TVS 961 RECALL....

[City Garage]

Custom stuff as mentioned: the TAB tank - they’ve sold a good number by the way (and it does’t take a year):

This is like arguing with a woman the meaning of couple, few, some, many, alot etc now we can add "a good number"! And you're right! TonyA got #4! So more than three but definitely not a "good number" of them

I had a couple of beers could qualify as a good number though!

 

[NorTriDuc]

The 'aftermarket' already provide alloy tanks, because there is demand, more bikes sold means more demand for service/parts in the future. The US is very different from the UK, we have all the Donny bikes sold in the UK and now the TVS bikes. Compare that to the few sold in the US over a much longer period.

We know there are 577 bikes impacted by the recall, which is not all their production, so they are well on the way to selling a thousand in the UK. The 961 is only sold in the UK so other markets don't matter. The well known issues with the Donny bikes along with the terrible company reputation meant they never sold well here. I suspect there are far more TVS 961s in the UK already, than the Donny bikes. Also, a few of those bikes will be crashed/broken for spares each year, another source of spares into the future. Hasn't Stuart already build a few complete bikes from spare parts?

Lots of bikes get recalls, I don't think it'll make much difference to potential customers. Just look at the 2025 ZX6R... they may need a new engine..

Still disagreeing with you.
Just ask Ollie.
The 961 has been available to the market for over 10 years. Nothing is available today.

 

[NorTriDuc]

The 'aftermarket' already provide alloy tanks, because there is demand, more bikes sold means more demand for service/parts in the future. The US is very different from the UK, we have all the Donny bikes sold in the UK and now the TVS bikes. Compare that to the few sold in the US over a much longer period.

We know there are 577 bikes impacted by the recall, which is not all their production, so they are well on the way to selling a thousand in the UK. The 961 is only sold in the UK so other markets don't matter. The well known issues with the Donny bikes along with the terrible company reputation meant they never sold well here. I suspect there are far more TVS 961s in the UK already, than the Donny bikes. Also, a few of those bikes will be crashed/broken for spares each year, another source of spares into the future. Hasn't Stuart already build a few complete bikes from spare parts?

Lots of bikes get recalls, I don't think it'll make much difference to potential customers. Just look at the 2025 ZX6R... they may need a new engine..

He has connections and collections of parts or sources.
Do you really believe a company would invest in making parts for a bike that has less than say 2000-3000 bikes world wide? Let’s say all those were just in the UK.
The money for a company to invest into making, testing, developing and producing would be too big of a financial loss and risk.

Items such as wheels, brakes, clutches, etc, shared with other makes and models is all we get and have to accept.

When Matt Capri was in business, he was in the process of offering a bore kit, I believe Ollie has a bore kit available. I’ll bet a months income he doesn’t sell 2 a year.

 

[NorTriDuc]

This is like arguing with a woman the meaning of couple, few, some, many, alot etc now we can add "a good number"! And you're right! TonyA got #4! So more than three but definitely not a "good number" of them

I had a couple of beers could qualify as a good

 

[City Garage]

He has connections and collections of parts or sources.
Do you really believe a company would invest in making parts for a bike that has less than say 2000-3000 bikes world wide? Let’s say all those were just in the UK.
The money for a company to invest into making, testing, developing and producing would be too big of a financial loss and risk.

Items such as wheels, brakes, clutches, etc, shared with other makes and models is all we get and have to accept.

When Matt Capri was in business, he was in the process of offering a bore kit, I believe Ollie has a bore kit available. I’ll bet a months income he doesn’t sell 2 a year.

And Matt didn't sell that many exhausts either. Too bad he disappeared, as his exhaust sounded great.

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Only Norton are mass producing parts for the 961, but there are many small specialists in the UK who can make one off or small batches of parts if there is demand. Within 30 miles of me, there are three workshops who can make a replica exhaust system in stainless or Ti, or others who can make carbon seat units, as an example. No one is going to make an aftermarket crank, but then its unlikely there will be any demand.

 

[Stephen_Spencer]

This is like arguing with a woman the meaning of couple, few, some, many, alot etc now we can add "a good number"! And you're right! TonyA got #4! So more than three but definitely not a "good number" of them

I had a couple of beers could qualify as a good number though!

Spoken to Richard at TAB quite a bit in the past - pretty sure I remember a comment ref being surprised in the levels of interest for the 961.

I owe him a picture of the tank with strap fitted, so I’ll ask him how sales are going - would be interesting to know. 5 or so on this site only CG - small percentage of ownership as you know. Probably still less than the number of shoes in my wife’s collection though!

 

[NorTriDuc]

Only Norton are mass producing parts for the 961, but there are many small specialists in the UK who can make one off or small batches of parts if there is demand. Within 30 miles of me, there are three workshops who can make a replica exhaust system in stainless or Ti, or others who can make carbon seat units, as an example. No one is going to make an aftermarket crank, but then its unlikely there will be any demand.

Again. Nobody is saying a crank. That’s not needed. But, doing a fabricated exhaust or seat doesn’t require R&D, engineering or expensive equipment.

A one off exhaust can be easily made by anyone or any exhaust company with a saw, tubing and a welder.

 

[NorTriDuc]

Spoken to Richard at TAB quite a bit in the past - pretty sure I remember a comment ref being surprised in the levels of interest for the 961.

I owe him a picture of the tank with strap fitted, so I’ll ask him how sales are going - would be interesting to know. 5 or so on this site only CG - small percentage of ownership as you know. Probably still less than the number of shoes in my wife’s collection though!

Seems the only reason why some owners purchased a tab tank, were due to the lack of Norton offerings.

I’m sure if Norton offered a factory tank as Donington did, more people would have had them factory supplied. The original purpose of the ally tanks were for the Domi bikes.

 

[MAK]

Seems the only reason why some owners purchased a tab tank, were due to the lack of Norton offerings.

I’m sure if Norton offered a factory tank as Donington did, more people would have had them factory supplied. The original purpose of the ally tanks were for the Domi bikes.

Tanks changed to aluminium because ethanol killed the plastic ones!

 

[NorTriDuc]

Tanks changed to aluminium because ethanol killed the plastic ones!

That’s so far from the truth.
If that were the case, all the 961 bikes would have had an aluminum or steel tank.

I was recently cleaning out my garage and moved my plastic commando tank that I stored in a cabinet. I totally forgot that after 8 years of sitting, I never drained the fuel that has E10 ethanol in it.
Guess what? Not a single spot of damage to the tank whatsoever. Other than the stench inside.

 

[BritTwit]

Again. Nobody is saying a crank. That’s not needed. But, doing a fabricated exhaust or seat doesn’t require R&D, engineering or expensive equipment.

A one off exhaust can be easily made by anyone or any exhaust company with a saw, tubing and a welder.

Yeah!
OK, who has a ..saw, tubing and a welder? And of course, the skills and motivation to use them?
I want one of these exhausts!
Been waiting for 10+ years.

 

[NorTriDuc]

Yeah!
OK, who has a ..saw, tubing and a welder? And of course, the skills and motivation to use them?
I want one of these exhausts!
Been waiting for 10+ years.

View attachment 120463

I’m sure someone in your area could. All they’d need is your bike.
Who made that one?

 

[BritTwit]

Who made that one?

It was something dreamed up years ago by a Florida based AHRMA racer.
He lost interest in producing them for sale.

 

[comet]

That’s so far from the truth.
If that were the case, all the 961 bikes would have had an aluminum or steel tank.

Not necessarily. In the UK it was possible to get fuel without ethanol content eg. Esso Supreme, and that's what I used and I suspect others did as well. It was labelled as E5 on the pumps as that's what the legislation required. The E5 meant up to 5% and there was no lower limit, so 0% had to be labelled as E5.

The tank on my new 961 SP says E5 and E10 but if the tank is made of the same material as my 2013 CR then I'm not sure I believe it. I won't be taking a chance with it because if a problem does occur it will be after the warranty expires.

My understanding is that it's not the ethanol per se that's the problem but the fact that it's hygroscopic and it's the water that reacts with the plastic. When I was at the factory a few years ago the technician showed me some 961s that were awaiting repair. On three of them the tanks had expanded to the extent that they were fouling the oil filler tube at the front. There was no other visible damage.

 

[MAK]

That’s so far from the truth.
If that were the case, all the 961 bikes would have had an aluminum or steel tank.

I was recently cleaning out my garage and moved my plastic commando tank that I stored in a cabinet. I totally forgot that after 8 years of sitting, I never drained the fuel that has E10 ethanol in it.
Guess what? Not a single spot of damage to the tank whatsoever. Other than the stench inside.

That’s a pretty strong statement from someone who has not seen the damage that Ethanol did to my tank..
The Accerbis tank on my 961 was designed for petrol with no more than 8 percent ethanol.
Travelling in Europe it was sometimes impossible to obtain petrol with less than 10 % and sometimes only 15% was available.

 

[Fast Eddie]

I’m thinking that if his tank was sat for 8 years then the alcohol probably evaporated away in the first year. So it’s actually been sat for 7 years with fairly harmless innoxious liquid in it.

Whereas, as you were using yours, so it was constantly re-filled with fresh noxious alcohol (perhaps likes its owner) !!

 

[NorTriDuc]

Not necessarily. In the UK it was possible to get fuel without ethanol content eg. Esso Supreme, and that's what I used and I suspect others did as well. It was labelled as E5 on the pumps as that's what the legislation required. The E5 meant up to 5% and there was no lower limit, so 0% had to be labelled as E5.

The tank on my new 961 SP says E5 and E10 but if the tank is made of the same material as my 2013 CR then I'm not sure I believe it. I won't be taking a chance with it because if a problem does occur it will be after the warranty expires.

My understanding is that it's not the ethanol per se that's the problem but the fact that it's hygroscopic and it's the water that reacts with the plastic. When I was at the factory a few years ago the technician showed me some 961s that were awaiting repair. On three of them the tanks had expanded to the extent that they were fouling the oil filler tube at the front. There was no other visible damage.

That’s a pretty strong statement from someone who has not seen the damage that Ethanol did to my tank..
The Accerbis tank on my 961 was designed for petrol with no more than 8 percent ethanol.
Travelling in Europe it was sometimes impossible to obtain petrol with less than 10 % and sometimes only 15% was available.

In the USA it’s E10 10% minimum and up to E15 15% in all 87-93 octane fuel.
We can also get non ethanol gas, but most don’t use it because it’s up to 2x’s the cost.

I’m not sure how many USA bikes that have had their tanks affected by fuel.
But Norton never offered aluminum takes as a standard tank. Not even on the Domi bike where it was also an option.

 

[NorTriDuc]

That’s a pretty strong statement from someone who has not seen the damage that Ethanol did to my tank..
The Accerbis tank on my 961 was designed for petrol with no more than 8 percent ethanol.
Travelling in Europe it was sometimes impossible to obtain petrol with less than 10 % and sometimes only 15% was available.

Where does it says it’s designed for petrol with no more than 8%?
As I mentioned, ours is a minimum of 10% and up to 15%.
As Eddie said, it’s possible mine may of evaporated, but I’m also wondering if the combination of heat and ethanol are the cause of effect?

My bikes are also in a climate controlled garage when not ridden.
Could it be possible how your bike was also stored? Or the tank vent not allowing pressure to being released when being stored in a hot environment?

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

The ethanol in petrol has caused problems in many plastic tanks made in the 2010's. Aprilia's have had the same problem as early 961s for example. I did see somewhere that one of the changes made by TVS to the 961 was to change the material used to make the tank, to avoid this well known problem.