Latest Motorcycle Tank Bibs

[Spinner]

Here are some photos of some bibs I finished recently along with a couple of photos from the client's with the bibs on their own bikes.

Kind of nice to get pictures back after they are installed, about 3/4 of folks forget to send me photos once they are on. The POW-MIA bib is for a 2008 Honda VTX1800 F1 and the cricket bib is for a 2007 Honda Spirit 750. The last bib is medieval style tapestry artwork the client supplied of a gryphon, unfortunately the detail doesn't show real well in the photo. Cutting that one was a challenge as the lines were very small (1/8" wide in most areas) and very close together. The cricket bib photo of it off the bike with without top coat but after the painting was done so it's not as blended & shiny as the final product.

Chris

[flyingcuda]

awesome job! those are very well crafted pieces!

[GrampaJoel]

I'm not a biker person, so I am curious. How are these bibs held in place on the tanks?

Are they tied on at the seat area?

I really like the cricket one and the POW one! Great artistry!

Edited March 21, 2011 by GrampaJoel

[Spinner]

Thanks Cuda.

GrandpaJoel - it's a combination of wet forming and velcro securing points. The bibs are wet molded to gas tanks I have in the shop so they are an exact fit for that bike and don't need much to hold them on. For extra security I add 3 sections of velcro, one under the dash panel and one on each side where it wraps under the tank. The ones under the tank help ensure the bottom stays put and doesn't loosen up in the wind. For the most part, the forming, the seat and the dash hold the bib in place very securely. Putting the velcro in those spots ensures that if the client takes the bib off the bike, there are no unsightly ties or velcro pads showing/out in the open.

Chris

Edited March 21, 2011 by Spinner

[dragonspit]

Very nice bibs Spinner. the color of the Cricket caught me off guard, but when you see it on the bike it looks perfect. I think I liked the edge lacing on the last one the most. then I got to thinking, wont the lacing wear on the paint pretty hard? I mean I have had bibs on sport bikes with simply felt on the bottom and just stitching on t he sides, and that scuffed the paint after only a year. and an inline 4 aint nothin like a twin v when it comes to vibration. just curious, id still do it, they look to nice.

bob

[Spinner]

Very nice bibs Spinner. the color of the Cricket caught me off guard, but when you see it on the bike it looks perfect. I think I liked the edge lacing on the last one the most. then I got to thinking, wont the lacing wear on the paint pretty hard? I mean I have had bibs on sport bikes with simply felt on the bottom and just stitching on t he sides, and that scuffed the paint after only a year. and an inline 4 aint nothin like a twin v when it comes to vibration. just curious, id still do it, they look to nice.

bob

Hey Bob,

Good question - one I had to find an answer for as my original Mustang brand bib did exactly that over the course of 4 years. The solution I came up with was to do the felt lining last, after the lacing is done. What I do is cut the felt liner oversized, glue it onto the leather and then stitch it in hidden areas like the opening for the dash panel. The stitching will hold it on if the glue ever starts to lose it's grip. Once that's all done, I use a very sharp pair of shears and trim the felt and a slight undercut along the lacing so the felt is under where the lacing would touch but not fully visible when mounted. This way the lacing & stitching never touch the paint, only the felt does. As long as the felt is cleaned on a semi-regular basis so dust and debris don't collect under it, the felt won't damage the paint.

Chris

[Razz]

Those are very cool looking, the fitting around the bottom of the tanks are very smooth.......what do you do to waterproof them...If you don't mind me asking.

[Spinner]

Those are very cool looking, the fitting around the bottom of the tanks are very smooth.......what do you do to waterproof them...If you don't mind me asking.

Hey Razz,

The finish after dying is: neatsfoot oil, super sheen, Pecard Leather Lotion & Pecard Weatherproof Motorcycle Dressing.

The Pecard products are excellent for weatherproofing and relatively inexpensive.

I had a client report back that he spilled gasoline on his bib during a fueling mishap and the finish resisted the gas well enough that he simply had to blot it dry and reapply the dressing. (Side note - the felt backing also absorbed some of the gas so I had him take the bib off to air dry the felt liner then had him use a solution of 50/50 water & vinegar to kill the gas smell - worked like a charm). Pecard makes a neutral and a black colored dressing. For my all black bibs I use the black colored dressing to help deepen the color and I use the neutral on everything that isn't black.

Chris

The Pecard products can be found here: http://pecard.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=Pecard&Category_Code=motorcycle

[dragonspit]

Hey Bob,

Good question - one I had to find an answer for as my original Mustang brand bib did exactly that over the course of 4 years. The solution I came up with was to do the felt lining last, after the lacing is done. What I do is cut the felt liner oversized, glue it onto the leather and then stitch it in hidden areas like the opening for the dash panel. The stitching will hold it on if the glue ever starts to lose it's grip. Once that's all done, I use a very sharp pair of shears and trim the felt and a slight undercut along the lacing so the felt is under where the lacing would touch but not fully visible when mounted. This way the lacing & stitching never touch the paint, only the felt does. As long as the felt is cleaned on a semi-regular basis so dust and debris don't collect under it, the felt won't damage the paint.

Chris

Chris,

thanks for taking the time to respond. great answer and you cant see it at all. I plan to make some bike excessories, when I get a chance to replace my last two....hopefully this year. and a bib was one. but that question had been lingering in my head as I saw quite a few bibs done. right now Im just learning stuff and havent laced anything yet. besides, still paying off bills first, those pesky little elusive bills are keeping me from buying in the state of things. but its coming. thanks again.

Bob

[Razz]

Thanks for the info much apreciated.....my son just pickep this little beauty over the winter and I intend on pitching him the idea of a bib for it, giving me a whole new project and good method to protect it.

Thanks again for the help.

Hey Razz,

The finish after dying is: neatsfoot oil, super sheen, Pecard Leather Lotion & Pecard Weatherproof Motorcycle Dressing.

The Pecard products are excellent for weatherproofing and relatively inexpensive.

I had a client report back that he spilled gasoline on his bib during a fueling mishap and the finish resisted the gas well enough that he simply had to blot it dry and reapply the dressing. (Side note - the felt backing also absorbed some of the gas so I had him take the bib off to air dry the felt liner then had him use a solution of 50/50 water & vinegar to kill the gas smell - worked like a charm). Pecard makes a neutral and a black colored dressing. For my all black bibs I use the black colored dressing to help deepen the color and I use the neutral on everything that isn't black.

Chris

The Pecard products can be found here: http://pecard.com/mm...Code=motorcycle

[kid terico]

Nice lob you did on the bibs. Thanks for showing. KT