What are Tank Grips and Do You Really Need Them?

While shopping for fresh parts to go on your two-wheeled baby, there’s a high chance you’re going to come across a product called “tank grips.” It doesn’t matter if you’re brand new to that #bikelife or a seasoned veteran, proper tank grips can dramatically change your riding experience. But what are they exactly, and more importantly, how do they help?

Let’s rewind the clocks to 2011. I had just purchased a Honda CBR250R and began my journey on street bikes. I didn’t know a lot about the aftermarket scene, and to be honest, that bike didn’t have much of one to learn about anyways. The seating position was fairly upright and I rarely leaned that bike over very far since I was just commuting, not tearing up the canyons. Because of that, I skipped over every knee grip product I saw. I thought that those were only for the guys that race on the track or try to get their knee down in the canyons…oh, how I was wrong.

Eventually, I sold my trusted 250R and in looking back at my time with that wonderful bike, I can see that there were a handful of situations that tank grips would have benefited me greatly. The ones that stand out the most being emergency braking situations. I remember gripping a slick waxed tank with my knees for dear life while also trying to prevent locking up the tires and wishing there was a better way for me to stay planted. At the time, I just thought that was a sucky part of motorcycling, just like getting plastered with bugs or freezing your fingers off during winter rides. In the years I spent with that bike, I never put tank grips on it, but I firmly believe that if I had, they would have given me the confidence I needed to grow on that bike more than I was able to.

Fast forward a bit to 2013. I had my eye on Honda’s newly refreshed CBR600RR. I put down a deposit on a gorgeous Repsol 600RR and was already thinking about what mods I would do. Again, tank grips never crossed my mind…after all, those are just for racers. Even though this is a bigger sportbike with a lot more race DNA, I wasn’t planning on taking it to the track, so no need for those tank grips…or so I thought.

I changed my mind the second I rode the CBR out of the Honda Powerhouse dealership parking lot. In their infinite wisdom, someone at the dealership applied an Amor-All like protectant to the vinyl seat, causing my ass to move around more than if I was the leading contestant in a regional twerk competition with my heart set on the trophy…was I good enough to make nationals? That was for the judges and the cars passing me on the freeway to decide.

Anyhoozle, my knees couldn’t grip the waxed tank and for the 2+ hour ride home. I was slamming my boys into the tank and having second thoughts on my purchase. I freaking loved the bike (still do) but holy hell that was a rough ride. Not only was I nervous to wrangle all of the new power that I was not used to, but it was a constant struggle to stay in anything resembling proper body positioning. All the weight was on my wrists, feet, and groin. It was not a fun ride to kick off my new relationship with the 600RR.

Do you know what fixed that issue though? First, some cleaner to remove the Armor-All from the seat, and second, some tank grips that enabled me to grip the tank with my knees. The new seating position really made the need obvious and the last thing I wanted to do was be in a hard braking situation and lack the proper friction points to be able to handle it. Adding tank grips to my CBR truly changed the way I rode and immediately gave me more confidence to handle the bigger, heavier, and more powerful bike that I was still getting used to. As I grew as a rider and my style evolved to be more aggressive and spirited, the tank grips were there to make me feel attached to my bike. I could focus on tire and suspension feedback and not worry about my body positioning as much. I knew that in deep lean angles, my knee would have the grip needed to keep me steady and planted in the saddle, and while casually riding, the grips were there to provide me with the knee grip needed to take the pressure off of my wrists. Tank grips improved the comfort of my CBR and raised my confidence in every style of riding I could do with the bike.

Those aren’t the only benefits though. I love the way my CBR600RR looks, and I want to keep it that way. A large part of doing involves protecting the paint in the areas your body interacts with and the fuel tank is the biggest area that fits the bill. Your knees will constantly rub on the sides of the tank and your torso will often times interact with the top of the tank. Both of those areas can be scuffed or scratched by your jeans, leathers, jacket zippers, jean buttons, etc… Not only do tank grips help you maintain better body positions with improved friction points, but they protect those areas that you interact with most, keeping your bike nice and shiny underneath.

I write all of this not to convince you to buy tank grips from us at our TST website, albeit that would be a plus, but to invest in any tank grip that you find suits you best, even if we don’t sell them. I’ve used a couple of different brands and have never encountered a material I don’t like…except for some of the OEM offerings that are glorified gloss sheets of vinyl, but in a shameless plug, TechSpec has by far been my favorite and coincidentally…you can find them on our site HERE.

TechSpec tank grips are the only tank grips we currently offer, and we do this because our entire team sincerely loves their lineup and we confidently back them for street and track riders alike. Their SnakeSkin material is a rubberized x pattern that provides ample grip, is easy to apply, doesn’t leave any residue on your paint, and is on every single TST bike in our TST WORX race team and street lineup. Most recently we added them to our MT-03 build, and even with its upright riding position, we noticed an immediate improvement and more connection with the chassis. We find them so important in fact, that they were one of the first improvements we made to the bike.

Many of the TechSpec tank grips include an added center tank protector, but they also sell them separately, so you can add one to your ride anytime if your kit doesn’t come with one, or bundle them together so you get all the grip you need during one installation.

If TechSpec’s SnakeSkin material doesn’t seem like your style, they also make another material that we offer for a wide range of models called X-Line. It features a high-friction fabric on top of a padded layer that was previously offered in their in C3 material. This alternative to their SnakeSkin material is a more comfortable solution that shouldn’t sacrifice grip in everyday riding.

If you’re new to riding and have been making the same mistake I made of ignoring tank grips or thinking they are just for aggressive riders, I hope that article sheds some light and shows you that they are vital to feeling connected with your bike, no matter your riding style, seating position, or experience level.

Worried about installation? Don’t be. We have plenty of installation videos demonstrating the entire process from prep to application. If you know how to apply a sticker, you can tackle this installation with ease, and you and your ride will be a much happier pair after doing so.

Want to check out our TechSpec tank grip offers? Click HERE to see all of our TechSpec items, or click here and use the top navigation to find your make/model/year and see what we have to offer for your ride.

About Robert Callahan

I ride a 2013 Honda CBR600RR and 2022 Honda Grom...oh and I do some marketing stuff, too.