I got my daughter a 300EX this weekend. What's with the clunky metal gas tank? And, the gas cap alone must weigh a pound! Have any of you out there replaced your tanks with aftermarket plastic ones? This bike is on the heavy side for its size and displacement, so I think it would be good to lighten it up any way I can. Thanks.

 

Aftermarket plastic gas tanks retail out for just under $200 dollars. That is kind of expensive for only dropping about a pound or two.

I would first get some aftermarket aluminum handlebars($60), remove the headlight, handlebar shround, toolbox, tail light, plastic foot mudguards, and get a parking brake blockoff(remove the parking brake linkage). This will save more weight and cost less.

A new aftermarket swingarm skid will also be lighter and stronger.

 

I was going to replace the bars with TAG Metals X5. They have a brace, so it won't fit with the handlebar shroud in place. When you remove the handlebar shroud, what do you do with the ignition (key) switch, because it is built into the shroud? With the shroud off, it kind of leaves a big hole there around the steering column and light, and looks kind of unfinished.

 

not pretty...but functionable...I hose clamped my ignition switch to the left side of the handle bar just where it bends upward from the mounts.

 

After I replaced my stock handlebars with Renthal bars, I to wasn't sure on how to mount the ignition switch. I bought the handlebar plastic for a '87 250x to mount my switch. It is a perfect fit and the piece only cost around $15. I found out about this on this website:
http://atving.homepage.com/300ex_corner.htm
Check it out. It's worth it.

 

i cut a small hole on the right side of my plastic right in to the front right of my gas tank and placed my ignition there..it works and looks pretty good too

 

Gas stays better longer in a metal can than a plasic one. Just a thought

 

thats how I mounted mine too, you can kinda see it in one of my pics on my homepage.

 

can you not use the renthal fat bars or pro tapers with factory cover since they don't have a x bar I would think it would work.

 

You can go to www.imsplastics.com and check out the tanks they offer for the 300.