I was wondering what material most common motorcycle gas tanks are made out of? is it steel? stainless steel? aluminum? what are the advantages and disadvantages or each?
Steel is most common. Aluminum is lighter but it's harder to form, so more expensive. Plus it dents more easily. And you can't use a magnetic tank bag. I've seen stainless steel tanks but they were usually specially made.
Aluminum Motorcycle Gas Tank
Steel is the norm. Aluminum is lighter, but can be prone to cracking from vibration. It is seen more often in custom tanks, especially for custom cafe racers, Guzzis, Ducatis, Tritons, and the like. Dirt bikes use plastic tanks. Most after-market tanks for dual sports and adventure tourers are also made from plastic.
