MZ/MuZ Riders

I am contemplating updating the paint job on my stock skorpion tour. Over time, most of the factory paint has peeled off, from around the fuel cap and on down around it. I spoke to a local paint shop and they suspected that there have been problems similar with other bikes' plastic tanks, specifically Buells and Ducatis, due to the fact that our gasolines all contain ethanol, which is leeching through the plastic and causing the paint issue. Does anyone have any experience to help with this speculation, or solutions if that is the case?? Thank you in advance.

Best,

Jim

krylon makes a paint for plastic in a rattle can (walmart)

it comes in several colors some may match mz or can be used as a base coat

and with care a nice job can be had....

when it gets tired sand it and give it a new coat

be careful fueling up and it should last a while

also spray bed liner comes in some basic colors

dave

DAVID THOMPSON wrote:krylon makes a paint for plastic in a rattle can (walmart)
it comes in several colors some may match mz or can be used as a base coat
dave

Satisfied user of the Krylon Fusion. Basic black right now, since last spring. Planning a new color (orange or yellow) over next winter.
It has held up well and no peeling on the tank (which I sanded down to the bare surface).

Bill R

Ethanol will make your tank expand a few percent in size - enough to make it not fit very well in the frame and crack the stock paint job. The good news is that it stops expanding and doesn't ever shrink back, so any paint re coat will last a lot longer. krylon works, but I just got a body shop to re spray mine - looks nice and no problems with it over several years.

where i live body shops stink

i can get a better job from a rattle can in the back yard with the wind blowing ...

they do not even get a john deere panted in the correct color of green here

dave

Nozz wrote:I am contemplating updating the paint job on my stock skorpion tour. Over time, most of the factory paint has peeled off, from around the fuel cap and on down around it. I spoke to a local paint shop and they suspected that there have been problems similar with other bikes' plastic tanks, specifically Buells and Ducatis, due to the fact that our gasolines all contain ethanol, which is leeching through the plastic and causing the paint issue. Does anyone have any experience to help with this speculation, or solutions if that is the case?? Thank you in advance.

Best,

Jim

I've a few tanks that have gone like that. So this is what to do.
1, Drain tank and leave vented for a month to stabilise and hopefully shrink. In most cases it'll only shrink back part of the way. 2, fit tank and now see how it fits. If it's tight then dispose and replace, if it fits ok then line the inside of the tank before painting with a tank sealer. This could be difficult as the tank is pa6 plastic or summat simular and most liners are for metal. 3, strip tank and make good, plastic prime (it's only a wash) proper prime, I use a 2k primer then colour base coat then 2k laquer. The secret is in the 2k primer for a good finish but if your doing it at home the ordinary rattle cans will have to do but with that the top colour coat always loses it's shine as the gloss gets drawn into the underneath coats. When finished a light flat down (1500 grade) and polish.

Comment - I think this was more common on the later tanks (post 1997?). my 1995 and 1996 Sport tanks have no peeling like discussed and I seen in photos. Maybe e a change in the plastic mix or factory painting procedure?

Anyone up for a survey of what year tanks peel??

Doug in NJ

Thanks for the suggestions. Mine is a 2002.

my traveller is a 1997 forest green

and the tank swelled up from hot sun in fort worth texas
was the story i got when i got the bike
and its a beast to get off and back on the bike
i am about the 3rd owner
dave

One of the tanks I have is from a 'new' so called tankset from a batch of skorpions sent to japan, never have been used, unregistered and came over back to England in 2011/12 some time. A guy then bought a sport and only did a couple of months riding before he changed his bodywork for the tour and sold me all his panels and such. Even his tank had blown and spent most of its life from around 1995 storage in japan empty.

DAVID THOMPSON wrote:my traveller is a 1997 forest green

and the tank swelled up from hot sun in fort worth texas
was the story i got when i got the bike
and its a beast to get off and back on the bike
i am about the 3rd owner
dave

I agree that even a few mm of growth makes tank fitting almost impossible. Right now I'm down to two bolts holding that rear bracket on...and this was a new tank until I installed it a year ago!

As for using a sealer, i don't know of any that will stay stuck to PA6 (nylon). Has anyone had actual success using one?

I've a tank liner in mine although not checked it for a while so can't comment. It's been in 18 months or so.

2001 Traveller with significant peeling.
2002 Tour that had none (only 6k miles before it was lost in flood water.)
Bill R

My tank was looking rather poor so I had a shop respray it but now much of what they put on is bubbling off. The sanded the tank thoroughly and I presume the fuel vaporss or seeping through the paint causing the bubbles. Will Krylon avoid this is I take all the old off? Any other solutions?

barko1 wrote:My tank was looking rather poor so I had a shop respray it but now much of what they put on is bubbling off. The sanded the tank thoroughly and I presume the fuel vaporss or seeping through the paint causing the bubbles. Will Krylon avoid this is I take all the old off? Any other solutions?

Krylon Fusion has been on my Traveller since April 2014. No bubbles or peeling on the tank (so far). It doesn't hold up to much abrasion (had it rub through under a bungie hook I didn't notice against the side panel), sand it a bit and respray.
I'll use it again. I just can't shell out the dollars for a pro job (one quote was $600 and I still had to buy the paint). That's a bunch of rattle cans.
I may try one of the 2K spray can clear-coats this next go around. See if that will hold up better to mild abrasions.
I'll do a bit of searching for other solutions on the China Riders forum...those enduros all came with plastic e panels and we were always looking for some way to paint/repair that stuff.
Bill