Tank Bra vs Tank pad Sticker thingies?

Hey guys (and gals?)

So Ive seen a lot of sweet setups in the photos section, but I havent yet seen one with a Tank Bra... Are they not cool? Are there adverse effects to having one on? Do chicks not dig Tank Bras?

Personally, I see a tank bra desirable over the sticker thingies, simply because you can just pull it off, as opposed to using a shit ton of elbow grease to remove the Tank Pad stick ons...

I need some protection for my tank as mah belleh pushes my jacket zippers up against the tank thus increasing the risk of scratching my new girl...

Thoughts?

I was thinking of grabbing something like this:
Google Image Result for http://alecto.bittwiddlers.com/vehicles/vfr800/vfr_bra.jpg

Thanks in advance!

 

I have Tank Bra collecting dirt in my garage. Tank bra will collect moisture and ruin your paint if you leave it in too long.

 

Even if it is a fitted bra (dont get cute with that), it will still rub and have an undesired effect on the paint. I had one on my old CBR and you could tell where the bra rubbed on the tank when I took it off.

 

Okay then!

Thanks guys!

I guess Ill just have to work on my belly....

 

I use a bra but I make sure it is absolutely clean before I put it on and that the tank has a good wax job on it. I think I have used it for a couple years and havent noticed any scratches or marks from it. I mainly use it to give my knees a little traction while braking.

 

There are a couple things to consider here. I have thought them out and came up with my answer.

People here want to prevent their tanks from scratches or whatever. In theory, that is fine. So did I. I wanted a tank bra but like what was said here already, unless you are maticulous, dust and water will get in behind and cause scratching. Depending on the colour of your bike, you may or may not notice. But then think of it this way. With the tank bra, you are covering up what you are trying to protect so no one sees it anyways. I dunno. That escapes my logic right there.

I had a sticker on mine. It's performance for that purpose was poor. I guess they are just not covering enough. Then you have that look of the sticker. If that is what you are looking for, then fine. Or is that is acceptable to you then fine as well. You decide. But after riding a few years with that on, when you pull it off, there will be a definate difference in the paint and you are looking at a re-paint of the tank at least, possibly more.

I just accept the fact that if I ride this thing then there are going to be scratches on it. Hell, I just painted the whole bike a year ago and the tank has minor scratches all over the rear of it already. I do my best to keep that area clean as I can, polish out what scratches I can from time to time and keep a good coat of quality wax on the whole bike, more frequently on the tank.

Bikes get scratches. That is called wear and tear. Unless you have some really far out or expensive detailed paint, get over it and ride.

 

I've used vinyl tank bras on both my RC51 and my 900SS in the past with absolutely no problems at all. As previously stated the gas tank must be squeaky clean and waxed before installing the tank bra.

A much better option to both the vinyl tank bra and the stick-on tank pad is a magnetic tank bra from Mag-Knight. These type tank bras are super easy to remove and install and won't scratch your paint.

Mag-Knight offers these magnetic tank bras in Gloss Black,Matte Black,Carbon Look,and White.
They also offer a few limited edition color matching options for the '02 to '09 VFR800's as well.

Here's the link to the Mag-Knight website. Click me.>>>>>Magnetic Tank Pads, Bras & Motorcycle Protector - Mag-Knight

 

I was at a vintage bike rally and there was a guy on a Velocette Thruxton. He rode to the meet and the coolest thing about his bike was the gas tank. The bike was stock. The gold pin stripes had been worn away by much knee rubbing and the black paint in the area showed the same treatment almost to the primer. The bike was complete but with practical upgrades that made it a daily rider. To me there is nothing like a bike that is ridden regularly, well cared for but, like a Meerschaum pipe, shows it's usage in its finish. May I ride long enough to rub the paint off my VFR like that.

 

Wow thanks for the insight guys!

Im looking at the Mag-Knight stuff - that looks sexy!

Again - the input and feedback is greatly appreciated. Love this forum.

 

Stick around. You will learn that there are lots of opinions around here. Some you will agree with. Some you won't. So long as you understand that I am always right!:drum::funky:

 

I have a clear 3M vinyl tank protector that I had installed by a local guy that does the 3M vinyl hood/bumper/headlight protection on vehicles. The 3M is perfectly clear and can only be seen if you look really close so that you can see the edge of the film. I also had the guy do the lower cowls on my 2000 VFR so they don't get scuffed up (yeah, I know, my best friends call me anal about keeping my bikes clean). The 3M vinyl tank protector is custom sized and cost less than $30 and he did the headlight and lower cowls for an extra $80. If you decide you don't like it and want to remove it all you need to do is warm it up with a hair dryer and peel it off. If any adhesive residue remains a quick rub with some 98% rubbing alcohol gets rid of it with ease.

 

you can also go to a local graphics/print shop and they usually have magnetic material on a roll. The make signs that stick on car doors. It is about 2ft wide. They add color of your choice to the sheet. I got black, I paid 35.00 and cut out 2 that wrapped knee area to knee area with a leg going up the middle. Sort of an upsidedown T. It stays put and comes off for waxing. The key is make it big enough that it will not move around. A small patch just at the back does not work.

 

Some of the tank protectors are magnetic, some are not. Anything that covers paint is going to retard fading. Better than scratches from zippers IMO.

The clear stuff in a kit is a 3M product and can be obtained in sheets and rolls. For the price, the kits look like a heck of a deal. This is RTFM stuff...Ya got one shot..

Headlight protectors? IMO the 3M stuff is good, mo bettah are the Lexan types from Ventura.. Just replaced the Velcro on mine on the mach 1 91 using marine grade Velcro. The shield is about 15 years old and still holding.

I am liking that stick on tank protector suggested by "Stosh".

Otherwise there is Jenny Craig, JJA (Jojoholics Anonymous) or the Tarzan style of riding.

 

Tank bras are for fags.

 

Lol
Tell us what you really think

 

If you go with a standard tank pads I highly recommend the OEM pads from a Honda ST1300. They are a little pricey but they are large and heavy duty and fits the tank well. I have one my VFR800 and one on my VFR750. The image below is not my bike but shows the same tank pads mounted on another VFR800.




Rollin

 

Love the look of this, very much an OEM look and looks great on red. Is the pad flexible? Will it fit and stay fixed to a 98 VFR?

 

The pad is semi flexible but since it is so thick and heavy duty it still has a somewhat rigid feel. You can also probably warm it up in the sun or carefully use a hair dryer / heat gun to make it a bit more flexible as needed. It should be fine on your 98 seeing that I have one mounted to both my 2007 and my 1993 and the tank shapes are completely different. Just keep in mind that these aren't cheap and I paid around $50 for mine a few years ago. I've tried numerous tank pads over the years and this one is without a doubt the best one I've come across in terms of clean looks and durability.

Rollin

 

I am not a huge fan of tank bra's. If they are left on the tank for a long time, then the paint starts to fade for some reason and not only that, it tends to collect lot of dust and does not give a cleaner look..