Looking for a tank pad to protect the tank against my pants/buckle, which looks vintage and cool.

2333 Views 24 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Teazer, Apr 5, 2022

ChopperCharles

Discussion Starter · Mar 17, 2022

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.

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Classic250

· #11 · Mar 19, 2022

TrialsRider said:
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.

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Classic250

· #12 · Mar 19, 2022

ChopperCharles said:
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.

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Classic250

· #14 · Mar 21, 2022

TrialsRider said:
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.

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Classic250

· #17 · Mar 22, 2022

TrialsRider said:
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....

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Classic250

· #23 · Mar 24, 2022

ChopperCharles said:
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.

It probably wont, but be careful anyway. My Aprilia had a factory tank protector and the adhesive leached into the paintwork (probably because it's always hot here and the previous owner used to leave the bike in the sun). It has left a brown stain/outline of the tank protector in the paint. Can't be polished out and no other protector that I can find actually exactly matches the Aprilia one. It pisses me off every time I look at the tank.

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