Seat staple damaging tank

[pdedse]

I have a '17EX and took off the seat today and noticed an unfortunate scatch / scrape / wear spot on my tank:

Thought "what the heck?!, how did that get there?" Then I placed the seat back on w/out snapping into place to see what might be the cause. I slid my finger under the front edge of the seat and could feel one of the seat staples protruding out a bit more than the others and this lined up exactly with the wear on the tank.

You can see where the middle staple is worn on the edge:

A little farther back

This is ironic because I actully keep a piece of cloth between edge of seat and tank because from the beginning I noticed the edge of the seat was making chicken feet mini-scratches in the paint, but the cloth towel slipped away. Last time I had the seat off was probably last summer in August--I'm sure this scratch was not there then, so it has been within the last 6 months.

Anyway, the scratch has make it to bare tank. Fortunately, it is out of sight. But to protect it doesn't fingernail polish act as a clear coat? Don't want rust to start.

Something I could / should let Honda know about? Bike is still uner 5 year warranty.

If you own an 17'EX type of tank, you might check the staples on the leading edge, and if they protrude at all, tap them back in.

 

[peterbaron]

Ops, looks like you cannot see this scratch when the seat is installed.
But it is strange, as I have a bigger tank with no issue, perhaps the stupid staple is sticking out too much.
For better ventilation and as an itchy a*s protector, I always use a small terry towel on my seat and its edge is trapped between the seat and tank
Touch up paint or at least primer and clear film on your tank will take care of it.
Not worth to cry about it..

P.S. I don't think Honda motorcycle provides touch up paint but you may go to any Honda car dealership and buy similar colour, like red or its variation. Not identical but good & close enough for a hidden scratch. Have your colour code handy: the sticker paint code is on the frame, under your seat.
If you want colour code matched, a paint shop may help you.

 

[Cormanus]

I've seen a red 2010 CB1100 that has stone chips in the tank touched up with nail polish. Unless you go looking for them, they're impossible to see. The important thing is to make sure rust doesn't start.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Lay a patch of electrical tape over it.

 

[pdedse]

Ops, looks like you cannot see this scratch when the seat is installed.
But it is strange, as I have a bigger tank with no issue, perhaps the stupid staple is sticking out too much.
For better ventilation and as an itchy a*s protector, I always use a small terry towel on my seat and its edge is trapped between the seat and tank
Touch up paint or at least primer and clear film on your tank will take care of it.
Not worth to cry about it..

P.S. I don't think Honda motorcycle provides touch up paint but you may go to any Honda car dealership and buy similar colour, like red or its variation. Not identical but good & close enough for a hidden scratch. Have your colour code handy: the sticker paint code is on the frame, under your seat.
If you want colour code matched, a paint shop may help you.

And that's what I had, but it slipped down below the damaged area.

Ops, looks like you cannot see this scratch when the seat is installed.
But it is strange, as I have a bigger tank with no issue, perhaps the stupid staple is sticking out too much.
For better ventilation and as an itchy a*s protector, I always use a small terry towel on my seat and its edge is trapped between the seat and tank
Touch up paint or at least primer and clear film on your tank will take care of it.
Not worth to cry about it..

P.S. I don't think Honda motorcycle provides touch up paint but you may go to any Honda car dealership and buy similar colour, like red or its variation. Not identical but good & close enough for a hidden scratch. Have your colour code handy: the sticker paint code is on the frame, under your seat.
If you want colour code matched, a paint shop may help you.

Thanks for the info on the color code.

 

[bflint]

Hey Mr Pdedse, noticed some etching in the same area as your nick on my 2014 when I first started using my new Corbin seat. Put a arch of 3M/Scotchgard film in that area of tank to prevent further etching ... bought from TankSlapper (he lives in my neck of the woods). Works fine for last 4 years.

 

[Jfro5687_imp]

I would try and use touch up paint if you can find it, failing that just clear coat for piece of mind. Then once dry stick some electrical tape onto you tank where the seat ‘sits’. Then you can’t see the mark plus you know it’s not likely to happen again.

 

[VLJ_imp]

No need to worry about trying to match paint colors. Honda makes touch-up paint for the '17 EX. It's the exact color, metal flake and everything. I bought a tube from my local dealer. Took about a week to arrive.

Or, yeah, just slap a piece of electrical tape or whatever over it and don't worry about it, since it's hidden beneath the seat.

 

[the Ferret]

and take a tack hammer and hammer the staple in

 

[Rocky_imp]

and take a tack hammer and hammer the staple in

that would have been my first suggestion. Tackle the offending problem first.

 

[pdedse]

No need to worry about trying to match paint colors. Honda makes touch-up paint for the '17 EX. It's the exact color, metal flake and everything. I bought a tube from my local dealer. Took about a week to arrive.

Or, yeah, just slap a piece of electrical tape or whatever over it and don't worry about it, since it's hidden beneath the seat.

Hello VLJ...do you still have the tube, or did you include that with the sale of your EX? I'll buy it from you if you still have it.

Does "Honda R342C Candy Prominence Red" sound familiar?

Thanks for the replies, I was going to cover staple with duct tape--it's my go-to as a KLR650 owner : ) -- but sounds like electrical tape would be stronger.

 

[VLJ_imp]

I included it with the sale, along with everything else moto-related that I owned. The guy received thousands of dollars worth of gear.

I don't recall the name or color code, but all I did was call my local dealer and order it over the phone. Took the guy all of thirty seconds to look up the correct paint code. It wasn't even backordered.

 

[Gone in 60]

Things like that bug me. I always cut a piece of thick, clear tape to put on the tank in the area where the seat rubs on it when I get a new bike.

It sooths my OCD brain and helps me sleep at night.

 

[peterbaron]

You must be very sensitive...

 

[Gone in 60]

VERY sensitive to preventing scuffs and nicks. It's easy to do. Take some heavy clear tape - I have a roll that I picked up at an auto parts store as "gravel guard" tape.

Take a piece a bit wider than the seat, and slip it between the seat and the tank, paper backing facing the seat. Then, take a marker, hold it against the front edge of the seat, and draw the pattern onto the paper backing. Then, cut out the piece, stick it to the tank, and voila you have a clear protector where your seat rubs against the tank that is nearly invisible.

 

[peterbaron]

Read post 2, line 3 :beerchug:

 

[Gone in 60]

Didn't notice that. The gravel guard tape is thicker than any other clear protective tape I've ever seen, particularly the roll of 3M I just got from Tankslapper. Usually don't use it except for heavy wear spots like this.

 

[pdedse]

I included it with the sale, along with everything else moto-related that I owned. The guy received thousands of dollars worth of gear.

I don't recall the name or color code, but all I did was call my local dealer and order it over the phone. Took the guy all of thirty seconds to look up the correct paint code. It wasn't even backordered.

Man, that guy got a good deal. I still think about that accident and hoping you have improved somewhat, if not a lot!

Thanks again for the tip.

p

Didn't notice that. The gravel guard tape is thicker than any other clear protective tape I've ever seen, particularly the roll of 3M I just got from Tankslapper. Usually don't use it except for heavy wear spots like this.

Good idea, thanks. It is a covered area so not visible fortunately. I tried to avoid this by having a small towel between edge of seat and tank, but I didn't count on that staple protruding out...not sure what made it back out like it did because the damage was done only in the last six months, and I've had the bike nearly 3 years.

Maybe I was sitting more forward on a given ride to mix up the riding position, or maybe just getting on / off over time slowly pulled on the area where the staple holds down the covering, but it I could feel right where the staple was making contact with the tank.

I'll likely buy the ink from Honda since it matches like VLJ says and then I'll have it in case of rock chip or other. And then I'll use tape as well to keep that staple and the others from doing more damage.

 

[Lord Popgun]

PB, referring to post 2, you CAN get Honda brand touch up paint from the dealer. I have it for both my bikes.

 

[peterbaron]

PB, referring to post 2, you CAN get Honda brand touch up paint from the dealer. I have it for both my bikes.

Now I know, just looked at the parts catalogue and either missed it or is not listed with it.