Hula and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Patching Tank Dings

Li'l Black (`Io i ka Po) as originally purchased

On gas tanks, do NOT use the attachment that requires you to drill. Use the suction attachment.

I also do not find the Ding King useful for any dent with an edge or crease. It is best used on a gentle dent of the kind that if you could stick your hand inside and apply gentle but firm pressure, it would pop back out.

There are specialized thingies you could stick in the tank and whack to pop the dent out. Those I have seen are fabricated by the repair person as each job comes up, and then saved for the next similar job.

But unless you are a professional, if the Ding King can't pull the dent out, I would Bondo it.

For all creases or a dent with an edge, I use Bondo. You have a good chance of splitting the metal if you try to pop a crease. On a car fender I'll do it, but then you have to weld the fender back together, pound the weld below level, and Bondo or lead the dent back up. The advantage is that you are working with a shallower dent. If a bike tank took that big a hit, you'd need a new tank anyway!

I am having a lot of success with the new Bondo product that uses the glass microspheres. It is much lighter weight than the traditional Bondo, and seems to move even better with the vibration and expansion of the base metal. I have 50K miles on the Nighthawk since I did extensive re-fairing of the tank, and have had no problems yet. I did re-paint the entire tank.

Bondo is not difficult to work you just have to be VERY patient with it. Use several thin layers, as someone mentioned, and sand between new layers. When you think it is done, close your eyes and GENTLY run your fingertips over the repair. When you can't feel it, it is good. Then, and only then. Primer and paint.