Plastic tank expansion

[slowside]

I want to change the filter and plugs on my Sprint. Being a 20+ year old bike with a plastic tank, some anecdotal evidence suggests that the tank may swell once unbolted from the bike and be difficult/impossible to refit afterwards.

Has anyone had any direct experience of this, and remedies for it?

I plan to run the tank as dry as possible before hand and do the job as quickly as possible to minimise time for it to swell.

Every job I've done on this bike has proven to be far more trouble than it first seemed, so I'm expecting this to be no different.
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Triumph Sprint RS 955i - Sold
Triumph Street Triple R 675

[steve the grease]

I have had no end of problems with this and I believe it to be a well documented problem with Ducati's at some time, I certainly found a lot about online.
My bike has an Acerbis tank and my tank expands when I leave it with petrol in it. Petrol currently has 5% alcohol added to it, we are changing to 10% and the problems are only going to get worse. Alcohol absorbs moisture fromthe air - water.
The tank is vented to the atmosphere- as the temerature changes air goes in and out of the tank. This air contains moisture, in certain conditions the water condenses and then dissolves in the alcohol. This causes the tank to expand. On my bike I literally cannot undo the filler cap without using a strap wrench ,if I leave it stood for a month with fuel in. If I'm not using the bike for more than a couple of days I drain the tank using an electric pump into a red fuel can and leave the filler cap off.

https://www.ducatimonster.org/threads/tank-swelling-remedies.210509/
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All the above is my personal opinion, you can see my lips move, but I'm talking out of my arse.
I've been riding, and fixing , bikes for 50 years, in that time the more I learn, the less I am absolutely sure of.....

[Easy-X]

Can't say I know much about this subject but I'd like to learn a bit more...

Surely if the type of plastic used is prone to warping in the presence of water then the general humidity in the air outside the tank would have some affect regardless of whether you drained the inside?

Put it another way: are these plastic tanks going to go wonky regardless and ethanol just speeds up the process?
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stinkwheel]

I wonder if it would be worth throwing some stabiliser in there? I'm using frost ethomix in my 91 VFR750.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[slowside]

[jaffa90]

BP, ESSO, TEXICO, SHELL all have the E5 on all there pumps in Lancs.

[MCN]

[slowside]

[Hong Kong Phooey]

KTM with plastic tank, can confirm it's harder to put back in than take out.
The length of the tank seems to mean bolting it back to the frame is a lot harder than a metal tank, as the holes are out of alignment.

I used a lever with padding to pry the tank back and got a bolt in one side then did the same on the other.

I believe it's even worse in some US states where they use higher concentrations of ethanol.

I've taken to using premium fuels, Shell and Esso apparently don't contain any.
Most places otherwise are marked as E5.

Ducatti owners are well aware but there's some other models listed here.
https://deformedfueltanks.com/
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[slowside]

It's quite annoying. I mean, even my little YBR had a metal tank.

Why does my premium marque British sports tourer get a Playmobil tank?
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Triumph Sprint RS 955i - Sold
Triumph Street Triple R 675

[A100man]

[Easy-X]

[Hong Kong Phooey]

If money was no object then aluminium aftermarket tanks are available.

Https://beater-japan.com/?p=267

Can cram an extra 4.5 litres in, is a thing of real beauty.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[Easy-X]

[Jewlio Rides Again LLB]

My Mille R has the plastic fuel tank also. Seems to be ok up to now, touch wood.
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Mpd72: I can categorically say i’m Brighter than that, no matter how I come across on here.
HAHAHA HAHAHA Blew Chilly MyCrowSystems

[steve the grease]

[arry]