Plastic or Carbon Fiber Tank

[SWdragon]

I was trying to figure out what next to do to the bike to lose weight and I thought of a new product idea. Plastic or Carbon Fiber Fuel Tank.
My Aprilia has a plastic tank and so long as you use no ethanol fuel its no problem. Here in Tennessee no ethanol is available at many locations.

 

[rick]

Heh, my initial though from the subject line was that ethanol is brutal on plastic tanks.

 

[zaster]

I had two plastic tanks swell up and replaced due to ethanol.
Stabil has an additive that does prevent it in case you have to use ethanol laced gasoline.

 

[stevieboy]

Aprilia recommends Star tron. The little two-strokes definitely do not like the water ethanol attracts.

 

[zaster]

Aprilia recommends Star tron.

Thanks, good to know!

 

[Diploman]

The RC and Duke already have OEM plastic tanks....

 

[big_sur]

No, the plastic is just a cover. The tank is metal.

I've had quite a few plastic KTM tanks and they never seem to have a problem with Ethanol.

 

[Diploman]

I didn't realize that the RC has a metal tank. Perhaps that is a racing requirement. The Duke's tank is plastic, just like the cover. But to date there have been no reports of tank distortion from ethanol.

The metal tank plus the fairings must account for the circa 18 lb. difference in weight between the RC and Duke: Figures I have seen list the RC at 324 lbs dry, Duke 306.

 

[Ryanthegreat1]

Plastic tank might explain some of the weight difference but no way it is 18lbs. A fuel tank assembly might weigh in at 5lbs. I have had mine of a couple of time now with some fuel in it. Just not that heavy.

 

[Diploman]

The metal vs plastic tanks probably make a only small weight difference, especially since the RC's tank has a smaller capacity than the Duke's. The main difference between the two variants is the RC's extensive set of fairings/belly pan/windscreen vs only a small chin fairing for the Duke. This undoubtedly accounts for most of the weight differential between the two.