ZX12R, does it have a plastic tank!?

Motorcycling
1

Hi All

Does anyone know if the Kawasaki ZX12R has a plastic or metal tank? I am concerned the magnetic tank bag I have just purchased may be useless!

Thanks

2

knock it. if it goes DONG then it’s metal, if it goes THUD it’s plastic.

3

Damn. My heads plastic :-/

4

I did that, I am fairly sure it’s plastic but from what I can find on the internet its metal. Will find out when I put the tank bag on it!

5

drill a hole in the bottom & see what the shavings look like

or use a magnet

6

^^^^Ha ha

I have a plastic tank and a magnetic tank bag, it works fine

7

Some of them have a plastic cover but a metal tank underneath. My 600RR is like that. With the plastic cover removed the fuel tank is only really at the front the rest is electrical stuff.

8

The tank cover is plastic, the fuel tank is metal and extends back underneath the seat.

9

Thanks Jetstream. So will my tank bag stick to it?!

10

Depends on the strength of the magnets I think.

11

Are not all fuel tanks now metal?

Its a question of steel vs aluminium, didn’t fibreglass and ABS tanks fall foul of the construction and use regulations of the 1970’s

12

nope

13

Here it is

The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

Petrol tanks

39.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), every tank containing petroleum spirit (as defined in section 23 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 which is fitted to a wheeled vehicle first used on or after 1st July 1973, and is used either for the propulsion of the vehicle or for driving an ancillary engine or equipment forming part of the vehicle shall be—

(a)made only of metal;

(b)fixed in such a position and so maintained as to be reasonably secure from damage; and

©constructed and maintained so that the leakage of any liquid or vapour from the tank is adequately prevented, so, however, that the tank may be fitted with a device which, by the intake of air or the emission of vapour, relieves changes of pressure in the tank.

(2) Instead of complying with the requirements of paragraph (1) as to construction, a vehicle may comply with the requirements of Community Directive 70/221 (insofar as they relate to fuel tanks) or ECE Regulation 34 or 34.01 or, if the vehicle is an agricultural motor vehicle, of Community Directive 74/151.

linky here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/39/made

14

Most if not all cars now have plastic tanks they offer better impact protection
Daytona 955i’s have “plastic” tanks

http://www.plasfuelsys.org/about-plasfuelsys

15

My “Beast” comes with a plastic tank, quiet depressing when you think of the price tag.

16

I would be very glad if my gsxr tank was plastic
its corrosion resistant
& a lot less likely to burst on impact with anything

17

i think the confusion is between ‘petrol tank’ and ‘tank cover’
in newer bikes there is a tank cover which looks like its your tank but its only a cover, thats plastic.
the actual petrol tank could be further down below. thats metal.

18

Like I said, down below its very metal but only from the filler cap back, up front its yer fuse box and a stupid air box which is part of the frame and probably aluminium all topped off with tasteful plastic (except for the indeterminate metal panel over the fuses)
Main fuse should you ever need it is atop the battery, you may have to remove the tank cover to access the battery which slides out of it`s ever so sensible nestling point inside the monocoque frame.

19

Yes, but the question really isn’t ‘is my tank metal or plastic’ - the question OP should have asked (but made it obvious that he wants answers to) is ‘will my tank bag stick to the bike in the usual place?’

The tank will be made of metal, probably steel, but it’s quite likely to not be forming a handy platform between the handlebars and the seat. On a modern bike the tank’s probably lower and further back than that, and where some of the tank used to be there’s now an airbox, and the whole assembly’s covered in a nice bit of plastic.

It’s probably variable by year, but the generation that happens to be in this thread has just such an arrangement, so a magnetic tank bag probably wouldn’t work.

20

One could ask, why not try the bag and see.
Sounds too simple.
Barny, a baglux tank cover and tank bag worked well up to 155mph in Germany at least, slow I know but we were two up with a fat bird and a rucksack on the back and had forgotten to tuck down.
Sell yer magnetic crap and get something decent.