Tank logo location?

I have a Roadster tank that I will be using for a while & want to put the "Norton" stickers on it. Is there a good referance point to locate them like say in relation to the gas cap or something or is it more like just put them where I think they look good?

Well, this is actually VERY hard to do; evidenced by the many Norton Commandos I've seen with crooked and wrongly placed tank and sidecover stickers. (IMO) I've seen several factory OEM crooked installs too !!! Some owners don't seem to mind, but I like things level and perpendicular myself. The trick I use is to measure, and then put some electrical tape parallel with the bottom edge of the fuel tank. Measure up so its centered, AND looks right. You can then also measure from the front of the tank using a tailors tape measure, and use another piece of electrical tape as your vertical guideline. Some people can get it really close by just eyeballing them, but I always measure now. Or, just have Brent the "Vintage Vendor" paint them on ... which is what I just did last month !

There was a post on this. Where on the tank is personal preference. The alignment seems to be between Parallel with side covers or with ground. If ground, some want it parallel when sitting on the bike, others when it's on the stand. Personally, I was just glad to get all the air bubbles out.

Diablouph makes some very good points. However, if you put them parallel to the bottom edge of the fuel tank, and centered vertically, they will always LOOK right. ... and thus not irritate you everytime you look at it later. :x

I did mine parallel with the bottom edge of the tank and about 3 1/2" up, and the rear edge 1" in front of the edge where it bends in. It makes the decal pretty much centered on the outer most curve of the tank. That's where my factory one was.

Dave
69S

Thanks guy's. I'm only using this tank temporaraly while I get my Dunstall tank finished & hopefuly sealed well. (only time will tell) the Roadster tank is silver & I don't really like the color, thinking maybe I'll use these stickers as masking for the logo so if I paint the tank a color I will have silver "Norton" logo's when I pull them off. Just a fun home paint job for now. Brent will get the tanks when Im ready for the "real" paint job.

The first trick to making the logo on the Roadster tank look really nice is to order the sticker or stencil 75% of the original size.

IMO - The original decal size is perfect for the Interstate tank but HUGE on the Roadster.

Don't do it by eye. The last time I did that it was on a ducati single tank. I got one side a tad crooked and it drove me crazy for a couple years. Then I decided like an idiot to remove the decal and in peeling it off a 4" strip of paint came with it and I can't match the paint and the peeled spot is too large to cover with another decal. Now I have to do the tank, fenders and custom side panels over. My Norton decals are on parallel to the tank bottom placed where I liked them.

Perfection's a bitch. Ain't it?

I had the decals scanned at the local sign shop. The image was cleaned up on the computer and made into a stencil so it could be painted on. He made me a bunch for both the tank and side covers for less than a set of decals.


Tim_S

I do it by eyeball, using one of the period factory posters as a guide. The important thing is that both sides are the same. I stick them on with masking tape and check from the front and top to make sure both sides will be equal before committing to the final sticky. Never had a complaint.