Every time I have removed my fuel tank, I've had to pull it backward to get the boltholes to line up. Seems like its just the front bolt holes that are off so I do those first. I have to pull back on the RH side more than the LH side. When I get the RH bolt in, that tank is STUFFED in there against something. I think it's the clip that holds the rear brake light lead.

The rear bolts are not much of a problem.

Anyone else have this?

Yep.
6 bolts total:
1. The 2 fronts.
2. The 2 rears.
3. The 2 rear tank strap bolts.

a. I hand spin in and start the 6 bolts knowing the lineup is not a stripped hole, nor cause one due to load.
b. I have the strap and rear tank bolts loose so they can float in a loose position.
c. I do have a hard time as I load the tank in said direction and hand start the front bolt(s).
d. I look down the washer for the hole, that or lift the tank some and see where the bolt is to the hole.
e. In no certain order, I usually run the fronts down first, the rears next, the strap last.

Float Options:
I would elongate the strap holes in the said direction. The tank holes have a beefed up curl at the eye so I can't elongate this area, nor the rear tank eyes having the same beefing.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one. All your techniques mirror mine, Hub. I recently tried the loosening of the rear tank bracket and found it helped a lot but it does not eliminate the fuss I must go through with the front bolts.

This is the first time installing the tank with my home made mudflap bracket on. I knew it was always a hassle but with that new bracket in there, I was worried that might be bumping the tank. It actually feels like contact with rubber, not metal to metal. It is awful snug against something on the RH rear corner of the tank.

It was getting dark last night but I see there is paint rubbed off the underside of the tank there. Also, that home made mudflap bracket has the rib facing up instead of down like the OEM. I have the rear brake light sensor clip shimmed so as to not contact the ribs but that also brings it 1/16" closer to the tank. I think the rubberized clip that holds the harness has always rubbed and now it is rubbing a bit harder.

I'm going to have a closer look at it and possibly rout that harness under the mudflap bracket instead of over. If that frees it up, that solves the mystery after the fuel tank has been off six or seven times now. You could do the same thing with the OEM mudflap bracket. Perhaps use a longer bolt on the RH side and then use a nut to attach the clip to the underside of the frame tab...or just zip tie the wire to the mudflap bracket instead.

I also put the neck of the plastic cover in the clip instead of just the wire. Seemed like a god idea but I guess maybe not.

Another possible solution would be to install the clip pointing to 9 o'clock so the corner of the tank can't touch it. I tried it. It works that way but that seems to restrict the wire connectors to the fuel pump and gauge. I guess there would be no problem routing those over the brake light sensor wire. The fuel pump and gauge wires might even fit in the two plastic clamp rings if you don't snap that down too many teeth....or just loosely zip tie through the rings and around the wires.

Fun stuff out in below freezing weather. It's a wonder I get any wrenching done at all.

And looky here at these holes I just patched after removing the rear brake rez and hose...There's the rear brake light connector, there's the rear brake sensor wire. I guess I know what that round hole in front of the downspout hole was supposed to be for. Stick a gromet in that and rout the brake sensor lead through it. I think that and the taped up portion of the brake light wire was supposed to be routed along with the downspout but they decided that was too cramped. Not for me. not anymore!

See, this is what happens when you have months to take your bike apart and nothing else to do but think about it. just amazing how many times I find shit that looks like it was designed to be modded.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/14/2018 @ 8:17 AM *

I do not see any picture in the SM showing the proper routing of the fuel pump relay wire or the fuel gauge wire which I find a bit odd. The SM does show the routing of the rear brake sensor wire however and all it does is clip to the mudflap bracket and hang over the side of the mudflap box that houses the bottom of the fuel tank. Notice they put that round hole in the mudflap ahead of the downspout hole? I'm sure that was intended for the brake sensor wire to pass through where it would hook up to the main harness laying that gutter where the downspout runs... but they just skipped that step and tossed the brake sensor wire over the top of the mudflap instead! perhaps because the brake sensor connectors would not fit in that gutter along with the downspout after they decided it was necessary to reinforce the downspout with that extra rubber tube that covers it apparently to guard against the downspout getting cut or something. SO they had to put the brake sensor wire on top of the mudflap bracket and that clip is just an afterthought that makes it hard to get the fuel tank back on plus you have that nice hole they made in the mudflap not used for anything but to let dirt in the mudflap!!

SO I know what I'm going to do---the Rear brake reservoir, downspout and fuel relay wire clip eliminator, rear brake sensor, fuel pump relay and fuel level gauge wire reroute so you can get your fuel tank on mod!! It will be just the way it was meant to be and no more hassle getting those bolt holes to line up....just watch!

...but did they make that stupid hole too small to fit the lead connectors and that's why they don't use it? 13mm. I measured it. An aftermarket brake pressure switch might fit.

? We'll see.

Both my bike tanks require a bit of backpull to line up those front holes.Nothing koo koo.Never a problem.

Well I pulled the tank off again. You think they could have made those connectors any harder to take apart? There must be a special tool for that. Anyway, after removing the clip, it took less backpull to line the boltholes up but you still had to do it. I ran the brake sensor lead under the mudflap bracket and it goes right to the bottom of that gutter like it was designed that way. I have not installed the tank back but I'll report if moving the wire made any dif from just taking out the clip. I doubt it.

The brake pressure sensor will not fit through the round hole I have the patch over in the preceding pic. The connector will not either so I suppose that's why they don't use it in the factory assembly. I may cut and solder the wire so it goes through a grommet that sticks in that hole.

Here's a pic showing the spots of paint worn off the underside back RH corner of my fuel tank. The clip has a mrak on it too so I'm sure that's part of the issue.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/14/2018 @ 4:10 PM *

Everything is put back together. I removed the clip, rerouted the wire so the connector is at the bottom of the mudflap and loosely zip tied the lead from the sensor to the hole in the mudflap. Neither the lead connector nor the sensor fit through the hole. Maybe I will cut and solder the wire someday so it goes through. The tail is constantly going up and down on the suspension so that might be a reason to just toss it over the top like it is now rather than run it through a tight grommet that will constantly be flexing or rubbing the wire.

As for improved fit. No, not really. You still need to give the tank pullback/liftup to make the boltholes line up. No real change in that.

As for no more rubbing, the brake sensor lead clip is gone but the fuel gauge connector and the fuel pump connector can still get squeezed in that little space. I stuck my hand in there to free them up to see if that made any difference in the fit but it really didn't. I still had to pull back on the tank to get the holes to line up in front. That is how Kawi designed the tank bracket. It must be like one of those curved spring washers that keep tension under the bolt heads so they are locked.

Seems to give a bit more wiggle room but not nearly as much as I thought it would.

From these pics, looks to me like there would be room to do this even if the rear brake downspout was installed. My downspout is now permanently removed.

"It must be like one of those curved spring washers that keep tension under the bolt heads so they are locked"...lol.In my first reply,I was actually gonna write that concept in there.The thing that changed my mind was having the torqued bolts holding it so secure,it couldn't possibly make any difference...but I suppose,if SOMEHOW they all(or some) loosened up,that concept could be viable.Hell...IDK.
I think we all KNOW nothing on our Kawasakis are 'designed' incorrectly...like non matching bolt holes.

If one tightens(snugs,not torqued) the front two first,I wonder what happens?For the rest that is.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 2/15/2018 @ 9:37 PM *

If one tightens(snugs,not torqued) the front two first,I wonder what happens?For the rest that is.

I just did that. I snugged up only the front ones and I had to lift the bracket about a half inch to make the holes line up and then apply the backpull hold to thread them in the rest of the way. Then I snugged them up gently. When I went to the back two bolts, now I had to apply a little frontpull! Those holes are off for a reason. The rubber dampers are probably what flex when you pull the tank. They also must keep the bolts tight like well nuts do. I just snug those up so the rubber doesn't expand too much. They never have come loose.

I've never removed my tank. I guess I need to do that one of these days ... Isn't it required to change the air filter? I haven't read my manual yet ... bein' lazy

NO--the air filter cover is accessed simply by removing the ram air covers and fuel tank fairing. Depending on what order these were installed with the side fairings (before or after) you might need to take the lowers and side fairing off too. The sides and fuel tank fairing use the same mount so if the sides were put on after the fuel tank cover, you will need to take the sides off first. ..at least that's how it is on the Gen1. My fairings fit better on one side with the side tab on top on the left and the RH side tab under the fuel tank cover tab. It's a full strip down to change the air filter for me.

My air filter is filthy at 8,000 miles. I try to change by 6000 and that's when it should be done for me.

The only reason I've needed to remove my fuel tank so many times was to rout wiring for aftermarket electronics.