Aluminum tank poll for S*R Monsters (possible group buy)

[Raux]

Outside the fact there is 1) a fabricator familiar with manufacturing fuel tanks with known quality control, 2) they have produced tanks for other Ducati motorcycles (GT, SC), and 3) some members here have also been involved with that earlier exercise, you are completely correct.

actually no, because these tanks were also discussed in that HUGE thread.

[moto]

Here is the deal.

Our MFG will be starting on about 40 (pre-sold) Streetfighter tanks soon which will tie him up through December. This is an experienced company that has delivered over 70 tanks and tails to us already in the last year. These were all pre-sold. Because of the small margin and high cost, we have no plans to keep any in stock.

If we want them to start on Monster tanks, we have to show interest and commitment or he will start on work on something else that will tie him up for several months. These tanks are all hand made. They can only produce 2-3 tanks per week.

There are substantial start up costs. Molds, Jigs, CNC runs of billet parts and sacrificing OEM parts - cost money. We can't pay all those upfront cost for just a handful of tanks. We will need to make about 40 tanks.

The Monsters do no use the same fuel cap bases or fuel pump bases that the other tanks use - so our minimum order quantity on those parts alone are 50 units.

This can be done, we just need people to commit. We won't take deposits for the tanks until we get enough people interested. If we show interest, we will collect the bikes needed to create the molds. After they give us a precise estimate, we will collect small deposits and collect the balance once they are ready to ship. if we don't collect enough deposits the tanks will not be made.

I'll start a list with model/year Monster information if there is enough interest.


-M

[Greg]

Some notes on aluminum from my time researching ethanol and lurking in Ferrari forums:

You will still want to coat the tank if you use E10/ethanol-blended fuel, particularly if your bike sits for long periods of time.  Some Ferrari collectors have had problems with the ethanol in stagnant fuel corroding the OEM aluminum tanks in their cars.  If you ride regularly and you never keep gas in it that is more than ~1 month old, you will probably never have a problem.  Issues only seem to arise when E10 is allowed to go stale.  Just something to be aware of if your monster is a sunny-Sunday toy that sits for several months in winter.

If you want ethanol-free fuel, check out www.pure-gas.org.  This is what I've been doing in my Gran Canyon, which has nylon tanks that are known to swell/distort over time.  Ethanol-free is frequently more expensive (out here ethanol-free only comes in premium grade  and is $1/gal more than 87-octane E10).  To mitigate the cost, you could run regular/plus/super E10 during riding season, then do your last 2-3 fillups with ethanol-free fuel before winter storage.  The previous owner of my 900SS used 100LL avgas for winter storage in his bikes.  Smelled fantastic, though I cannot recommend the use of leaded gas in modern bikes.

Ethanol free gas is going to be harder and harder to find in the coming years, as the refiners are basically punished if they do not use as much ethanol as possible. Trouble is they do not want to offer E15 due to engine warranty concerns, which leaves them offering E10 and also E85. Hardly anyone is using E85 and they are already blending well roughly 9.5% ethanol into the US supply, so you will see them increasing supplies of E10 to try and get to the 10% max that they can use. It sucks, but that's the way the current laws are pushing the refiners.

[duc_fan]

The aviation world is going to be moving away from leaded fuel, but for flight safety reasons they cannot run ethanol... so once that transition is made to unleaded ethanol-free avgas, you'll have an excuse to get a few flight lessons and learn how to use the pumps at the airfield. 

This fuel will be compatible with aluminum tanks, and stable for long-term storage... it has to be, as many airplanes have "wet wings" (fuel stored in the skin & structure itself), and many airplanes sit for extended periods of time.

[ducpainter]

Here is the deal.

Our MFG will be starting on about 40 (pre-sold) Streetfighter tanks soon which will tie him up through December. This is an experienced company that has delivered over 70 tanks and tails to us already in the last year. These were all pre-sold. Because of the small margin and high cost, we have no plans to keep any in stock.

If we want them to start on Monster tanks, we have to show interest and commitment or he will start on work on something else that will tie him up for several months. These tanks are all hand made. They can only produce 2-3 tanks per week.

There are substantial start up costs. Molds, Jigs, CNC runs of billet parts and sacrificing OEM parts - cost money. We can make just a handful of tanks. We will need to make about 40 tanks.

The Monsters do no use the same fuel cap bases or fuel pump bases that the other tanks use - so our minimum order quantity on those parts alone are 50 units.

This can be done, we just need people to commit. We won't take deposits for the tanks until we get enough people interested. If we show interest, we will collect the bikes needed to create the molds. After they give us a precise estimate, we will collect small deposits and collect the balance once they are ready to ship. if we don't collect enough deposits the tanks will not be made.

I'll start a list with model/year Monster information if there is enough interest.


-M

If you do that M please do it in your board.

I can move this thread there if that's easier or you can start one.

[moto]

If you do that M please do it in your board.

I can move this thread there if that's easier or you can start one.

If there is enough interest, I'll start new a "pre-production group buy" list in the Motowheels section.
Does not look like it is necessary at this time.

-M

[hbliam]

If there is enough interest, I'll start new a "pre-production group buy" list in the Motowheels section.
Does not look like it is necessary at this time.

-M

I think the interest/need is there. I believe the consumers are tired of pre-funding these projects though. Conversely I understand not wanting to drop the funds required to bankroll this yourself so we end up here...endlessly talking about it.

[moto]

I think the interest/need is there. I believe the consumers are tired of pre-funding these projects though. Conversely I understand not wanting to drop the funds required to bankroll this yourself so we end up here...endlessly talking about it.

I agree with what you are saying.

A deposit would be far from funding it, as it would barely cover the cost of shipping a single tank.

We actually will have to bankroll it as we have to pay for the tooling and parts before they start, but we will only do it if we know all the tanks will be sold versus taking the chance that they will sit on the shelf.

-M

[1d10t]

To bring back a slightly old topic.  Is the group buy still on?  I've looked at the motowheels site and there is still an option to buy, but is this group buy still valid? Iis the 8~10 weeks from when I put my deposit down?

I'm on my first replacement tank.  It's now expanded worse than the original it replaced.  GRRR.. This is just what I was looking for, as I was considering finding a custom builder to fabricate a steel tank for me.

Thanks!
Ed

[1d10t]

Guess I'm late to the game???   

[Travman]

Call Motowheels directly. I'm pretty sure the group buy may still be on because the aluminum tank is still listed on their site.

[showerfan]

did anyone actually even buy one of these? i'm interested in an aluminum tank, tail and front cowl for a 2008 S4RS, if that's any kind of possibility. i do see the tanks still available on your website (motowheels) but they don't appear to be obviously compatible with the S4RS, only the S2R and 620/695.

[GK]

did anyone actually even buy one of these?

Good question. What ended up happening?

[Heath]

S4RS
http://japan.webike.net/products/21788539.html

[itsamonster]

 I'm sure i posted this on here before.....