ZipTy Racing IMS 3.2 Gallon Tank for YZ 125/250

What it is

• Ty Davis designed over sized fuel tank.
• Adds more fuel lower in the tank to minimize increased width in the tank/shroud area.

When racing or riding off-road it’s often judged by distance and having the right amount of fuel is a big part of the game. When we consider over-sized fuel tanks, the name IMS is always in the mix. The ZipTy IMS 3.2 gallon tank differs from the standard IMS tank by adding most the extra fuel lower in the tank. This is claimed to improve the handling with better mass centralization. Also, this allows the look of the bike to resemble the stock tank around the knees by not adding any extra width or change the profile of the seat around the tank. It is also available dry-break compatible if needed and is available in white, blue, black, or natural colors.

How it works

• Much slimmer around the knees.
• Doesn't raise the seat up.
• Resembles a stock tank without losing any fuel capacity to the standard IMS tank.
• Easy mounting.

When comparing the standard IMS tank and the ZipTy tank, the ZipTy tank is noticeably slimmer. It doesn’t bulge out where your knees ride which can be a concern for some riders transitioning from moto to off-road. In addition to being slimmer, it also doesn’t add any height to the top of the tank which causes the transition from the seat to the tank to be abrupt and steep. Instead, almost all of the added fuel capacity remains below the radiator shrouds. This keeps all the added weight from the fuel down low so it doesn’t affect the handling of the bike as much. Likewise, it adds a little bit of fuel around the middle of the tank by eliminating the right side tank mount and instead extruding the tank a little further forward behind the shroud.

As a result of the ZipTy tank resembling the stock tank on top, all of the plastics lined up perfectly and reassembly was a breeze. Also, since it doesn’t raise the seat, there was no bunching in the seat cover and all of the mounting points lined up, which wasn’t the case with the standard IMS oversize tank. Even without the right side mount, the tank mounted up easily and it felt very sturdy. We didn’t have any problems with it moving around or coming loose after years of racing and riding.

If you mount this tank to a 125, one thing to watch for is the bottom possibly making contact with the exhaust. There isn’t a whole lot of extra space between the two and if the pipe gets bent up or mounted incorrectly, it will start to burn the tank and eventually wear through the plastic and creating a hole. This is less of an issue on the 250 as there is additional clearance. 

If you choose the clear or natural tank, a benefit to it is being able to monitor fuel consumption or watch the levels while refueling. The only downfall to the natural tank is they do discolor or darken over time.

One issue to adding more space to the bottom of the tank is the fuel line kinks when going to the carburetor. Since the petcock sits lower, the line makes more of an abrupt turn toward the carburetor. One way to alleviate this is by getting a petcock with the fuel exiting towards the carb or fit a small spring in the fuel line to help prevent it from kinking but it also slightly decreases the amount of fuel delivered. However, we have never had a problem with not getting enough fuel through the line with a spring in it but we have starved the bike for fuel with a kinked fuel line. Likewise, finding the choke on both the 125 and 250 is a little harder with this tank on. You have to reach behind the bottom portion of the tank to access it but after a few times the process become much easier. But this is a minor issue since the choke is rarely used and often times not needed when in a hurry. Another thing to note with this tank is the petcock sticks out a little further and although its only happened a couple times during a race, we have hit the petcock with our legs and halfway closed it which didn't allow for the necessary fuel to be delivered to the carb at high speeds. 

Although they utilize different methods for adding fuel capacity, they both carry 3.2 gallons which is much more than the 2.1 stock setup. It also comes in two styles with a dry break ready receiver or a screw cap receiver. Overall, I prefer the slimmer ZipTy tank over the standard IMS tank as it feels much more like stock and it doesn’t affect the performance or handling of the bike at all. Being able to go the extra distance without having to worry about running out is a huge relief and allows for a much more enjoyable ride.