How To Dent a Tank

A dented tank is a mandatory element of a stunt bike. A dent is needed to perform acrobatic stunts, wheelies, stoppies and drift in the 50/50 position, a high-chair, a spreader wheelie and a frogger. The step formed by the dent is needed for combos and serves as a foothold when getting into position, for example in a watchtower. There are many types of tank shapes in the world – they depend on the rider’s riding style and their body size. A dent can be made in two ways: denting and welding.

Welding a tank is a complex process that requires some skills. When welding, it is important to check the tank for leaks. It is hard to keep the original filler cap, which vents air to prevent a vacuum. Also, when welding, you need to apply body filler to smooth out sharp corners, so you will have to repaint the tank afterwards. So, this way is expensive and takes a lot of time, though it’s relevant for pro-riders who need to get a special tank shape for specific stunts and riding style. Look at the tank of Mike Jensen or Marcin Głowacki. Their tanks have complex shapes, because in freestyle there are many stunts on the tank where you need to change your position.

But not all pro-riders need complex shapes. Look at the tanks of the famous Joona Vatanen (Finland), Rafał Kanik (Poland) or Nikita Pokusai and Denis Rybalko (Russia). They ride at the highest level, do the most complicated modern stunts with classically dented tanks. The advantages of the denting way are obvious: it’s cheap, there’s no need to paint the tank, you can keep the original filler cap, and there’s a very low risk of compromising the tank’s seal.

In the video, Pakus has dented tanks before, but you can easily do it yourself if you know some nuances:

• It is important to heat the dent area well. The hotter the metal, the more pliable it is, and the paint is better retained. But if you overheat it, the paint will swell, so you need to be careful and constantly check the temperature, for example, with your hand.
• You need a heavy round mallet. We bought the right one, so we managed to save the paint.
• After cutting out the filler neck, make sure the cut edge isn’t sharp and won’t puncture the bottom of the tank when it presses against it during denting. In the video we cut the filler out with a dremel tool. It is the best way, because it is convenient, and you can make a clean cut.

In general, the video is quite clear and understandable. If there is no way you can do it yourself, contact us, we make stunt bikes based on popular models. Spare parts can be purchased in our motorcycle shop.