OK so heres the background - Bought an XTZ660 18 months ago - looked great but on closer inspection I find at some point it's been down the road on it's side.

It's had various good repairs done and short of the fuel tank it's great - The tank has been re-bashed out and filled.

The mounting bolts/Nuts are starting to strip each time I take it off to do work and I need some help - DO I????

1) Use Helicoils to try and use the existing nuts on the tank?

2) Drill them out and use new nuts in the (very small) space behind them and next to the tank?

3)Consider a tank replacement ?

a) Yamaha originals are really expensive! Plus getting it sprayed and stickers etc...
b) Can I get a plastic RTW style Tank?

Can I expand on 3)b)

The fairings mount onto the tank so any replacemnt tank will either need these or modifacations to the fairing? The Tank mounts at the front onto 4 points on the front subframe!!! Not a single point below the headset.... can I even get a plastic designed to fit? Does the Super Tenere 750 tank fit the bike or the earlier XTZ600 which had a subframe for the fairings? Has anyone tried any of these?

Does anyone have experience in replacing these with non-yam parts?
Please offer suggestions - much appreciated,

Tony Robson.

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Tony Robson
I'll try anything once, twice if it didn't kill me!