[ChopperCharles]

I have a cafe racer. When I'm leaned over to reach the bars, the zipper of my pants and sometimes my belt buckle touches the tank. I have some slick knee pads which protect where my jeans hit the sides of the tank, but nothing for where my zipper touches it. I can't find anything that doesn't belong on a modern transformer bike. Nothing with the right look.

I found this:

But apparently when I get on and off the bike my pants also push this around, and it's scratched my tank a little. Which is what I'm trying to avoid. (Nothing a little polish and a microfiber cloth can't fix, but I'm trying to protect the tank not preemptively ruin it). I want something that goes on with adhesive and doesn't attract metal filings (My bike lives in a machine shop)

Does anyone have an idea of something I could use which would look correct on a vintage styled cafe racer and still provide protection to the tank?

Thanks.

Charles.

 

[TrialsRider]

Leather

 

[jaguar]

Ikea mat

 

[steveo]

Protective Tank Pad U.K. Flag Union Jack Universal Motorcycle Sonic-Moto 5051150035492 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Protective Tank Pad U.K. Flag Union Jack Universal Motorcycle Sonic-Moto at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[ChopperCharles]

My bike isn't British, so no union jacks. "Leather" doesn't help, I need a link to something I can buy

Charles.

 

[steveo]

It's a cafe racer, so it must be British.

 

[TrialsRider]

My bike isn't British, so no union jacks. "Leather" doesn't help, I need a link to something I can buy

Charles.

What do you mean leather doesn't help, where do you live that nobody ever throws out an old leather couch or chair that you can't recover some decent real leather off to repurpose into a tank bra and there is nothing more vintage then leather on a motorcycle, it's a great material to use and to work with. Leather won't hurt your paint finish but it will protect it just like it does your skin when you wear it as clothing.

Beats the heck out of that big silver fridge magnet you paid 20 bucks for, nobody ever wore a fridge magnet for protection.

 

[jaguar]

My bike isn't British, so no union jacks. "Leather" doesn't help, I need a link to something I can buy

Charles.

Dont be a pussy.

Build it, dont buy it

 

[speedrattle]

ride naked.

 

[jaguar]

DO it, you wont

 

[Classic250]

Leather won't hurt your paint finish but it will protect it just like it does your skin when you wear it as clothing.

Arguable - depends on what is used to attach the leather tank protector to the tank. Some adhesives will stain the paintwork. I have a genuine factory tank protector for the Aprilia - that sucker has leeched a stain into the paintwork that nothing will remove...except a respray.

 

[Classic250]

I have a cafe racer.
Does anyone have an idea of something I could use which would look correct on a vintage styled cafe racer and still provide protection to the tank?

Post up a pic of the bike and the tank so we actually have something to go on.

 

[TrialsRider]

Arguable - depends on what is used to attach the leather tank protector to the tank. Some adhesives will stain the paintwork. I have a genuine factory tank protector for the Aprilia - that sucker has leeched a stain into the paintwork that nothing will remove...except a respray.

You normally hold a bra on with straps
or you could be very clever and use velcro attachments where you can't normally see them
& I bet it's an ordinary old steel saddle tank for a single tube backbone frame, just like when they made cheap motorcycles back in the olden days

 

[Classic250]

You normally hold a bra on with straps

Thanks. Never used one. You were thinking bra and I was thinking tank protector - like the adhesive ones on sport bikes.

 

[ChopperCharles]

The guys on ADVRider came through for me on this one. This is what I'm going with:

It is a very close match to the tank panels I have installed, and it's a reasonable price from Revzilla. Comes in black and brown.

I also found a "CSS Germany" tank pad made for a BMW GS. It's vintage, but there are a couple on eBay. They look like this:

(The center pad only).

Will post pics of the bike when it's finished. Waiting on parts to arrive.

Charles.

 

[TrialsRider]

you bought a "One design ST Leather Style Tank Pad"
It says right in their advertisement "You won't believe it's not real leather!"

 

[Classic250]

you bought a "One design ST Leather Style Tank Pad"
It says right in their advertisement "You won't believe it's not real leather!"

Isn't that like the 80's margarine ad? 'I can't believe it's not butter'....

...and no, it didn't taste anything like real butter....

 

[woodsman]

Thanks. Never used one. You were thinking bra and I was thinking tank protector - like the adhesive ones on sport bikes.

Bras cover mans favorite toys, stickers are for kids. Leather and elastic is serious adult fun.

 

[TrialsRider]

It looks like the sole off a moon boot shaped like a tiny car floor mat, it protects a whole 4 square inches of paint at a cost of about 8 bucks per square inch and it still actually destroys the paint on that part of the tank does it not ? or is it magnetized ?

 

[ChopperCharles]

Why would it destroy the paint? 3M adhesive removes from paint cleanly (when using 3M adhesive remover) and leaves no stain. It's the stuff that's made to hold trim onto car body panels.

Magnets destroy paint. They slide around and move and anything under them gouges the paint. Especially if your garage doubles as a machine shop.

And yeah, it's small, but all I need to do is protect the area where my belt buckle and zipper are close to touching the tank, so it is hopefulyl gonna be perfect. Just waiting on it to arrive at this point.

Charles.