New T7 owner with rusty petrol tank

[Ketty]

Update on my rusty tank.

After many emails and sending pictures to Yamaha customer service they said I should take the bike to my local dealer. As it was off the road at the time I had to trailer it there 60 mile round trip. The dealer said they had seen quite a few rusty tanks and Yamaha had refused to replace them even though they were still under warranty!  They took more pictures of the tank and bike but said it highly unlikely I would get the tank replaced. After many weeks of no communication I had resigned my self to painting the tank when out of the blue the dealer contacted me and said Yamaha had sent a new tank and it was there waiting for me, result! 

Moral of the storey is - be a pain in the arse and keep hounding them you might get lucky 

[Ray Ride4life]

I decided to paint it myself.
If it happens so frequently it's most likely the new one will start to rust just as fast.
I'll advise you to paint the bottom anyway before you install it, at least you don't have to remove the rust first.
It shouldn't be this way and it's a bad policy from Yamaha.
I also didn't had the time to start the fight and the handlebar i got under warranty from the dealer took 4 months to get here which i also took in count plus i bought it 170km from where i live.

[Ketty]

Yep, painted underside with a few layers of hammerite anti rust paint before it went on 

[Geoff]

My tank is rusting also, its a 2021 T7.

Also, have noticed rust on frame in various parts, including various bolts and the brake discs.

This is really a poor quality build in my opinion.

Poor show from Yamaha and they should do something about it..

Edited December 4, 2022 by Geoff

[TenereTragic700]

@Geoff I did not realize they had production in China - I guess everyone sources vehicle parts from China. 

Assembly of these bikes used to be either in France or Japan?

[Geoff]

1 hour ago, TenereTragic700 said:

@Geoff I did not realize they had production in China - I guess everyone sources vehicle parts from China. 

Assembly of these bikes used to be either in France or Japan?

I speak under correction, but believe the T7's we get in South Africa are made in China

 

On 2/6/2022 at 6:04 PM, Ketty said:

Hi all, 

Sorry to start my first post with a moan but ...................recently bought my late 2019  T7, its not on the road yet but was doing a bit of maintenance and noticed some rust on the under side if the petrol tank, removed tank and found this!

 

 

Anyone else had this problem? I contacted my local dealer and they said its out of warranty and could not replace it even under a good will gesture. Its obvious the rust has been forming well before the warranty had expired. 

 

Any advice??

 

[Geoff]

1 hour ago, TenereTragic700 said:

@Geoff I did not realize they had production in China - I guess everyone sources vehicle parts from China. 

Assembly of these bikes used to be either in France or Japan?

Apologies, spoke to soon, have just checked my VIN and its JY, but they are also made in China. 

[Ray Ride4life]

As far as i know only parts are made in China, Assembling is done in Japan or France.

[Ketty]

19 hours ago, Geoff said:

My tank is rusting also, its a 2021 T7.

Also, have noticed rust on frame in various parts, including various bolts and the brake discs.

This is really a poor quality build in my opinion.

Poor show from Yamaha and they should do something about it..

Yeah mine also had corrosion else where, various bolts and fasteners, I have replaced most with good quality ones and rust proofed / painted brackets. I can cope with this as it’s minor cost but the tank is totally avoidable from the factory…….. love the bike though! 

[Geoff]

Likewise, love the bike. 

[moto_myke]

Question for the folks that have had this tank rust issue.

Are y'all storing your bikes outside in the weather?

 

Do they use salt in the winter months in your area?

 

 

[Ray Ride4life]

I have a garage but i ride the bike always in every condition, like this Monday it was snowing.

[Rider 101]

Have a look at the Acerbis tank thread and see my pics inside the tank. That is rust! 

[moto_myke]

9 minutes ago, Rider 101 said:

Have a look at the Acerbis tank thread and see my pics inside the tank. That is rust! 

 

Having trouble finding that thread, mind linking it?

[Rider 101]

Read pages 1 and 2 

 

[moto_myke]

12 minutes ago, Rider 101 said:

Read pages 1 and 2 

 

Yikes! 

[moto_myke]

Just checked my 2022 US version T7 (Japan built).
The underside of the tank appears to be painted gloss black. 

Seems like Yamaha F'd up in the early models and left them bare primer, and fixed it later on. Dumb.

 

Pics attached

Kind of a tangent here but related FWIW.
The added paint doesn't change the situation inside the tank, and high ethanol content fuel is a known bad actor when it comes to metal.
I know there are mandatory minimums in some markets but here in the US we can source non-ethanol gas.. I try to use it as often as possible and only use ethanol free before winter storage.

In my experience  keeping the tank full when it sits for any length of time is a good idea too. Reduces exposure to be oxidized.
 

[Geoff]

On 12/6/2022 at 11:42 PM, moto_myke said:

Question for the folks that have had this tank rust issue.

Are y'all storing your bikes outside in the weather?

 

Do they use salt in the winter months in your area?

 

 

My T7 is in a garage with a bike cover when not in use. No reason at all for the rust on the tank, took delivery July 2021.

[Ray Ride4life]

57 minutes ago, Geoff said:

My T7 is in a garage with a bike cover when not in use. No reason at all for the rust on the tank, took delivery July 2021.

Covers are killers