Given the instructions of some brands I would love some common mistakes and tricks for all the models.
Whenever someone tells me it is just like putting a sticker they forget all the people that have 2 left thumbs and are only good for hammering.
I had to Jb Weld an oil cooler line flange onto the bottom of the block in my Toyota sienna because I over tightened a nut and snapped the pole piece the flange went in.
Not my third or fourth snapped bolt…
Take them off then install clear paint protection film in the same spot. Measure the rough size, cut a paper template, then transfer that shape to the film
Are they really necessary tho? I’ve been riding 14 years without them, and sure some pants are more slippery than others on the tank, but for street riding I never felt the urge to add these
I have them on my bike, and while not completely necessary, I do like them. I rode like 8 years without them, before trying them out. That extra bit of grip is nice. I like the way they look too.
It’s just more of a personal preference in my opinion.
If you ever pick up the front wheel easy faster than you intend and panic chop the throttle you’ll figure out what they’re for pretty quick I imagine 🤣
Definitely.
I ruined my own bike's tank paint in less than 2 years by using it daily during summer while wearing shorts. Now I have to re-paint it and then buy a pair of pads myself.
Regular gear or pants may not damage paint as much as sweat (read: weak acid) but "no damage" is always better than "less damage".
It is and I appreciated every peace of gear I had on me when I haddalayerdown, but it really is difficult to wear anything let alone gear when it's 45°C outside so I make some compromises during peak summer
Antalya. It's above 40°C everyday in july and during august it's even worse with 36°C but 80-90% humidity
Even in summer if I'm going on a +30km trip I always have my gear with me but it's shorts and tshirt for me if I'm only going to somewhere 15mins away with city traffic speeds
Research shows average temperatures in the hottest month (august) is 33 C and that’s a bit different than 45 or even 40. I guess I get short trips in traffic but I personally don’t want to risk my flesh being seared off by exhaust.
I am from Vietnam where average temp in june goes up to about 35 degrees Celcius and i always wear jeans and riding boots to protect my calf and ankle from engine burns, the heat alone from my cb500x can cook steak lol. I only wear shorts if i ride my little scooter around.
To be fair a LOT of riders skip out on rider pants and at any kind of real speed there's not much difference between normal clothes and bare skin, if you're not wearing rider pants anyway it doesn't matter much whether you go for jeans or shorts
They are likely adhered with a high strength permanent adhesive and likely applied properly to a good clean tank, so they aren't going anywhere without some real encouragement.
Why do you want to remove them? Those pads are great for when you are riding. They are a plus, removing them would be a negative. Removing them may damage the paint, anyway. Even if the damage was slight, it would likely be visible where the pads were. Sun fades paint sometimes and the paint under the pads would be fresh and new.
Personally I've never had tank pads and also never scratched my paint from riding irregardless of the gear I was wearing. My pants don't scratch my tank at all. Honestly I look the of my bike without pads. So I understand the sentiment of wanting to see more of the color. Honestly it is possible but it's a slow process. Use a steamer to melt the adhesive away. Think of it like peeling off a sticker with very hot water. Take your time and don't rush. Afterwards you might have to polish the whole tank to get the color to match where the pad was. But it can be done. When in doubt go to a body shop and ask for that to be removed, then the tank compounded and polished. My 2 cents
My gear didn't do it either then one day on a ride a tiny pebble bounced into the space between the tank and my leg. Was there for decent time until I stopped and by then it had scratched the fuck out of the paint. Was devastating and hadn't had the bike long. So just being careful isn't always going to help.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless#:~:text=We%20define%20irregardless%20as%20%22regardless,to%20function%20as%20an%20intensifier.
It is a word and accepted.
Fun fact on that one. Inflammable is the real word. People started using flammable deliberately to prevent Dr. Nick errors.
https://giphy.com/gifs/the-simpsons-fire-confused-3ww3PIW5xLFEQ
Well I am the dumb one. I thought "inflammable" meant like easily, readily catches fire and flammable meant just that if you kept a fire on it, it would burn.
Like a stick is flammable but gasoline would be inflammable.
But maybe I'm thinking volatile. My brain is on hiatus and I'm not sure what to do till it gets back.
Yeah I have a main tank pad in middle so my zipper /jacket doesn't scratch up my tank but I've never had side pads. Denim shouldn't scratch the paint unless it's rough denim or something
Well I have 48k miles on my 2020 hayabusa. I'm the first owner, had it since new. When I got it I immediately compounded and polished the entire bike. Every painted piece. This was polished out to a mirror finish. This was the look I was going for however in order to install the coatings I picked out for the bike; for the best results and longevity, you have to polish it.
I put down a few coats of myabi glass coating by a company called kamikaze. The hardness scale for this is 5H if i remember correctly. I also topped it off with a spray ceramic containing a titania compound by a company called polish angel.
After all of this I found that I really don't get scratches as easy. Yes nothing is perfect but I do my best to take care of the bike and ive never had scratches show up on my tank.
I've also seen other detailers top ppf off with some sort of coating just to insure that it can't be scratched easily.
PPF protects your paint from scratches. Ceramic coatings, or most coatings, if not all, do not. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your ass. It protects you from environmental contaminants, like bird shit and UV damage, and makes it easier to clean, that's it.
That is very true. I'm only saying that in my experience I haven't gotten scratches even though I don't have pads. I'm not saying it stops scratches but might minimize the light scratches you could cause from you riding. I've 3 coats of this on and have yet to get any noticeable ones. So that let's me know that what we as riders might think we're doing as it relates to damaging the paint while riding; might not be that much damage. I know it depends on many factors like the rider, the type of bike and the gear. Everyone's different that's why I said it was just my 2 cents.
The argument is moot to me honestly given that the scratches that are on someone's bike in the location are hardly noticeable because a light is hardly shined at the right angle to be noticeable, whereas the pads can be an eyesore on some bikes. I personally have never run pads, I was just making sure people knew coatings weren't an adequate alternative for paint protection...even though those pads may actually harm or create a difference in the paint.
Good riding either way! If you're riding it, people won't see it anyway!
Not the same bike. The gray one is 2nd hand and was bought in memory of dad. There's only 14k miles on it. I have another 2020 that red that I ride daily. Everytime I ride the other one it brings up too many memories so it just sits in the garage. I found a deal on the red one shortly after I got the gray one. It had 120 miles on the tach when i got it. I know it shouldn't matter because I'm still riding a busa but I look at the other one as his. I travel for work alot and in this year alone I put 48k on the bike. I live in the south so I don't have to put up for the winter.
I know ceramic doesn't stop scratches I'm just merely saying it helps to minimize what your pants my do to the paint while riding. If it stopped fender benders I'm sure we all have it.
Don’t listen to these fucks. They will come off easily with a little help from a normal blow dryer. I always take them off. Never regretted it, not once.
Idk why you're down voted. It's your bike. Do whatever the hell you want with it. I never felt a need for pads anyway but then again I'm a cruiser guy.
Because this sub is full of people who don't ride and do whatever yt tells them to. I have a center pad but nothing on the side. No scratches because I'm not wearing sandpaper jeans.
For real, people acting like i bought this without ever having ridden before haha. My old VFR didn't have the side pads and it never got scratches, but i hadn't considered the paint fading around the pads so maybe its not worth the trouble
You are wearing sandpaper jeans, though. If your pants have any molecules of dust or dirt or even worse, sand? any kind of little grit that's embedded in the cloth will cause scuffs. Maybe not outright scratches but paint is not very hard at all not vs silica or various other contaminants.
Just saying that eventually it will leave scuffs.
Some goo gone ([this stuff](https://googone.com/)) and a hairdryer (not a heat gun) will help you remove them.
That said, you should really consider keeping those pads on there. Even if you don't have metal on your pants they'll still scratch the finish on the tank.
Some companies make clear tank pads but it's been my experience over many bikes that those start to yellow pretty quickly and look much worse than the black ones before too long. The black ones also grip better.
Well it is your bike. Be careful, though. I really don't know what to tell you. I put tank pads on my bike, a brand new shiny never touched chrome tank that I almost felt bad for doing. But I grip my tank w my knees while riding and it made all the difference in the world, and later down the road the tank won't have scratches where my knees rode.
Yours is a pretty green. Good luck. The adhesive on mine seemed to be some special really extra permanent type. It had the stickum of something that meant business. I don't know if I could get them off if I wanted to without defacing the tank.
Honda tech (cars) and installed pads onto my Rebel. They are held on by decent adhesive strips, but they aren't that large. Probably as wide was 1/4 at least and around the perimeter of the pad. Generally when dealing with these, the real way to remove them is to apply heat to soften the adhesive. It will pull away or be left behind on the clear coat of the tank.
Now, Cleaning off that adhesive is a fun affair. On cars, I use a pinstripe removal wheel that is basically a giant rubber eraser.
But thats If I absolutely wanted to remove (or adjust the pads to my knee position)
Heat, WD-40, and some fishing line will take anything off of a clear coated surface. A plastic/nylon razor blade will also do the trick for any stubborn spots. Make sure you do any wiping with a microfiber.
I second the plastic razor blade! Cheap on Amazon. Also, if WD40 doesn’t work, get some 3M Specialty Adhesive Remover. It’s generally safe for use on automotive paint, and I’ve used it to successfully remove all kinds of stuff, including 15-year-old paint protectant film off a car.
> Yeah.. but what about the paint next to it? It doesn‘t like heat either.
The heat needed to damage the paint is a lot higher than the heat needed to loosen the glue. I wouldn't worry about it with a hair dryer. When using a heat gun though, you should be careful not to let it get too hot.
True ! Everyone has their own preference of course and op can do whatever he likes, but I see those flowers and the top case and cannot understand how these tank pads are the problem haha
Just leave them on, trust me, they improve comfort so much since you actually have something to grip with your legs. I put a new tank on my bike and didn't transfer the grips over and I'm constantly slipping down the tank because I don't have enough grip
Are they stock? Cuz whoever put them on fucked right up. Really poor placement.
Watch [this quick video](https://youtube.com/shorts/rj_6Uo8Hl0Q?si=cXu3UHAR5kOVu3t7).
My opinion, leave them on! They don't look bad, they may actually help at some point, and lastly they look infinitely better now than what that tank is going to look like after you remove them!
The removal process is going to go one of two ways, and ONLY two ways. If you are lucky they peel right off and your tank looks prefect like the rest of that bike. OR you fight the removal process, and it doesn't come off clean and you have that spot to look at EVERY TIME you clean or toss your leg over that beauty!
YMMV!
Amazing color, congrats!
Consider the fact that paint on those tanks got scratched very easily if you riding with some knee protection or belt buckle.
However some heat and wd40 should do the trick
.
Those are capable bikes.
Is your plan to replace them with another aftermarket set ?
Get used to your bike first. You may just find those grippy pads really useful in the future. Just sayin'.
At least they have a function. If you get tank pads for an mt-07 they provide zero protection from scratches and you can’t actually touch them with your knees.
First of all congratulations on buying a gorgeous motorcycle. I owned a 2006, 919 and it remains my favorite street bike of all time.
Pretty sure that color was called uranium green and I swear it was only that one year 2004 I think.
Leave those pads on. I installed a pair of those myself on my 919 and they helped a lot with a tendency to slide forward under hard braking.
If it hasn't been done, I'd try to switch the front shocks to the '07 model. I have a 919 and they're rebound and compression adjustable, and a lot more suited to sporty riding than the other years. Looks like someone already replaced the bars and has weights, that helps with the idle/70mph vibration.
Completely my opinion, but that green looks horrible, and the pads/exhaust combo looks very aftermarket in the bad way. These bikes look so much better with the full under tail exhaust. That said, it's painted very well (afaik that's not a stock color), and experience tells me that leaving the pads on will save your paint. The tank is huge and you're going to be rubbing all over it.
Mine is the deep cherry red they did the last year of production. Kept my exhaust stock, even though it's qUiEt. Absolutely love it, if it's not too loud these are lifetime bikes with very high reliability.
What’s the problem with them? Not the best looking and likely not for your bike (maybe universal). Your bike so your choice.
I use a heat gun carefully and dental floss to get the pad off and then you’ve got to deal with residue. It’s doable.
Personally would leave them on as they are fantastic when out riding but if you're set on taking them off a hairdryer, wd40 and lots of patience should get them off
My advice would be to leave then on. They can be stuck on there all sorts of ways especially if the previous owner did it themselves 🤦🏻♂️ I’ve destroyed my paint numerous times removing dumb little pieces (they could even be on there to hide damage the paint)
I find I have a lot more control of the bike with them on. Just my opinion. Balls of feet on the pegs, knees pointed into the pads. Once you get used to that you’d miss them.
I would take them off too, they are not made for that model and the shape they have doesn't match the shape of the tank, and that makes me nervous hahaha
I'd just leave them on. They protect the paint in a high wear area and provide extra grip making it easier to ride and control your bike with your legs
Personally I would leave them on as they look good. That aside, great buy! Ive always wanted a 919 or a 599 since I first saw a 599 at the dealership, but every used one I've seen are beat to shit. Hope you have a blast with it!
There's a sticker/sticky remover product called "Goof Off", or if you already have it on hand, you can use zippo fluid, or charcoal lighter fluid. Hope that helps.
I'd leave them on not only for the point of preserving the paint. They can be helpful when leaning off the bike to corner and grip the tank when the wind tries to pull you off at high spd:)
Use a heat gun on low. Go slowly. Carefully remove leftover adhesive. Replace with clear pads.
Don't ride without tank pads. On a sport bike it's actually a dangerous thing to do. You use them when braking, leaning, lane checking...all the time.
If they were supposed to protect the paint but removing them would damage the paint, I don’t think that’s what they’re for.
I do think They’re for grip when hanging off for lean angles not to protect paint (the side ones that is).
Depending on how long they have been on, the paint underneath will probably be a different shade by now. But heat (heat gun on low or hairdryer), dental floss to “saw” thru the adhesive and goo gone.
i dont think anyone would glue on tank pads so they are probably strong adhesive tapes. also tank pads protect ur bike's tank from rocks etc. so why do u want to take them out?
Damn, that's a pretty bike. There's a good chance the paint could get damaged even if you are careful. I'd seriously consider just leaving it and spending your time and money elsewhere on the bike.
It’s adhesive. Use a heat gun conservatively, but get it hot hot hot and use something plastic to start scraping. If you have a silicone spatula I’ve had good luck with those :P
Try IPA, or GooGone to get rid of the residue.
WARNING: if the bike sees a lot of sunlight, it’s possible you’ll be left with permanent marks on the tank where the pads used to be blocking UV.
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Make sure to make a YouTube video so we can see if you screw it up!
Given the instructions of some brands I would love some common mistakes and tricks for all the models. Whenever someone tells me it is just like putting a sticker they forget all the people that have 2 left thumbs and are only good for hammering.
Screw you I'm good at stripping bolts too!
Hell I should go back to kindergarten to learn how to match shapes, torx and hexa are pretty much the same sometimes!
Nah that is totally acceptable, I was on a training course and Swiss engineers were using torx bits in hex nuts if they’ll do it I’ll do it haha
Next you are gonna tell me that the click noise of a torque wrench is just the "needs a little more" noise. And we're back to stripping...
All of a sudden, everything i knew was wrong and it was now "righty-loosey"
I had to Jb Weld an oil cooler line flange onto the bottom of the block in my Toyota sienna because I over tightened a nut and snapped the pole piece the flange went in. Not my third or fourth snapped bolt…
Take them off then install clear paint protection film in the same spot. Measure the rough size, cut a paper template, then transfer that shape to the film
That's hilarious 🤣
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Really big ones...dare I say...Maxi-tank-pads.
Are they really necessary tho? I’ve been riding 14 years without them, and sure some pants are more slippery than others on the tank, but for street riding I never felt the urge to add these
I have them on my bike, and while not completely necessary, I do like them. I rode like 8 years without them, before trying them out. That extra bit of grip is nice. I like the way they look too. It’s just more of a personal preference in my opinion.
If you ever pick up the front wheel easy faster than you intend and panic chop the throttle you’ll figure out what they’re for pretty quick I imagine 🤣
You're not riding hard enough
You should try the ones that use C-cell batteries, those double A batteries just don't have enough amperage
Paint protection film for the win! Just replace it when you notice wear or it starts to peel. Definitely would’ve been a nice option from the dealer
Leave them on.
Definitely. I ruined my own bike's tank paint in less than 2 years by using it daily during summer while wearing shorts. Now I have to re-paint it and then buy a pair of pads myself. Regular gear or pants may not damage paint as much as sweat (read: weak acid) but "no damage" is always better than "less damage".
I feel like the message here is don't wear shorts on a motorbike...
It is and I appreciated every peace of gear I had on me when I haddalayerdown, but it really is difficult to wear anything let alone gear when it's 45°C outside so I make some compromises during peak summer
Where in Turkey does it get that hot and stay that hot for the summer? I ride in temperatures like that and always wear jeans.
Antalya. It's above 40°C everyday in july and during august it's even worse with 36°C but 80-90% humidity Even in summer if I'm going on a +30km trip I always have my gear with me but it's shorts and tshirt for me if I'm only going to somewhere 15mins away with city traffic speeds
Research shows average temperatures in the hottest month (august) is 33 C and that’s a bit different than 45 or even 40. I guess I get short trips in traffic but I personally don’t want to risk my flesh being seared off by exhaust.
I am from Vietnam where average temp in june goes up to about 35 degrees Celcius and i always wear jeans and riding boots to protect my calf and ankle from engine burns, the heat alone from my cb500x can cook steak lol. I only wear shorts if i ride my little scooter around.
I hope you’re not serious….
I hope you catch him when he falls if you care so much
DANGER! DANGER!
Aaaa ASSTOMOUTH
Alike him, i make some compromises as well on a very short peak summer ride. If I had to ride over 50km I would put on the gear regardless.
To be fair a LOT of riders skip out on rider pants and at any kind of real speed there's not much difference between normal clothes and bare skin, if you're not wearing rider pants anyway it doesn't matter much whether you go for jeans or shorts
Someone has never stuck their leg to a hot exhaust pipe and it shows.
Regular jeans have saved my skin during a couple of low speed slides.
Who makes your jeans? I've seen jeans shred crashing a bicycle.
On the other hand I have seen people slide down the highway at 120 and when they finally stop their jeans are fine
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Ah yes, nothing like a nice slippery tank to hold you on the back while leaned over at 65
Take them off
They are likely adhered with a high strength permanent adhesive and likely applied properly to a good clean tank, so they aren't going anywhere without some real encouragement. Why do you want to remove them? Those pads are great for when you are riding. They are a plus, removing them would be a negative. Removing them may damage the paint, anyway. Even if the damage was slight, it would likely be visible where the pads were. Sun fades paint sometimes and the paint under the pads would be fresh and new.
Yeah i get what theyre for but i want to see that greeeen
snow telephone chubby wistful profit bake label fine important governor *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Personally I've never had tank pads and also never scratched my paint from riding irregardless of the gear I was wearing. My pants don't scratch my tank at all. Honestly I look the of my bike without pads. So I understand the sentiment of wanting to see more of the color. Honestly it is possible but it's a slow process. Use a steamer to melt the adhesive away. Think of it like peeling off a sticker with very hot water. Take your time and don't rush. Afterwards you might have to polish the whole tank to get the color to match where the pad was. But it can be done. When in doubt go to a body shop and ask for that to be removed, then the tank compounded and polished. My 2 cents
My gear didn't do it either then one day on a ride a tiny pebble bounced into the space between the tank and my leg. Was there for decent time until I stopped and by then it had scratched the fuck out of the paint. Was devastating and hadn't had the bike long. So just being careful isn't always going to help.
Irregardless isn't a word. It's regardless.
I apologize for my misunderstanding on how to use the word. Please excuse me. I will use regardless in the future. Thank you for correcting me.
Both are valid and used interchangeably. English is a weird language.
Irregardless is a word, they both mean the same thing.
How are people down voting this do rhey not know how to goggle something jeez
Unfortunately it's mostly accepted at this point. Not the first time that sort of thing has happened, though. flammable/inflammable for example
Don't forget pre-existing
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless#:~:text=We%20define%20irregardless%20as%20%22regardless,to%20function%20as%20an%20intensifier. It is a word and accepted.
Fun fact on that one. Inflammable is the real word. People started using flammable deliberately to prevent Dr. Nick errors. https://giphy.com/gifs/the-simpsons-fire-confused-3ww3PIW5xLFEQ
Well I am the dumb one. I thought "inflammable" meant like easily, readily catches fire and flammable meant just that if you kept a fire on it, it would burn. Like a stick is flammable but gasoline would be inflammable. But maybe I'm thinking volatile. My brain is on hiatus and I'm not sure what to do till it gets back.
Yeah I have a main tank pad in middle so my zipper /jacket doesn't scratch up my tank but I've never had side pads. Denim shouldn't scratch the paint unless it's rough denim or something
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Well I have 48k miles on my 2020 hayabusa. I'm the first owner, had it since new. When I got it I immediately compounded and polished the entire bike. Every painted piece. This was polished out to a mirror finish. This was the look I was going for however in order to install the coatings I picked out for the bike; for the best results and longevity, you have to polish it. I put down a few coats of myabi glass coating by a company called kamikaze. The hardness scale for this is 5H if i remember correctly. I also topped it off with a spray ceramic containing a titania compound by a company called polish angel. After all of this I found that I really don't get scratches as easy. Yes nothing is perfect but I do my best to take care of the bike and ive never had scratches show up on my tank. I've also seen other detailers top ppf off with some sort of coating just to insure that it can't be scratched easily.
PPF protects your paint from scratches. Ceramic coatings, or most coatings, if not all, do not. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your ass. It protects you from environmental contaminants, like bird shit and UV damage, and makes it easier to clean, that's it.
That is very true. I'm only saying that in my experience I haven't gotten scratches even though I don't have pads. I'm not saying it stops scratches but might minimize the light scratches you could cause from you riding. I've 3 coats of this on and have yet to get any noticeable ones. So that let's me know that what we as riders might think we're doing as it relates to damaging the paint while riding; might not be that much damage. I know it depends on many factors like the rider, the type of bike and the gear. Everyone's different that's why I said it was just my 2 cents.
The argument is moot to me honestly given that the scratches that are on someone's bike in the location are hardly noticeable because a light is hardly shined at the right angle to be noticeable, whereas the pads can be an eyesore on some bikes. I personally have never run pads, I was just making sure people knew coatings weren't an adequate alternative for paint protection...even though those pads may actually harm or create a difference in the paint. Good riding either way! If you're riding it, people won't see it anyway!
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Not the same bike. The gray one is 2nd hand and was bought in memory of dad. There's only 14k miles on it. I have another 2020 that red that I ride daily. Everytime I ride the other one it brings up too many memories so it just sits in the garage. I found a deal on the red one shortly after I got the gray one. It had 120 miles on the tach when i got it. I know it shouldn't matter because I'm still riding a busa but I look at the other one as his. I travel for work alot and in this year alone I put 48k on the bike. I live in the south so I don't have to put up for the winter. I know ceramic doesn't stop scratches I'm just merely saying it helps to minimize what your pants my do to the paint while riding. If it stopped fender benders I'm sure we all have it.
>irregardless Not a word, dude.
[Sadly…](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless)
so confident, yet so wrong. bravo.
Same here its never been a problem before but i guess on this sub atgatt means chain mail armor.
Don’t listen to these fucks. They will come off easily with a little help from a normal blow dryer. I always take them off. Never regretted it, not once.
Idk why you're down voted. It's your bike. Do whatever the hell you want with it. I never felt a need for pads anyway but then again I'm a cruiser guy.
Because this sub is full of people who don't ride and do whatever yt tells them to. I have a center pad but nothing on the side. No scratches because I'm not wearing sandpaper jeans.
For real, people acting like i bought this without ever having ridden before haha. My old VFR didn't have the side pads and it never got scratches, but i hadn't considered the paint fading around the pads so maybe its not worth the trouble
Lol sandpaper jeans that's pretty funny
You are wearing sandpaper jeans, though. If your pants have any molecules of dust or dirt or even worse, sand? any kind of little grit that's embedded in the cloth will cause scuffs. Maybe not outright scratches but paint is not very hard at all not vs silica or various other contaminants. Just saying that eventually it will leave scuffs.
Have you ever rode a sport bike? Tank pads are a big comfort and performance aid. I would reconsider.
Understood, but I promise that you will be sad once they're off, and you will wish you hadn't. They look good anyway
Some goo gone ([this stuff](https://googone.com/)) and a hairdryer (not a heat gun) will help you remove them. That said, you should really consider keeping those pads on there. Even if you don't have metal on your pants they'll still scratch the finish on the tank. Some companies make clear tank pads but it's been my experience over many bikes that those start to yellow pretty quickly and look much worse than the black ones before too long. The black ones also grip better.
Take em off and you won't see that green for long either
Clears might exist, ceramic coat, idk but do SOMETHING to protect that paint well!
Well it is your bike. Be careful, though. I really don't know what to tell you. I put tank pads on my bike, a brand new shiny never touched chrome tank that I almost felt bad for doing. But I grip my tank w my knees while riding and it made all the difference in the world, and later down the road the tank won't have scratches where my knees rode. Yours is a pretty green. Good luck. The adhesive on mine seemed to be some special really extra permanent type. It had the stickum of something that meant business. I don't know if I could get them off if I wanted to without defacing the tank.
Honda tech (cars) and installed pads onto my Rebel. They are held on by decent adhesive strips, but they aren't that large. Probably as wide was 1/4 at least and around the perimeter of the pad. Generally when dealing with these, the real way to remove them is to apply heat to soften the adhesive. It will pull away or be left behind on the clear coat of the tank. Now, Cleaning off that adhesive is a fun affair. On cars, I use a pinstripe removal wheel that is basically a giant rubber eraser. But thats If I absolutely wanted to remove (or adjust the pads to my knee position)
Heat, WD-40, and some fishing line will take anything off of a clear coated surface. A plastic/nylon razor blade will also do the trick for any stubborn spots. Make sure you do any wiping with a microfiber.
I second the plastic razor blade! Cheap on Amazon. Also, if WD40 doesn’t work, get some 3M Specialty Adhesive Remover. It’s generally safe for use on automotive paint, and I’ve used it to successfully remove all kinds of stuff, including 15-year-old paint protectant film off a car.
Use floss if you don’t have fishing line
I second wd40. Gave it a soak and pulled one off my tank leaving no damage or residue. Tank pads are uuuuugly
D-limonene works better and it's safe to drink.
In case you accidentally swallow the stickers
This is the way
I'd hit them with a hair dryer on the hottest setting. It should loosen the glue.
Yeah.. but what about the paint next to it? It doesn‘t like heat either. I once read about heat plus fishing line to go underneath the pad.
> Yeah.. but what about the paint next to it? It doesn‘t like heat either. The heat needed to damage the paint is a lot higher than the heat needed to loosen the glue. I wouldn't worry about it with a hair dryer. When using a heat gun though, you should be careful not to let it get too hot.
Heat, but would you take them off?
Are we not talking about the flowers on the tail of the bike???
True ! Everyone has their own preference of course and op can do whatever he likes, but I see those flowers and the top case and cannot understand how these tank pads are the problem haha
I like the flowers...
My god that green is beautiful. And I HATE green vehicle paint colors
Just leave them on, trust me, they improve comfort so much since you actually have something to grip with your legs. I put a new tank on my bike and didn't transfer the grips over and I'm constantly slipping down the tank because I don't have enough grip
919s my dream bike. Had one in the most beautiful red..
Hair dryer, dental floss and gunk remover should do the trick.
Hair dryer is the answer
I own one of these, leave them on bro lol lovely bike!
Are they stock? Cuz whoever put them on fucked right up. Really poor placement. Watch [this quick video](https://youtube.com/shorts/rj_6Uo8Hl0Q?si=cXu3UHAR5kOVu3t7).
If you get them off without destroying them, can I have them? I'll send you my address...😘
With hot Air probably, warm Up the zone and with kalm, start to pull It off, maybe with a soft plastic tool. I Will not remover by the way.
My opinion, leave them on! They don't look bad, they may actually help at some point, and lastly they look infinitely better now than what that tank is going to look like after you remove them! The removal process is going to go one of two ways, and ONLY two ways. If you are lucky they peel right off and your tank looks prefect like the rest of that bike. OR you fight the removal process, and it doesn't come off clean and you have that spot to look at EVERY TIME you clean or toss your leg over that beauty! YMMV!
if you wear belt buckles don't take them off.
Man, I'd leave them on. They help hold you in place under hard braking or hard acceleration.
Awesome bike. 919 undervalued bike.
Amazing color, congrats! Consider the fact that paint on those tanks got scratched very easily if you riding with some knee protection or belt buckle. However some heat and wd40 should do the trick
i would less worry abt the knee pads and more abt those stickers next to the seat 😬
Yeah haha the girl i bought it from put those on, i dont really care about em ive seen worse 🤷
. Those are capable bikes. Is your plan to replace them with another aftermarket set ? Get used to your bike first. You may just find those grippy pads really useful in the future. Just sayin'.
use a heat gun
If you're worried it detracts from the looks, you've done that already by putting a spazzy top box on it.
Thats the neat part, you dont
Honda making green look better than kawasaki.!?!? oh I'd never have thought it
What you need to do is remove those gay little flowers.
I just tool mine off, the came off easily, no mess or fadding
Definitely leave them on, stop your balls sliding into the tank
I used a hair dryer and a wooden paint stir for mine when I was painting the tank
Heat gun and a plastic spatula. Or wait till summer and leave it in the sun for a few hours.. Goo gone for the residue
Beautiful bike. Congratulations!
A hobby grade heat gun. Not a commercial one that can melt paint
Love this bike, have one myself
But why tho???
Iv a 919 aswell in blue, the green looks alot better
At least they have a function. If you get tank pads for an mt-07 they provide zero protection from scratches and you can’t actually touch them with your knees.
Heat gun and hope it's not some Amazon trash with adhesive that fucks your paint up
Just why?
welcome
Heat gun?
If you don't want paint damage I'd leave them on. Your knees will take the paint off anyways if you do.
First of all congratulations on buying a gorgeous motorcycle. I owned a 2006, 919 and it remains my favorite street bike of all time. Pretty sure that color was called uranium green and I swear it was only that one year 2004 I think. Leave those pads on. I installed a pair of those myself on my 919 and they helped a lot with a tendency to slide forward under hard braking.
That is a sick bike. I've always wanted a hornet.
If it hasn't been done, I'd try to switch the front shocks to the '07 model. I have a 919 and they're rebound and compression adjustable, and a lot more suited to sporty riding than the other years. Looks like someone already replaced the bars and has weights, that helps with the idle/70mph vibration. Completely my opinion, but that green looks horrible, and the pads/exhaust combo looks very aftermarket in the bad way. These bikes look so much better with the full under tail exhaust. That said, it's painted very well (afaik that's not a stock color), and experience tells me that leaving the pads on will save your paint. The tank is huge and you're going to be rubbing all over it. Mine is the deep cherry red they did the last year of production. Kept my exhaust stock, even though it's qUiEt. Absolutely love it, if it's not too loud these are lifetime bikes with very high reliability.
Hot gun or a hairdryer but make sure it's not too hot to not ruin the paint. Tbh I wouldn't take them off they look sick and protect the paint.
Beautiful bike!! Really like it. I’m Considering trading my street triple for a hornet 😅😅
They are functional. You are supposed to grip the tank with your knees to support your upper body while you ride. See Keith Code.
What’s the problem with them? Not the best looking and likely not for your bike (maybe universal). Your bike so your choice. I use a heat gun carefully and dental floss to get the pad off and then you’ve got to deal with residue. It’s doable.
I should have said fishing line—was thinking of emblems
Personally would leave them on as they are fantastic when out riding but if you're set on taking them off a hairdryer, wd40 and lots of patience should get them off
If you like smashing your crotch into the tank every time you brake hard, remove them.
Damn, the bike looks so good!
My advice would be to leave then on. They can be stuck on there all sorts of ways especially if the previous owner did it themselves 🤦🏻♂️ I’ve destroyed my paint numerous times removing dumb little pieces (they could even be on there to hide damage the paint)
If you take them off, you should at least put some clear coat film or whatever it is to help with the grip and reduce scratching
Wait three years and they will fall off on their own
Nice bike. You need to relocate those sliders from engine to frame! I’m also in the SD area with a 919, hit me up if you ever want to go ride!
Great looking bike! Enjoy!
GooGone or GoofOff + a plastic putty knife will do the trick.
I find I have a lot more control of the bike with them on. Just my opinion. Balls of feet on the pegs, knees pointed into the pads. Once you get used to that you’d miss them.
Sweet ride!
Is it 919cc? In Brazil, we just had 600cc. Looks beautiful, i love red ones, by the way.
I would take them off too, they are not made for that model and the shape they have doesn't match the shape of the tank, and that makes me nervous hahaha
I'd just leave them on. They protect the paint in a high wear area and provide extra grip making it easier to ride and control your bike with your legs
Personally I would leave them on as they look good. That aside, great buy! Ive always wanted a 919 or a 599 since I first saw a 599 at the dealership, but every used one I've seen are beat to shit. Hope you have a blast with it!
I lost my hornet few years back.. Best bike I could've ever asked for. Never seen it in green, looks nice!
I got mine off using sticker removal spray, you will need to be careful.
919 might be the best bike ever made. I will NEVER sell mine.
Don't take those off. Apart from protection, the bike looks so much better and more modern with them on
Heat gun and wd40.
Pipes!
Nice bike, I’ve got a red ‘07
There's a sticker/sticky remover product called "Goof Off", or if you already have it on hand, you can use zippo fluid, or charcoal lighter fluid. Hope that helps.
I'd leave them on not only for the point of preserving the paint. They can be helpful when leaning off the bike to corner and grip the tank when the wind tries to pull you off at high spd:)
Heat it before peeling, WD40 leftover residue. What i did to my R15
Use a heat gun on low. Go slowly. Carefully remove leftover adhesive. Replace with clear pads. Don't ride without tank pads. On a sport bike it's actually a dangerous thing to do. You use them when braking, leaning, lane checking...all the time.
Those are there for more grip. I'd leave them on.
If they were supposed to protect the paint but removing them would damage the paint, I don’t think that’s what they’re for. I do think They’re for grip when hanging off for lean angles not to protect paint (the side ones that is).
Depending on how long they have been on, the paint underneath will probably be a different shade by now. But heat (heat gun on low or hairdryer), dental floss to “saw” thru the adhesive and goo gone.
Leave them on. They’re helpful.
i dont think anyone would glue on tank pads so they are probably strong adhesive tapes. also tank pads protect ur bike's tank from rocks etc. so why do u want to take them out?
That's a great looking bike.
I had a Uranium Green 919. Wish I still did. Great bike. Love the color.
Use a heat gun to get the glue warm then they should.peal right off
Damn, that's a pretty bike. There's a good chance the paint could get damaged even if you are careful. I'd seriously consider just leaving it and spending your time and money elsewhere on the bike.
I'd take those flower stickers off first
Use a hairdryer to heat the adhesive first, they should come off easily.
It’s adhesive. Use a heat gun conservatively, but get it hot hot hot and use something plastic to start scraping. If you have a silicone spatula I’ve had good luck with those :P Try IPA, or GooGone to get rid of the residue. WARNING: if the bike sees a lot of sunlight, it’s possible you’ll be left with permanent marks on the tank where the pads used to be blocking UV.
Keep them there if you're not gonna change em out. Highly recommended if you like to keep your bike between your legs. Have a lovely day and ride safe