Aluminium tank and seat arrived from Italy just before Xmas, need to decide on a paint scheme now which may take a while !
Yup, one and the same. Ordered them in the group buy Motowheels had going. Quality is really good and I also got the quick release fuel cap (on top of the tank in the photo) which is also a mini work of art !
They look brilliant bare, I seen a bare one on a 1198 at a showroom this weekend, looked fantastic http://www.wheelsmotorcycles.co.uk/pages/used/used-bikes/2010--DUCATI-1198%20S%20CORSE-1198cc/7997.htm?YEAR=2010®LETTER=&MAKE=DUCATI&MODEL=1198%20S%20CORSE&ENGINECC=1198#eq1
Wow, that was a while ago ! - lol The tank and seat were a group buy organised by Motowheels in the USA (Motowheels-Motorcycle Performance Products for Ducati, MV Agusta, Aprilia, KTM - Rancho Cordova - Sacramento) IIRC they were made by an Italian company called Technorace but could be wrong.
I'm paranoid about the tank expanding in the near future as you can see! So, i wanted to see how much an alloy tank would set me back!
I was the same so decided it was a good way to go, with hindsight I probably wouldn't bother - just wait and see if it's an issue first and take action if and when it happens. I had the whole lot anodised as well just to make sure it didn't go furry on the inside, what a PITA that was !
Wow, you didn't mess around did you. If you fancy painting it yellow, i can test it out for a few years if you want!
Well... the idea was to have a set of brushed stripes running along the length of the tank and over the tail hump, the logo's on the side would also have a horizontal brushed finish inside the lettering (where it's normally white) so I had the areas of the tank brushed in preparation. The idea was then to have the rest of the tank painted in the normal metallic silver and then laquered, it would have looked quite subtle but was intended to have the origins shine through in a few areas. The best laid plans, etc... when it went off for painting there was a bit of confusion and it came back with a paint "brushed" finish over the whole tank. It kind of looked like hammerite applied with a brush if ya know what I mean. By then I was so fedup with waiting to get it together, I just had the whole thing re-painted as original but with a set of stripes along the tank/seat in green that matches the frame. Sounds horrid I know, but actually works really well in the flesh. You can sort of see the stripes in the pic below...
Matt what the hell were you thinking , you have completely failed in that there is no bin in your photo , great job on the bike though.
Yeah, i approve. I will get some pics of mine up soon. I just need to make sure i have no bins in the background!
Must try harder on the bin front in future photos, although to be fair they were fairly hard to find at Brooklands and the buggers seem to have fixed them down to stop Ducatisti moving them for photo ops
Well i found my tank is not centre with the left hand side been closer to the ignition switch. You can also lift the right hand side up slightly, which raises some concern for tank expansion issues. It looks like i may have to go the alloy tank route, but with the GBP plummeting like a lead balloon, its not going to be cheap. My bars don't hit the tank left or right yet, but its bloody close.
If you take the tank off, there are two rubber mounts that slide into cups. Just bung a washer or two under the left hand one, that will shift the tank to the left curing the symmetry - if it is slightly loose it will tighten up the fit at the same time.
That could well be a quick fix. I presume its easy enough to take this tank off? I can see a bolt at the back when you take the seat off, but how about the fuel lines, any special technique?
The fuel lines are on plastic quick release fittings IIRC (just feel around the base of the connector and there should be a pin/piece sticking out. Push this in and pull the pipe connection downwards gently, putting back is just a gentle push upwards again until it clicks in place). Don't do my usual and disconnect the fuel pump but then forget the fuel overflow pipe.. I usually end up juggling with the tank on one knee while trying to get this loose so I can get the tank free. Always seem to decide to do this with a full tank just to add an extra challenge !
As a new owner I was also worried about Ethanol and the tank swelling, especially as most companies seen to be adding Ethanol to their super now. I saw the alloy tanks for sale on italian ebay but the price even before the GBP dropped put me off - I ended getting a new identical tank from france for under £300 delivered and have put it up in the garage for insurance - I will line it with caswell (tank liner) before fitting it if the feedback is still good - has anyone here lined their tank? The french site was italbikeshop.fr. To be fair the alloy tank looks good - hope a second hand one turns up one day.
