A little damage...What would you do?

Hi all!
I'm new to the community and I might as well start by getting some advice! I bought a new 08 VFR in Feb of last year. Love the bike, but I should save that for another thread! In May, while staying at a friends with no garage, an unexpected, vicious storm popped up and blew the bike over. Well, not all the way. It leaned it on to a scooter they had and the only damage was a quarter size ding to the tank created by the handlebar of the scooter. Ouch. I got an estimate and it was way more than my insurance was gonna pay. So I held off knowing it was only cosmetic and that I would eventually get a new tank as a repair job is almost the same as a new tank......Then in August, long story short, the bike slipped out of my hand. I was able to catch it but unable to prevent it from scratching the lower fairing and slightly the front. I'm looking at 1500.00 roughly to replace it all. Should I? Alternatives? Cost saving measures? It's not too easily noticable but yeah, you guessed it, I know it's there. Well that's it I guess. I'd appreciate any comments or ideas you might have! I'll try to post pics soon. Thanks! Mike

 

buy an air-brush. your local paint dealer can set you up with what you need for chemical supplies. Any good hobby shop has classes on how to use the airbrush. I do paintwork all winter on boats and the most used tool I have for small chips and blemishes is an airbrush that only a few years ago I thought was only for toys. If you decide to go this rout and tackle this on your own PM me and I will give you some pointers on blending the paint in your spotted area.

 

Thanks Steve!
I appreciate the reply. I have been torn with the fact that the bike is too new to let the damage go, but it seemed to pricey for scratches that aren't affecting the bike at all. I'm gonna take your advice and look into an airbrush. I'll have to get the paint that matches from honda? I think this will work! Mike

 

Sounds like money to fix some cosmetic damage done to a previously pristine machine.It hurts...the damage.I replaced a left brake lever and mirror due to a drop,(learning the side stand on a gradient).Got some scratches and a small crack in the rt. fairing.If I had the money,and or time,I would fix it,I'm ok for now.My motto...function over fashion.

 

I don't want sound like I'm whining but It kills me to see these scratches on, like you said, a previously pristine machine. Steve in his reply suggested using an airbrush. I really think I'm gonna try that. If it doesn't work, then I'll bite the bullet and replace the stuff. I do have to say that Steve's solution is the best one I've heard that will get it cleaned up nicely without putting me in debt! And Steve, I WILL p.m. you when I get the stuff.

 

If it bugs you that much, shop around and have it done right.
Many of us have bikes with character. But these bikes are not as new as yours.

 

You are whining, Whaaaaaa my new bike got a scratch in it!!!!! How do I fix it whaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

Ok got that off my chest....Just F***in with you dude. I always say you'll worry about it till it gets its first scratch, then afterwards turn it loose.

seriously if it bugs you that much go to a shop pay the deductable and have it fixed. if you havent done body work before you have a chore ahead of you...

I tell oyu what,, since it is horribly disfigured, I' will take it off your hands. for you I give the friend price. I'll pay your deductible.....

 

Ouch! I was waiting for that!

 

Can't help you with the fairing. Only you can decide how much it's worth to you to fix it.

For the ding in the tank, if it's only a ding & no scratch, it is very simple/cheap to fix. Go to any body shop & have them remove it with liquid nitrogen. If that's too expensive, call Dent Wizard. In my area, they troll the auto dealerships. We had a ding removed from the GTI for $75 & now I can't tell the ding was ever there. It took them all of 10 minutes to perform their wizardry. I didn't see how they did it since you aint allowed in any work center in the CPRofNJ due to insurance BS.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

there's one on ebay with a dent right now, pullable no doubt with a dingking... set up a search on ebay for a good one, I see them from time/time, be patient.

A fix and respray can be found cheap at
Cycle Surge - Motorcycle Paint Supply & Bodywork Repair

DIY
Motorcycle Tank Repair

DING KING (worked for me)
EXCELLENT!! FIXED MY DENT IN THE MOTORCYCLE - Ding King Twist A Dent Repair Kit - Epinions.com

 

also

CycleFinish - Gas Tank Repair Plastic Welding and Repair

 

You know I was just busting vyour Ba**s. it sucks to scratch..... try dry ice. you just rrub it around the dent snd it pops the dent out. never done it but have heard that it works

 

I have a '98, and it's in pretty good shape cosmetically. But it does have its character lines (and cracks). It doesn't bother me in the least.

As long as it runs great, and it does, I don't sweat the small stuff. Heck, I'm even delinquent in keeping it clean (except for the chain, lights, and windshield).

However, with all that said, if I had a brand spanking new one right out of the crate, I would probably have an entirely different attitude, and it would likely bother me if it got rashed in any way. That's one reason I prefer a "new to me" older bike.

Just do what makes you happy. It's only money.

 

Thanks for the replies! Oh and crusty, the b*ll busting is welcome! (my sense of humor is intact)! I'm going to take a look into some of the sites that were just recomended (thanks betarace/ KC!). If it can't work for me then I'll replace and put the originals away. The only problem I forsee is the ding is in the seam on the tank. I'll have to post a pic.

Today however, it's 52 degrees here! So I had to take it out for a quick ride. And you know what? The scratches and ding didn't bother me at all ; )
Mike

 

I'm with Knife, its character, so just leave it alone.

If you fix it let me tell you whats gonna happen. You'll be riding on Route 1 or 13 and a truck will kick up a rock and that will add a new scratch or ding. Leave it alone and nothing else will happen.

My 2 cents.

BZ

 

I just painted mine for the same reason, bugged the shit outta me, mostly because my own stupidity led to the scratches. Careful with the colour match , Honda uses a three coat colour system and the red and it's a bitch to match, dunno about your colour though.

 

Stickers boss, cheap, and can actually be tasteful. I put some scuffs on my 2007 RWB from a tip-over, right on the white of the lower left fairing. I put some stickers on it (tasteful ones) and I think it actually looks better than the plain old right side. Makes the bike that much more personalized. Plus mine matches my helmet.

 

I think you gus are right. That's why I posted the question "what would you do?" The airbrushind idea might be a simple cover up that wont cost much. I ordered decals for it already so that's going to happen. I have the metalic silver bike made in '08 so the black decals are going to look nice. And Bubba, you're right about rt's 1 and 13. I run down to OC from Wilmington and frankly it can hairy with only 2 lanes to ride in. We'll have to get out and ride when it warms up a bit. Aside from touching up the paint on the fairings, I'm not going to replace them. The tank however is probably gonna get replaced.

I got the decals from alloutgraphics.com. The H O N D A decal is gonna go along the bottom of the fairings. Just waiting for the weather to warm up to apply them.

Mike

 

Sounds good Mike!

 

Communist Peoples Republic of NJ

dude that's funny, i always call it New Germany