and in the long run it always pays to do it that way :)
Sitting for long periods of time with a low gas level in the tank will cause rust. As it is low mileage that is probably what happened. An unhappy customer will give you a lot of free advertising.
I had the rust affliction on an old tank from 85, no way to find a new tank. I ended up running the Caswell Epoxy Dragons Blood and i couldn’t be happier. Cost a little more but was well worth it in the end and the bike runs great
The man that never made a mistake didn't learn a thing!
Did not do anything eather.
@@robertboykin1828 eather?
Love the treating the customer right but also when checking the tanks (lesson I learned the hard way years ago) get one of those camera scopes with a light to run down in the tank. You can get them plug into your phone now that are pretty cheap. Have used this for fuel tanks, oil pans, and the list goes on.
Treat a guy right he'll tell his friends
Screw him and he'll tell the whole neighbourhood
1500 bucks is cheap advertising
To prevent rust in the tank, best thing is to store bike with FULL tank with stabilizer. I use regular non-ethanol gasoline and use a fuel stabilizer that I get from Yamaha dealership. If you are unable to keep the bike in a temperature controlled area and the temperatures could sink below freezing and stay that way for a time I would consider bringing in the battery into a temperature controlled environment that is safe from children and pets and put it on a trickle charger. Kudos to Sean for doing the right thing. The customer probably was shivering uncontrollably when it broke down and was happy it happened then. It was fortunate that the mechanic was able to pick it up and bring it back and fix it properly. Another satisfied customer, for life.
It takes years to build up a reputation, and you can loose it over one sale! You guys did good!!👍
Yep he left let him freeze his as off with his rinki dinki BS fix.
This happens from storing a bike over winter(s) with the tank not full. Warm air with moisture is in the tank when it is parked, as the temp drops it condenses and rusts the tank, mostly on the top where it is hard to see. Always winterize bikes adding fuel stabilizer and with a full tank of gas.
Hey Sean, your integrity is unparalleled. One of these days when I get out your way, I'm going to come hang out.
Sounds great
I have re coated a few tanks with red-kote, awesome product. Etched/ cleaned the tank with white vinegar, small ball bearings and a chain, cut the acid with Bakin soda, rinsed, used evaporust for 2 days, rinsed, air dryed with a blower, flash dried with acetone and then coated.
$140 total cost, andsaved the tanks.
That is the first time that I have seen a gas tank split open. Two thoughts: Although it looks like a massive gas tank from the outside, there is precious little space for gas inside it. And I am never going to use a coating inside a gas tank.
did you start a sentence with AND? my old language teacher would have killed me if I did that.
@@Mr.Potato420 ye, but who died first though?
@@Ohno0es I think that Coke head still teaches.
@@Mr.Potato420 I start sentences with and & but, just to spite my old teachers, all about butcherin the queen's english.
When I was a kid ( I'm 74 now) I'd often get old Cushman motor scooters with rusty tanks. I removed the petcock and gas cap and let them dry out. Then I put a hand full of rocks the size of marbles in the tank replace the gas cap and shake,shake, shake...Pour it out and do it again until the rust was gone. On occasion I would add course sand as well. It took a long tome for some tanks but eventually I got the rust out. Then I rinsed them out with gasoline unit all traces of sand and rust were gone and put them back in service. Never had to go back and do it gain On this tank your dealing with there is very little room so I don't know how it would work there. The old Cushman, Harley and other tanks of the day were more open and like the Sportster peanut tank.
Hi Tom... I'm from India and I followed your instructions for my 74 royal Enfield...tank... thankyou so much
I wouldn't trust a bike that's 6 years old with only 1400 miles on it. And this video proves that!
Why?
@@FattyMateo For one thing, the tires. The tread depth is still fine, but the rubber is 6 years old and likely to be dried out to a certain extent. Presumably the bike has sat on its tires the whole time, but at the correct tire pressure? The other thing was the rust problem in the tank; any other places where rust can form due to non-use? How about the brake lines and brake fluids? How about the engine oil, is that still fresh enough after 6 years and not caked up anywhere?
Ethanol attracts water. Best way to store one with e10 gas is a full tank. 1/4 full tank it will attract moisture and cause it to rust. I try not to buy e10 but it's not always possible to get 93 or 91 non ethanol. + i put seafoam in with my gas to try to prevent phase separation.
The rust in the tank may have something to do with the ethanol in the gas. I use a fuel conditioner just for ethanol every time I fill up on both of my Harley’s .
That's what I was thinking... thank you bureaucrats!
And on the truck diesel side we have biodiesel to contend with causes all kinds of problems
I always mix a little of this and that every tank, ended up storing my 2015 dr200s for over 5 months and it fired right up. I like using small amounts of lucas with a shot of mmo, a quarter dose of 109 turbo, full serving of octane booster from vp and something specific for water since our humidity ranges drastically. For bigger bikes like xj650s and harleys the lucas, mmo and water treatment should work fine while keeping the vacuum diahrams pliable
@@wittemanadrian Biofuel is causing issues with home heating oil as well.
i live in the UK & bought a 2nd bike from the dealer come with 30 days warranty, it broke down on the 2nd day they had it for 4 weeks give it back then broken down again 2 days later and they refused to help me out due to it been out side of the 30 days warranty even though it was the same problem safe to say i never went back there but if i lived in the USA you would be the only person i buy a bike from because you know it will be 100% okay and if not you will fix it, not many people or businesses these days what treat customers like you guys do. keep up the good work
Inline fuel filters are an amazing thing, just saying
What kind or brand do you buy?
Really hard to do on fuel injected vehicles with fuel lines that have solid plastic outer shells on them unfortunately.
Also all fuel injected and carbureted machines have screens before the fuel line that would do the same thing.
@@uGRelic Obviously not as well since the system was contaminated enough to shut down - at least twice.
Only problem with an inline fuel filter on a bike like the one in the video, is it is a "bandaid" fix for a much larger problem. Best thing to do is spend the $500 - $1500 and make the bike reliable again... One of the best things about the "metric" cruisers is their reliability.
You guys put such good energy out to all, even during times of trial. I seriously hope to visit the store and leave with a new mode of transportation in this life time.
How quickly did it make you check the rest of your Suzuki's?
🙈"Please no, please no, please no!"
The tanks all around that manufacture number are most likely having similar issues, and with poor quality fuel, that probably doesn't help.
Luckily, you guys are as stand-up as they come. 👍
I'd say someone had put petrol from a steel mower fuel can in it that had traces of water in. Best way to get a rusty tank is by filling up from drums. Easy way to get that spotless inside is to seal the outlet and put a half shovelful of fine (3mm) driveway gravel in it. Lid on, wrap tank in thick sponge and put it in a concrete mixer for an hour or two. If the rust is fairly fine, use coarse sand and it'll leave a bit nicer finish. Halfway through, stop mixer and turn tank around so the sand goes the other direction to clean all sides properly. Works a treat. I'm surprised the bike didn't have a proper fuel filter inline as I noticed you didn't mention one.
You follow the business model that everyone should. Hope to do business with your company someday.
Very nice Sean. You did the right thing even though the bike ended up costing you rather than making a profit. If I lived in the States it's things like this that would sway me to do business with you.
"most of the mistakes i've made with my wallet"
cuts to a video of him cutting open a gas tank with a saw
Sorry, I found that relatively humorous lol.
Thats almost some true money going up in flames stuff lol
This is service. This builds costumer loyalty. Nicely done.
When you store a bike always keep a full tank! Tank can't condensate inside if it's full
Part of the problem is ETHANOL in our gasoline. Thankfully, here in Texas, I can buy ethanol free fuel, which is also like adding 10HP to my 2012 Goldwing.
Either completely full or completely empty.
With the gasoline we buy today it has ethanol in it and is known to rust out steel tanks. It also destroys plastic fuel lines rubber gaskets and O rings. It is the worst gas the you could possibly put in any motorcycle and any vehicle that does not have a stainless steel or poly type plastic fuel tank. It also destroys the carburetors on small engines change saws weed whackers law mowers especially if they sit for any length of time. It's very difficult today to buy just straight un- leaded gas without ethanol, but I believe you can put in addatives to try and cateract the ethanol . I hope this information helps you out. I like your site I've been riding over 50yrs. Built a lot of bikes over the years from junk. I wish you and your family all the best in your endeavors. Keep up the good work! :)
Dam bro I wouldn't trust that coating especially if it peals off that easy I know the saw heated it but it shouldn't come off that easy you dodged a bullet for sure
You are a good guy. I'm happy I found your channel. I would happily buy a bike from you any day knowing how much you actually care about your customers. Bravo Sir and god bless!
Be suspicious of any engine with too many miles or too few miles for the age. Either can be just as bad. Too many and things may be worn out or abused. Too few and things will be rusted (cylinder walls, valves, gas tanks etc.)
I've bought a few bikes with rust in the tank cuz I always get a bargain on them, they're always older bikes and carburated. I clean tanks with soap & water, an assortment of nuts & bolts and lots of shaking. I seal the tanks & leave muriatic acid in the tank overnight, flush with water, dry completely then I use Red Kote fuel tank sealer. It cures into a soft, flexible liner in the tanks. Patience is key when doing this. The stuff you guys used looked like something that would start chipping off into the gas if the guy dropped the bike and put a minor dent in the tank. I dropped one of the bikes I treated with Red Kote, dented the snot out of the tank, but I never had a problem with anything chipping off. After lying on the ground doing my best Peter Griffin impersonation and making sure nothing was broken on me, or the bike, I bent the shifter back into place and rode it home. It is one of the most reliable bikes I've ever owned and I only paid $200 for it.
Ethanol laced fuel is how this happens.
A happy customer is a return customer, should be more people like you out there buddy.
Note to self never coat a gas tank
seriously, better off spending the $300 - $500 to get a replacement tank
If done right, a coating will work fine.
I coated my tank 30years ago and it still looks fine and I have never had a problem
@@markrottler8316 do you remember what brand you used? I believe I used an Eastwood product 20 yr ago. Only had the old bike 5 yr so I don't know the long term results of what I used.
I've worked on custom choppers that have custom tanks, they rely on that junk coating to seal the welds. It breaks down over time and clogs up everything.
I enjoy your videos. And I love that you include scripture! God bless.
Love your vids man and it does my heart good to see you practising old fashioned values in your business.
Draining the tanks for long term storage will make this happen. Always fill it up, preferably with ethanol-free, and let it go bad. It will keep it from rusting. I have cleaned some badly rusted tanks out before with Rustcutter and crushed ice cubes and BB's. Just keep adding ice and swishing it around over and over. Wash it out well and let dry inside a controlled environment.
I have used some of that tank coating back in the day on some Yamaha RD tanks, they were notorious for developing pinhole leaks along the seams where the top and bottoms were welded together. Used to order it from J.C. Witney from their catalogue. Used to love their catalogues when I was a kid.
I'm going to say coating the tank is a hard "no". That product was garbage.
quinnjim I don’t agree with you I have sealed four 30 year old tanks with out a problem, you must follow all the instructions and take your time.
I would absolutely love to work for you. You guys treat everyone right and do what you need to do to make sure customers are happy.
Common. Ethanol gas eats fuel systems. This is not a new problem.
-Ethanol nearly destroyed all transportation in Brazil many years ago.. Still not back to financially sustainable.
Not sure if this is information or advice and really unsure if anybody cares! I’ll offer it anyway. There are small flexible industrial endoscopes (basically a flexible light pipe in a tube) with mini LED lights and lens on one end and a fitting on the other end that connects, say, to your mobile phone. They let you look around in dark places like tanks and even take photos to carefully look at later. There are some that are waterproof. There are a few brands, one is Teslong I think. There is more than one option. Anyway they cost like 75$-150$ so even if you only used them occasionally to avoid cutting things like this tank, it might pay for itself. Plus sometimes fun to look inside cylinders, tanks, whatever you cant see inside, or just behind/between places on the bike that are just hard to get to and see when everything is bolted in place. Or under the dishwasher.... whatever. A Sawzall is sort of a harsh science approach, as fun and informative as destruction can sometimes be!
So what brand of epoxy coating was used on that tank?
I came to the comments looking for that info also......
Coating looked good, peeled off in sheets...problem looked to be that the tank wasn't cleaned and prepped properly before epoxy was applied. Just like painting a vehicle, if you don't prep properly the finish coat is a waste of time.
Hi Sean, I love your business ethic, way to go, you will prosper. I think the reason the tank rusted like that is cheap gas, and not used much. So the last owner goes out to his garage, sees there is not much gas in the tank, gets gas and rides say a 100 miles, parks the bike for two months, The gas evaporates but leaves the water from cheap gas to rust. This happens a lot with small seasonal machines like chainsaws weedwackers hedge trimmers, and the like. Lesson from this tale, don't buy cheap gas for any engine that may sit between uses, especially bikes. Regards Tony
After I watch this, I would like to bye a bike from your shop.
I live in Norway, so it’s not likely.
Thanks for giving an example of what Jesus was talking about...
I’ll try myself to be better....
Love from Norway🇳🇴🇳🇴🇳🇴
I do admire the way you handled this issue. I think few dealers would have gone to that extent to insure the customer left a happy camper. From what I gather.. .the issue was not caused by the ethanol/gas... but rather the bike just sitting with an empty tank?? I have never run across that on a bike before but it makes sense. I have had other engines cease function from corrosion resulting in clogged jets... the float bowls themselves being the guilty party to that. I started putting only 100% gasoline in them... especially generators that might sit for a while between use. That worked fine until the gas station I sourced somehow mistakenly got an ethanol/gas mix put in to the wrong tanks underground. Next solution was to have the float bowl (inside and out) chrome plated.... and finally issue solved. Thanks for the vid.... and it is nice to see that some dealers will go the extra mile like that.
Some one probably had water in a gas can at the house or something like that and poured it into tank accidentally
If they let the moisture sit in there for a few months in the off season, that'd probably get the job done as far as the rust goes.
Ethanol gasoline draws moisture out of the atmosphere. You have to make sure spare gas cans are sealed, and the same with any tank for any engine. Constant use of a fuel stabilizer is a must. Ethanol is just one of many harmful ingredients in modern day gasoline.Others rot fuel lines and cause gumming of passageways.
Great job Shawn!!! You are a good man and that’s what makes you different from every other dealer. My next bike will be bought from you.
You don't need to believe in religion...
To be good, to one another, yeah.
❤❤❤
Oh also, there are rust converter products; mostly they are composed of a low % mixture of tannic and phosphoric acid. There are other products that have other things in there too. Soaking, shaking, and then, after a while draining, and then letting it completely dry - a couple of times maybe - would set things up for whatever coating fix might be necessary. This stuff, you have seen it no doubt- turns the rust black and it becomes sort of a surface coating of a kind by itself. Putting a coating on unconverted rust directly is always going to fail. But it is sometimes possible, if it is just thin surface rust, that it can be done after converting the rust with either your own mix of tannic and phosphoric acid or a product with that and other stuff in it.
My first Victory had a similar problem. Polaris changed their tank lining (circa 2008) and it's not an issue any more. The problem with some pre-2010 fuel injected bikes is that high-ethanol content gas breaks down the tank lining and clogs the filters. Small pieces can even gum up the fuel pump. Most bikes spec 91 octane for the motors, and higher octane is often achieved by increasing the ethanol content. Note that this varies from state to state and refinery to refinery. To sum up: Avoid ethanol in the gas you put in your bike.
This is why I am hoping to buy my first bike at your shop, I appreciate the way your team treats its customers
When I was a laddie many years ago an old salesman gave me some great advice he said if you do a great job for your customer he will tell the next ten folk he meets but if you let him down or just plain fiddle him he’ll tell that story the rest of his life. It was good advice that’s always served me well.
My story: My 2000 Suzuki Intruder 1400 was running bad, missing, and back firing. I took it to a local motorcycle repair shop. A month later they finally called me to pick my bike up. $300 for carb adjustment and tune up but the bike still ran like crap. My Dad, an automobile master mechanic, had driven me to the motorcycle repair shop to pick up my bike. He said to take it to his shop. We waited for the motorcycle to cool down and Dad found the problem - a loose positive battery connection. My Dad rocks !
I returned to the motorcycle shop, told them how Dad fixed a very simple problem, and asked for my $300 back. "No, but we'll give you 50% in store credit" the manager said. That wasn't nearly good enough. I sued in Small Claims had an easy victory.
That repair shop closed about five years later.
I’m a little late to this but it’s probably one of the best pieces of advertising you’ll ever unintentionally make. Businesses seem to lack the basics like integrity, which you have in spades.
had rust in a 1991 Yamaha FJ1200 tank. We used a product by Yamaha made specifically for removing rust. Kept it in for 2 days, shaking every 12 hours, then used a power washer to rinse it out. Perfect.
I really enjoy your videos. I used to use vinegar to clean tanks. It works great for light rust. Now I use diluted muriatic acid (be sure to wear gloves and face shield) for an overnight soak. Same stuff DIY stores sell to set PH levels in swimming pools, which is how I got familiar with it. Do a thorough clean water after rinse and blow it dry with an air hose. I use Red Kote as an inner sealer. It's been on the inside of my 83 CX650C since fall of 2012 with no issues to date.
Suzuki Boulevards are notorious for rust in the tanks. Using evaporust in the tank, cleaning the fuel injectors, and replacing the fuel pump + filter is the best solution. It only takes about 2 hours of working time and a day of sitting. If it’s really bad using some BB gun Bb’s and shaking the tank around helps break up the big chunks.
Wow, at first glance it looked like it would have been fine with that coating, until it just fell apart, that was shocking. Great respect for how you handled this, if only more dealers were that trustworthy. Cheers man!
That is exactly how a successful business treats customers!!! May God continue to bless you!
So much respect for you and the way you do business. Keep it up. Great content!
Have a suggestion is use electrical methods to remove the rust, use washing soda a anode to suck up the rust and put the positive lead to that and cathode negative to the tank and a 12v battery charger. Sounds hokey but try it and it works very very well. Use it all the time and it will make it look new in a day or so. Use it all the time with 100% success, also you can use a old zinc, boat anode and put a negative charge to the zink and a positive charge to the tank and you will zinc plate the inside of the tank. Just a suggestion, it actually works and cost is very low to do.
It's nice to hear a businessman that knows providing value to the customer is his work. Many businessmen just say "I'll do what is easy for me and if the customer gets slow or bad service, they'll never trace it back to me."
same as, bought a bike last year that had one of the best paint finishes on a bike i've ever had. within a month it became apparent internal rust was so bad it sprang pin hole leaks. ps digging the Lemmy look.