POLL: Would you buy an aluminum tank...?

[Frisco]

I've got an S2R tank on my S4Rs.  With the proper motivation it can be done.

PM also sent - would love to see and hear how

[Frisco]

Since I'm not faced with the plastic tank debacle and there is no urgency in my life for a new tank and ducpainter could almost always fix my tank I chose $1500.  I don't think $2000 is excessive for a well done aluminum tank.

I think that is a ton of money to be paying for something that we already paid a premium for the bike to begin with - it's not like they are being customized for looks or performance - that's $2K out of your pocket you will not get back down the road for something to look like stock - I just can't see it for something that should have worked or been fixed the first time.
Just my opinion

[Brett76]

Perfect world = Alu monster style tank with a modified base to increase capacity with the use of the DP air box mod.

Very interested in the progress of this

[DarkMonster620]

Perfect world = Alu monster style tank with a modified base to increase capacity with the use of the DP air box mod.

Very interested in the progress of this

Or pods

[hunduc]

I think that is a ton of money to be paying for something that we already paid a premium for the bike to begin with - it's not like they are being customized for looks or performance - that's $2K out of your pocket you will not get back down the road for something to look like stock - I just can't see it for something that should have worked or been fixed the first time.
Just my opinion

if you are in the US, you should ask somebody in Europe what kind of premium they paid... i went with the 1500 option in the poll, btw. very interested how this whole venture will turn out.

[Uncle Mofo]

My 2007 S4RS is left out again.  No one makes a tank for it, except Ducati, and, well, I have one of those already.

Maybe one of the reasons you don't see and Beater Moto tanks is because the company never responds to emails, at least not the ones I've sent

+1

[Bill in OKC]

PM also sent - would love to see and hear how

I talked about it some here (this is also a plastic tank) - and a pic
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=35519.msg703084#msg703084

It is not a mod for everyone but "if" a metal f.i. tank is made that is formed for the 2 valve bikes, it might be an option.  There are two big problems, the round fuel pump/flange wants to hit the stock battery when raising and lowering the tank and another part of the s2r tank will hit the ecu in its stock location.  This odd bump in the bottom of the S2r tank causes most of the problems.  By going to a smaller 8 cell LiFePo4 battery I gained the room for the round fuel pump to clear.  Then by sectioning/narrowing the stock battery bracket I was able to move the ecu in about 1/2 - 3/4 inch so the tank would miss it too.

edit: if a tank for the S4Rs is made I would highly recommend using that one lol.

[idsteve]

I'm in 

[skducfan]

sold a 695 with plastic tank that was scheduled for a replacement. Will be looking for a 796 in the near future. What is the possibility of adding the 2009 and on monsters as potential aluminum tank customers? I would love the traditional monster tank look (no air box vents) and expanded capacity by replacing the internal tank. Is this possible for this model? Also could offer another version with even more capacity for those modifying or elimination the air box (by installing pod filters with velocity stacks). What do you think?

[Billyzoom]

Oh yes.  For my S4Rs I would buy one in a heartbeat.  Ideally, it would have slightly more fuel capacity and Elizabeth Banks would hand deliver it and stay for a drink.

[lawbreaker]

I'd buy one for my S2R1K

Fo' Sho'

[corey]

i have an epoxy coated tank and i would STILL prefer an aluminum tank. on this for sure.
i hit the $1500 up, considering the price of one from japan, and the cost associated with retrofitting an older metal tank... and even the ~$500 cost of a better (ca-cycleworks) PLASTIC tank.

[wantingaduc]

Iz,

I was actually talking about the specific company Panel Beater.
I took a look at their site and did a bit of reasearch into the tanks they make.
They seems really high quality, just that there are some logistic issues with them being in Japan.

There's also a shop in Staratford CT  that's highly regarded in the automotive restoration community that does aluminum work.
The place is called the Panel Shop, you can contact tehm at 203-377-6208.
I have no connection with tme personally but being in teh car biz, and working with restoration shops, their name came up.

I hope you will keep us all informed as this goes forward.

jimi

[ducatiz]

Iz,

I was actually talking about the specific company Panel Beater.
I took a look at their site and did a bit of reasearch into the tanks they make.
They seems really high quality, just that there are some logistic issues with them being in Japan.

That's Beater Moto Works that I mention in the first post. 

There's also a shop in Staratford CT  that's highly regarded in the automotive restoration community that does aluminum work.
The place is called the Panel Shop, you can contact tehm at 203-377-6208.
I have no connection with tme personally but being in teh car biz, and working with restoration shops, their name came up.

Unfortunately, the cost for a domestic build is simply too high.  I've shopped the design to a few places and none of them would touch it for less than 1500-2000, and that is their wholesale cost to me.

[Travman]

I know the idea is to build a stock looking replacement tank, but another option is to have them (or some of them) built like the desireable RoadRacing aluminum tanks.  The rise at the bottom of the tank exposed the entire vertical head, which looked really trick.

That sides of the tank which were removed on the RoadRacing tanks does hold gas.  However, the fuel pump is not able to reach those side spurs, so by getting rid of that part of the tank a little weight will be saved since we wouldn't be carrying around extra fuel that can not be used.  

Here are a couple of pics.  Ducatiz, what do you think?