Handmade Tanks - Singh Precisions

Oh dear, I am reminded of a dead parrot when I lose my the fight to resist opening this thread.
Peyton Place, Days of our Lives also comes to mind as I read the next thilling episode.
Forget the Undead, I'm cheering for svensven to ultimate triumph in the saga of the Unborn tank.
Ta.

Hello All,

Before we go on any further in this subject, allow me to refresh a very KEY aspect of this whole deal -
The following were taken from my posts on this thread earlier -

Nov 23th 2014- …… But however, Needless to say, being in this industry for over a decade, I often interact with people who have great plans in theory but are not upto the task when it comes down to financial transactions. Therefore, as an assurance for both of us, I would greatly appreciate if we can get at least 2 other Access Norton forum members to vow for the Terms of this transaction on the forum thread, and ensure that this transaction will be taken care of as discussed above if the tank is up to the satisfactory mark. I hope you understand my perspective as well”

Jan 30th 2015 – “ It was a bit surprising that even after close to 70 posts on this thread, no one apart from Farrokh vowed to go ahead with this deal. As a seller, I am ready to ship a TOTALLY FREE tank for inspection at anyone’s doorstep, still there is just Farrokh willing to talk about it. Thou I was/am out of action since October but honestly, I was a bit put off by it. Since this thread got so much attention, I was really hoping for at least one more guy Backing Farrokh & I on this project. No offence meant, but I am unknown to most of you guys here on AN, just as you guys are unfamiliar with Me. I as a seller also fear the slight possibility of losing the tank and all the expenses involved at the end of this deal”
Since the very beginning of this thread, I have said it time and again, that I am unknown to you all, just like you all are unknown to me. I am willing to make a tank, post all pics & info on AN and then ship the tank to ANY Access Norton member, Given that he agrees to the terms of our deal and has at least 2 other AN members backing us up on the deal.

I have mentioned this not just once or twice but SEVERAL times. Not sure on how else to further emphasis on it.
I built a tank & shipped it, all at my expense, without a single dime being offered as a deposit. All that I asked in return was a reassurance from 2 or more members of this forum, participants of this thread, that this tank which is being built & documented for the entire AN community will be dealt with as per the terms of the deal.. But sadly, not even a single member has agreed to back Farrokh & I on the terms of this deal, Or even address this particular aspect of the deal in any posts anywhere on this thread.

Now Why did I send the Tank to Dave Friesen and not Farrokh ?

Before anyone accuses Dave Friesen of being my Shill, just like someone accused Dave Smith earlier, Let me remind everyone that Dave Friesen, known as SWOOSHDAVE (AN id) has been a member of AN since 2009 and has over EIGHT THOUSAND posts on this forum. Needless to say, a well-known Norton enthusiast.
I have never met or even seen Dave Friesen in my life and neither has he. He has been following this thread and now wishes to review the tank and post all pics & possible Videos to this AN thread.
MORE IMPORTANTLY – Dave Friesen is being backed by more than 2 AN members on the terms of the deal. Once he gets the tank and is done with the Review, I will get the tank back. He along with 2+ AN members have reassured me on this.

I also wanted the tank to be displayed at the 35th Annual Vintage Motorcycle Ride, Show & Swap Meet @ Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis, Oregon on the 16th & 17th of MAY 2015, So that anyone could come and see/test the tank.

Secondly, Dave is not going to destroy the tank once after the review.
The tank has already reached Portland and will be at the weekend Event @ Corvallis. Thereafter Dave will review it for a few days as per his convenience and post it on AN.
I can have it shipped to Farrokh or Anyone else within this month, Given that, He agrees to the terms of the deal and has 2 or more AN members Backing him up on it.


With Best Regards & Lots of Love

Singh

http://www.singh-precisions.com

__________________________________________

"Brother" Singh:
Until today I thought you may be decent enough but perhaps suffering from an illness. I have a few friends with traits so I've been empathetic. You sir are dishonest at minimum and I now know worse.
I stand by everything I've said here. I tried to call you many many times.
You say you're in 2 locations in the USA.. but can never clarify it.
You stated you've called me and left messages. Never was the case.

Finally, after this goat roping.... just 3 weeks ago YOU finally told me it was finished and all that with many photos etc.. all on this site and offered to send ME this tank.... now this lunacy!

Worst part is we will miss tracking and laughing at this episode.

Moving on..... Brother...
-->FJ

Anyone want to question if I will post enough pictures and videos of said tank? :mrgreen:

I'll bite.

But with that said, if any of you remember there was another eastern gentleman that I don't remember the name now any more, that offered to send me a tank. He never did because I wouldn't give him the full price up front after offering to send it for inspection free, and then it too was offered to an OZ distributor that I conversed with, but it never showed up. I only follow this thread for entertainment and have no commitment thereof.

I'm sure the old thread is still around. It was similar to this one.

You really think your getting a tank? :roll:

swooshdave said:

Anyone want to question if I will post enough pictures and videos of said tank? :mrgreen:

Click to expand...

Hi swooshdave.
Having already seen the photos in this thread, I am now keen to hear your evaluation of the actual said tank.
Ta.

Yet again an immediate response to general negative comments but no reponse to specific questions from his supposed customer on here.

Mr Singh you are good at answering posts from curious bystanders on this thread but fall down badly when it comes to communication with your actual customer. This thread could be used in an MBA business management course as an example of how to destroy business credibility before you have even started. Arguably there may be scores of potential clients for an alloy tank on this forum, however you have demonstrated that you cannot be trusted, it therefore doesn't matter what reports come back on the quality of the tank, I at least wont deal with you. There was already some positive feedback on a tank and seat you supplied to a member here, however the fairing that was also paid for did not arrive, you have not offered any explanation for this, nor offered any redress to the injured party. I live in Hong Kong and communication between here and anywhere in the world, including India, is either an e- mail or phone call away. Congratulations on pissing off an entire community of Norton owners.

Hortons Norton said:

You really think your getting a tank? :roll:

Click to expand...

We'll find out in a couple days.

I've got no dog in this fight which makes me the best impartial party. Plus my bike is currently ready to be set up either as a PR or Roadster so I can test a variety of tanks, in case more than one is sent. Plus I have a bare metal PR tank to have a direct side by side comparison. And I'm generally a pleasant person despite multiple rumors to the contrary. :mrgreen:

In full disclosure I saw an earlier tank a year or two ago. My feedback at that time was that the surface needs to be perfectly smooth. The one I saw then was a little rough.

Here are the pictures of the sample tank. It was too short for a proddy seat and I didn't check it against a Roadster.

The finish on the outside was actually quite good. A vast improvement from the last tank I saw. For a made from scratch custom design it wasn't bad.

There were a couple faults that need to be addressed before testing on a bike. The fuel tap holes are in the wrong place, they are too close to the edge and the filter screens hit the side of the tank. There are no mounting points. I recommended some threaded pads on the front and then using the MkIII strap on the back. All things that could be fixed.

You can see another tank for comparison, apparently made by The Tank Shop. Which is also where I believe my proddy tank came from. But both the Manx and proddy tanks are "mass produced" so you would expect a higher level of fit.

So what is my initial impression? I think its a decent tank and if I couldn't afford one of the other builders I'd give it a try. I would not pay as much as a tank from Tab II for instance. Remember a couple things, ideally you would provide your bike to any custom builder to fit your tank to it. That's not going to happen with an overseas builder who doesn't have ready access to a Norton. He also may not have access to sample tanks. Bodywork and tanks take time to beat out. Ask anyone. So plan accordingly.

Apparently there may be more sample tanks coming and I'd like to see them too. I'd really like to get them on a bike and see how they look.

A video walk around will also be coming, but I haven't had time for that yet.





The bottom of the tank was painted silver and the pattern is from the bubble wrap in the not-quite-dried paint.








No idea why there is a leather strap. You could wrap it around the tank for the ultimate poser look...



There were some side covers. One was complete, but there were two oil tank covers but no tool box one. They looked good.

Questions?

Whew! Not from me... glad it went so well.
The photos look good but can't replace being there for the tactile assessment.
Ta.

needing said:

Whew! Not from me... glad it went so well.
The photos look good but can't replace being there for the tactile assessment.
Ta.

Click to expand...

I feel that the photos are a very good representation of the quality of the work. I purposefully did not hide anything.

The video will show you what it looks like from more angles. Stay tuned.

I will also be able to get my hands on the tank again in the future. I just couldn't carry it back on my bike. I'm sure you understand.

Dave can you summarize for us...?

What I read from your brief posting and pictures, and I'm trying to be as objective as I can from your text - my take away is this:
SINGH Fit =Moderate. The fuel tab threads are off! (this is not good).
SINGH Finish= Good . The top visible areas have a decent shiny finish. The bottom seems to have imperfections due to bubble wrap etc. This may not be ideal.

SINGH cost = TBD Around US$400-500
SINGH Schedule = at least 6 months and a lot of very bizarre soap opera and obliviousness if you get one. Difficult to reach and communicate with. SayNoMore

OR

TAB II in WALES.
You can get one that is stunning from Tab II in Wales for ~ US $581 plus shipping ( £375.00). http://www.tabclassics.com/product.php?id=29
Tab II are up front about their 4-6 week delivery schedule. They answer their phones and email regularly. They want YOU to be happy. They care and they show it.

In my opinion the ~ $200 you "save" from Singh is no where near the value. In fact, TAB II is a bargain.
Singh is his own worst enemy... and now his product is not all that either. IMAGINE if you had paid Singh and wanted a refund or a rebuild! the Schedule alone is epic! No Thanks!


-->FJ


Summary- Game, Set, Match - Tab II.

SvenSven said:

TAB II in WALES.
You can get one that is stunning from Tab II in Wales for ~ US $581 plus shipping ( £375.00). http://www.tabclassics.com/product.php?id=29
Tab II are up front about their 4-6 week delivery schedule. They answer their phones and email regularly. They want YOU to be happy. They care and they show it.
Summary- Game, Set, Match - Tab II.

Click to expand...

Sprint/Lyta tank for the Commando is actually 415 GBP on the website, one you quote is for the slimline/wideline. That said, Richard is easy to communicate with and you may be able to work in a deal if your timeline is flexible... who knows...

With the very important caveat that I don't have my tank in hand yet (although it's in shipment) I've been extremely impressed by the Tab II Classics operation. I contacted *numerous* fabricators who charged higher prices and never actually could get around to making my tank even given many months. I did not contact forum member madass about a tank, others have vouched for his reputation. I was going to contact him next.. I was actually in a conversation with him about 850 Mk III rearsets... communication was prompt and professional, and I was planning to about to ask him about a tank but then Richard and I finished up our discussion.

Cheers, Will

SvenSven said:

Dave can you summarize for us...?

What I read from your brief posting and pictures, and I'm trying to be as objective as I can from your text - my take away is this:
SINGH Fit =Moderate. The fuel tab threads are off! (this is not good).
SINGH Finish= Good . The top visible areas have a decent shiny finish. The bottom seems to have imperfections due to bubble wrap etc. This may not be ideal.

SINGH cost = TBD Around US$400-500
SINGH Schedule = at least 6 months and a lot of very bizarre soap opera and obliviousness if you get one. Difficult to reach and communicate with. SayNoMore

OR

TAB II in WALES.
You can get one that is stunning from Tab II in Wales for ~ US $581 plus shipping ( £375.00). http://www.tabclassics.com/product.php?id=29
Tab II are up front about their 4-6 week delivery schedule. They answer their phones and email regularly. They want YOU to be happy. They care and they show it.

In my opinion the ~ $200 you "save" from Singh is no where near the value. In fact, TAB II is a bargain.
Singh is his own worst enemy... and now his product is not all that either. IMAGINE if you had paid Singh and wanted a refund or a rebuild! the Schedule alone is epic! No Thanks!


-->FJ


Summary- Game, Set, Match - Tab II.

Click to expand...

My summary was as follows:

Upper tank surface was pretty good. It needs some more polishing to be show quality. Keep in mind some makers don't polish at all.
The mounts were left off, just as they would be for a Featherbed tank.
I'm not concerned with the underside at all, finish-wise. If the paint bothers you, then you have bigger problems.
It's a custom tank, apparently made by one person, living in a country with a wide range of economic conditions. It's going to be handmade, it's probably going to have some character flaws and it should be priced accordingly.

I know you tout the Tab II stuff but the shipped Lyta style tank for the Commando to the US will be north of $800, as someone said shipping was £110. Some people will make the decision to pay less and have to fettle it.

Everyone can clearly read that there will be challenges if you decide to go the cheaper route, you get what you pay for. I think you've beaten this horse into the ground.

swooshdave said:

Everyone can clearly read that there will be challenges if you decide to go the cheaper route, you get what you pay for.

Click to expand...

So true.
A Tab 11 tank for $800 is likely a good tank with some flaws. If those flaws bother you, purchase a $2,000 tanl from Evan Wilcox.
Evan might spend 30 hours just on finishing, so he isn't in it for the big money. At $800, Tab cannot spend 30 hours on finish, perhaps more like 4 or 5, so expect more imperfections than you will see in a Wilcox tank. The Evan Wilcox stuff is almost too nice to use. He does a course in tank building and I was all set to go for it until I found out it was in Oakland, Ca, too dangerous for ths is old guy.

From the Tab11 site-

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Hey Dave,

Thanks a ton for the review

Fuel Taps - The tank is designed to be used with longer Fuel taps
It has the same threads as the stock commando fuel tap, but the tap body is slightly longer.
If you wish to use the stock Commando fuel taps, You can use silicon washer and/or threaded spacers between the Stock fuel tap & bosses.
I used the fuel taps while pressure testing the tank, they worked flawlessly. I have now sent 2 new Taps (long) your way.

Mounts - I usually provide the mounts loose with custom tanks as i am not sure which handlebars & seat will be used with the tank. I can weld them in the stock position, if the stock seat & handlebars are to be used or as discussed.
The leather belt i provide is also very durable and can be used to harness the tank, just like the Manx.





Thanks again for your time Dave, Appreciate it
Best Regards
Singh

http://www.singh-precisions.com

_______________________________________

First time posting here. Hello all from downunder, I joined this forum mainly because it came up with a google search whilst researching Singh Tanks. I purchased a tank from him and after months I finally received it. It was a bad experience and an even worse tank. In hindsight I wish I had paid the extra money and gone elsewhere. I will post pictures of the tanks soon. From my experience I would not recommend getting anything from him. Cheers Dave

Dave,

Welcome to the group. Sorry to hear about your bad experience.
Yes, pictures please.