Will a tank bag always scratch a tank?

[Maniac]

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Thinking about getting a tank bag, but I heard an opinion that no matter what bag you'll get you will end up with a scratched tank. I don't like the idea of having my bike's tank in scratches (people at Starbucks will laugh at me). So... What's your experience with the tank bags?

 

[Jampy00]

Tank bag or not, they'll still laugh at you...
But in my experience, I always put a clean thin piece of material between the magnet(s) and the tank.
Thin enough not to impact the magnetic holding force. I never had an issue.
You can also get one of fuel ring mount bag things..

 

[TSC_113]

I love the SW-Motech with its gas tank clamp system No magnets, it doesn't seem to rub on the tanks and lots of size options.

Tank Bags for Every Motorcycle Type

Discover high-quality tank bags from SW-MOTECH, perfectly tailored for all motorcycle types. Patented mounting systems, flexible sizes, and robust materials. Learn more now!

sw-motech.us

 

[jc100]

I love the SW-Motech with its gas tank clamp system No magnets, it doesn't seem to rub on the tanks and lots of size options.

Tank Bags for Every Motorcycle Type

Discover high-quality tank bags from SW-MOTECH, perfectly tailored for all motorcycle types. Patented mounting systems, flexible sizes, and robust materials. Learn more now!

sw-motech.us

This is the way to go! I’ve had these bags for years on multiple bikes with zero issues. Bombproof construction. Pricey but you won’t regret it.

 

[mimico_polak]

I scratched my tank because I didn’t notice a paper clip get stuck to the underside of the bag…outside of that never had an issue.

 

[TwistedKestrel]

They're very convenient. I've never had anything bad happen with them (yet), but I try to make sure the tank and the bag are both clean.

 

[Ash]

I've got minor scuffs from a magnetic tankbag, but no big scratches. The rest of that bike is a lot uglier, so you barely notice.

If you go with a magnetic tankbag, just don't ever put it on the ground or you'll end up with little tiny bits of ferrous dust and junk stuck to it. That can be nearly impossible to clean off if your magnets are sewn into the bag. I've got a bag where the magnets are built into a removable stiff plastic plate which slips into a zippered pocket in the bottom of the bag. That makes it a lot easier to keep clean.

 

[Max527]

I have a givi tank bag that comes with an adapter that screws on to the top where the lid is. Zero scratching happening.

 

[Priller]

If you go with a magnetic tankbag, just don't ever put it on the ground or you'll end up with little tiny bits of ferrous dust and junk stuck to it. That can be nearly impossible to clean off if your magnets are sewn into the bag.

This exact thing happened to me when borrowing a buddy's FZ1 for a road trip. Being a borrowed bike, I was extra careful to brush off the magnets with a cloth before applying the bag to the tank. Naturally, the rag didn't remove some small and very sharp metal particles, which proceeded to gouge through the metal flake silver tank, right down to the steel, when I removed it. Tried fixing it myself with a scratch kit, but it looked like crap with the silver paint, so ended up having to pay a pro to fix it. Expensive mistake.

Fortunately, my Aprilia has a non-magnetic tank, so I can't be tempted by the cheapness of magnetic tank bags. If you care about a pristine tank, the various filler ring systems are the way to go, even if they do cost a bit more...

 

[RonnieRev]

The magnet on my tack bag picked up a beer cap from my workbench which did nice job on my tank, I now check the magnets for debris before attaching to my tank

 

[Maniac]

Thanks for all the replies! I have a plastic tank, so magnetic bag is not an option for me. Looks like the ring mount bag is an answer to my question.

Any other recommendations in addition to SW Motech to look at?

 

[AFJ]

Thinking about getting a tank bag, but I heard an opinion that no matter what bag you'll get you will end up with a scratched tank. I don't like the idea of having my bike's tank in scratches (people at Starbucks will laugh at me). So... What's your experience with the tank bags?

.

 

[sburns]

No, if it's made by BMW, anybody else it will scratch....

 

[Lightcycle]

Thanks for all the replies! I have a plastic tank, so magnetic bag is not an option for me. Looks like the ring mount bag is an answer to my question.

Any other recommendations in addition to SW Motech to look at?

I have the SW-Motech Pro Tank Ring, it works well.

Givi also has something similar called TankLock:

Givi Tanklock Tank Bag Mounting Flange

Purchase the Givi Tanklock Tank Bag Mounting Flange at Canada's Motorcycle. Free shipping and Easy returns.

fortnine.ca

 

[ReSTored]

I have an 18L Givi TankLock bag. It lightly touches the tank near the seat and the clear coat is abraded a bit. I should put a clear plastic film there, not a big issue.

Smaller Givi bags will float above the tanklock ring and never touch the tank.

 

[TimDTT]

I've ridden loads with a magnetic bag on my 1975 BMW R75/6 and never gave a moment's thought to scratching the tank which still sports its original 50 year old black paint with hand painted pinstripes.

Ride the bike.

 

[ToSlow]

I’ve got a wolfman that straps tight to my tank, I’ve never had a problem with it scratching

 

[Maniac]

I have the SW-Motech Pro Tank Ring, it works well.

I really like it! But $250+ for a 3-litre bag killing me.

 

[Maniac]

I've ridden loads with a magnetic bag on my 1975 BMW R75/6 and never gave a moment's thought to scratching the tank which still sports its original 50 year old black paint with hand painted pinstripes.

Ride the bike.

Glad you don't have OCD. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Lightcycle]

Whether it scratches your paint or not depends on so many things: how often you clean the bike, whether you take care cleaning the underside of your tank bag when you remove it and put it back on, what type of riding you do, etc.

I had this on my bike in Africa, a Giant Loop tank bag with a zippered mounting system which stayed on the bike:

That mounting system stayed on the bike for the entire time I rode it, about a year and a half. Never removed it, even for cleaning. During that time, I rode through every terrain imaginable: sand, mud, gravel, pretty much everything an ADV bike should be ridden through.

When I sold the bike, I removed the tank mounting system and the harness had taken off the clearcoat:

You can see the difference in the the shiny spots on the tank and where the harness had rubbed on the paintwork.

*shrug* it's an adventure bike, not a show-and-shine Harley...

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