MonkeyGripp Installation

INSTRUCTIONS

ADHESIVE OPTIONS

3M VHB Tape

All MonkeyGripp extenders come with 3M 9472LE VHB LSE (Very High Bond/Low Surface Energy) transfer tape on the back. It's the same adhesive that come on most high quality traction pads. Your MonkeyGripp will arrive with the back entirely covered with the VHB tape. It's installed entirely by hand with a scalpel to fit the pieces together without wrinkles or folds.

You will find extra pieces of VHB tape on the back of your MonkeyGripp. Use these extra pieces to repair any places that have bubbles or get pulled up as you remove the backing. The vent locations are places where the tape doesn't always stick very well so you can use the extra pieces to fix those trouble areas. The adhesive is so thin it doesn't matter if you overlap it. It is worth noting in extremely hot weather the 3M tape softens so it's important to monitor your Gripps closely in these conditions. Keep the bike in the shade when you're not on the track. At the very least cover the entire tank and extender with a blanket if shade isn't available.

Permanent & Semi-Permanent Adhesive Options

The 3M tape works great to secure your MonkeyGripp in place long term, but we recommend they be installed with a more permanent RTV liquid adhesive if you experience weather over 95 degrees frequently.

After testing over 30 different types and brands of heavy-duty adhesives, we found three adhesives that work very well on both the fuel tank and the foam MonkeyGripp.

1) Gorilla Ultimate Construction Adhesive
2) Gorilla Glue (Original brown, not the Clear)
3) Permatex Ultra Synthetic RTV

The Permatex is by far our favorite adhesive of the three listed above because it can be removed with "Rapid Remover" industrial adhesive remover. Despite our recommendation to install Monkeygripps with a permanent adhesive, many riders are hesitant to use anything other than the 3M tape out of concern for their tank's paint finish and being able to remove the MonkeyGripp in the future. However, MonkeyGripps installed with the Permatex RTV can be removed by cutting through the RTV with a razor or scalpel while pulling on a corner of the gripp or using "Rapid Remover" Adhesive Remover and a plastic scraper. Rapid Remover dissolves the RTV and won't damage the fuel tank's clear coat or paint.

SEAT MODIFICATIONS

Back-First Seat Removal

Some sport bikes' OEM seats need a minor modification to be able to remove them with a MonkeyGripp installed. If the seat can only be removed by lifting up from the front, the MonkeyGripp can get in the way and the seat can be trapped in place. Two L-shaped brackets keep the seat from sliding backwards and cause the seat to be trapped in place with a MonkeyGripp installed on the tank. In order for the seat to be removed with a MonkeyGripp it needs to be removed from the back first. This is achieved by shortening the two L-shaped brackets on the underside of the seat, which allows the seat to be unbolted and then slid forward enough for the seat to be removed. Remove length from the L-shaped brackets a little bit at a time so that you don't take off more than is necessary.

MonkeyGripps are intended primarily for track use with racing bodywork. Superbike seats with a thin cushion of rubber or foam are ideal for racing because they increase the rider's sensitivity to small movements of the bike's chassis, suspension and tires. The thick padding of an OEM seat prevents the rider from feeling crucial micro-movements that help a rider judge edge grip, tire spin and other subtle aspects of the feedback these sensations offer. Racing seats are unbolted and lifted without needing to lift them from the front first thereby avoiding the trapped seat problem. If you are riding on the track with an OEM seat you (and your lap times) will not regret making the switch to a superbike seat.

Superbike Seat Modification

If your seat pan profile sits higher than the OEM seat modification might be needed in order for the MonkeyGripp to fit on the tank in the correct location. We have only seen this problem with the 17-20 R6 but it might occur for models considering the growing number of bodywork manufacturers. MonkeyGripps match the shape of each bike's tank so they are not adjustable. They will only fit correctly in one location on the tank. Since fiberglass bodywork is so thin, one solution is to add fiberglass on the inside of the pan and then sculpt the shape to accommodate the MonkeyGripp with a Dremel or angle grinder. Then, hand sanding a thin layer of body filler such as Bondo will allow you to create a perfectly smooth surface to paint. Another solution, depending on your fiberglass patching skills, is to cut the seat pan, surface patch the hole and then finish with body filler.