The tank I pictured earlier is one of the early plastic tanks that BMW put on R1100GS. It's notorious for bubbling paint and decals (the original paint was badly blistered and the decals were gone). However, I haven't had any issues with the bedliner after 3 months. For prep, I just degreased the exterior and sanded the surface to promote good adhesion, then I sprayed three medium coats of rattle can bedliner and let it dry overnight.
I havent had any problems with gas blistering (been on a year now), but I dont know if the Line-X brand is the same stuff as the spray can. If you take all the plastic off yourself and sand the gas tank down (to remove the graphics), and take it to them, they will spray it for around $100. this stuff is tough as nails, too. Oh yea, you need to remove the petcock and gas cap.
My weestrom panels and fenders were bedlined. It's hard to apply it nicely, so it looks rather ugly. It blends in into wee's general ugliness rather nicely.
Why not just tape them up really well? I dont see the point to taking off... or am I missing something?
the liner spray is very thick and hard, so while you could tape them up, it is easier to remove them (just two screws and two bolts), than to cut the tape off. You still have to cut the tape covering the holes
But then you have two holes.. and what about the threads for the gas cap.... or are you talking about a differnt type of gas tank and bike?
NEWS FLASH Yesterday i went to put gas in the tank one gallon at a time so i could mark off were the gas was on the tank and i can't see the gas level. When i had the tank sanded all the way down i was able to see the level but i guess you need more light or somthing. I'll still play with it and let you know if i figure it out.
My guess is that the opaqueness (word?) of the bedliner is an issue. I know they have such strips on the side of the Baja KTMs. The position might also be an issue - on the Baja bikes they gave them on the sides from top to bottom just by the edge of the seats - it might allow more light in from the top. Hey, hook up a bright blue led (suckers are BRIGHT) on the inside of the gas cap. hold down a button and a 3v AAA lights up the inside of the tank just enough to see the contrast. LEDs are low current, run cool and are sealed. A small hole in the gas cap, couple of leads around your breather hose to your battery & switch and Bob's your Aunt. Damn near any solution is better than that POC gas level monitor that comes with the bike. Someone probably stole some parts off a random number generator to make the things.
The obvious just hit me in the face re: best way to put gas view strips on 640A tank. Prepping my (640A) tank for paint and a gas view strip. Created one on each side (1/2" wide) of tank near seat. Strips were 'polished' with wet sanding up to 2000 grit. Just discovered this two-strip system enables light from one side of tank to highlight gas level on other. If I move my hand in front of the clutch-side strip, the shadow is clearly visible from the brake-side strip.The tank, unpainted, is just opaque enough it apparently needs some degree of highlight lighting to show the contrast between th empty and fuel-ladden sections.
Don't know about rattlecans but durabak is a spay on bedliner that comes either smooth or textured in mutiple colors. durabakcompany.com No affiliation just something I'm planning on using on my TT39 tanks.
Dura back is what i used. I did not spray it on I rolled it or brushed it with pretty much the same results.
Hey I'm still puzzled....what product did you use exactly? The texture of your bedline job is finer then what I see in the other pictures and just what I want.. Please elaborate! :) :) TIAM
...seen both black and paintable bedliner and rockguard as well as a 'European style' rockguard in bodyshops. Check professional autobody supply houses, they should be able to help out.
I believe TexBiker used the Duplicolor from PepBoys. Based upon conversations with him, I used the same thing on my orange pelican cases. I found it at Advanced Auto Parts, around $8.00 a can, if I correctly recall
LA outback, sorry for the slow response, But the gas cap on my KLR is not threaded. it is opened with the key, so the whole contraption comes off with two screws
I have two cans of the Duplicolor and used it to paint our XR 70 to hide road rash from a few getoffs. It's not bad, but it doesn't go on nearly as thick as the bedliner in my truck. It's not nearly as tough either...