We just called them what they were. Tanks and fenders. Or. Sheet metal. This term "tins". Maybe came into vogue with the reality TV biker build shows. Or. Maybe I am just an old fart that is behind the times. What say you?

 

We had referred to 'tins' for nearly 30 years as I've been around bikes on the left coast.

 

Depends on the circles you've traveled in maybe, heard tins used back in the 70's in the midwest.

 

I remember when Panheads were called Tin Tops, and as far back as I can remember a lot of riders called tanks and fenders tins.

 

They were called "tins" 55 years ago when I started riding on the East Coast also.

 

As long as I can remember, they've always been called tins...

 

As long as I can remember. My old man was into old Euro bikes (BSA, Triumph, Duc, etc.) long before I was even born, and I learned it from him and my uncles.

 

The word "tins" dates from the earliest days of motorcycle production, the fuel tank and fenders, etc, were often made from sheet steel which looked similar to "tinplate" which was used to make tinplated cans for preserving food.

The tin plating on the inside of the cans created a barrier between the steel and the food, if the food touched the steel the two would react with each other and the food would spoil. The tin coating wouldn't react with the food, thus keeping it fresh. Metal food containers are still known as tin cans to this day, eventhough some are made from aluminium and the linings in some aren't actually tin, some are plastic lined.

So that's why motorcycle bodywork became known as 'tins', because the resemble tinplated steel used in food production.

Nowaday's many motorcycle body parts are made from other materials, like plastic, glass fibre or carbon fibre, but they are still referred to as tins.

 

don't know, but it easier than saying "the metal parts" .and even a poindexter like me intuitively knows what they mean..and it sounds cool too

but if I can segue hi-jack this thread with O'96's permision ..

did Harley ever use a bladder for an oil tank?
'cause I've read many times here guys call the oil tank an "oil bag"


..L.T.A.

 

Yepper, tins is what I call the fenders and tanks. I have done that since the first stegosaurus scratched one of them way back when..