Customizing Your Own Café Racer Gas Tank

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Before I get started on this piece, I have to warn you that making a cafe racer gas tank is no child’s play, if it is your first time, you’ll need some professional help. One small mistake and everything could go up in flames. As much as you want your bike to look unique, you should always remember that safety supersedes everything. With that in mind, sometimes I go, I went to a café racer motorbike competition. This was not your average speed show but rather more like a show-off. I could not help but notice the amount of work that café racer lovers are putting into their gas tank. Not in terms of fuel but the creativity, design, and finish of the tank. It got me thinking that I should have a class on that. So, here we are.

First, you need to get your tools in order. Among them should include the tank that you want to restore or customize. The better shape it is in the better. You will also need sandpaper 80, 600, 1000 and 2000 grits for the body filler and paint. You will need a pop-up gas cap, a paint respirator. Alternatively, you can buy a motorcycle tank repair kit. It comes with virtually everything that you would need in the process.
After you assess the damage and condition of the tank, you can begin the process. Remember that you can always have the assistance of a professional for this especially if you’re not sure.

Start by putting the tank into an oven and let it bake until all the fumes have been eliminated for the tank to be safe for restoration. It is better to do this outdoors.

After the baking process has been completed, the next step is to get off any previous paints that had been used and the rust if any. For the case of the rust, you should also make sure that you complete the same procedure for the inside of the tank. You can buy a solution that will help you with this. It might lengthen the period that it takes for the tank to be ready. But, you have better and safer results at the end. If you can, it is best to blast the interior to make sure that all the contaminants are removed. You only need the bare metal her.

If it comes to it, you can even take the tank apart and the weld and ground it to hide the welding. After this is done, the hardest part of the task has been completed. You can now fill the tank with red Renu and roll it around to make sure it gets to every part of the tank. The excess is then poured out and once again, the tank goes back to the oven.
You can then add another coat of Renu. But this time, black. This ensures that your tank never rusts inside which can be hazardous. This is done after the tank has cooled then you bake it again.

Conclusion

The exterior does not require much expertise. Remember if you have to include knee dents on tank, this has to be done before you start doing the Renu job. So after the first bake, you can knock in those knee dents.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]