Custom Fuel tank fabrication

[RandyO]

Maybe this is a question I should pose on a Harley forum

I have a damaged tank(spare) for my V-strom that I would like to get expanded from stock 5.8 to 8.5 or more gallon capacity, some expansion would be hidden by faring and wouldn't need to be cosmeticly perfect, but what shows, I want to look good

anybody here do that kinda thing, body work with fuel tanks ? or recomendations

[Fitz]

Charlie North @ Function First Motorsports has done some incredible custome metal work for me over the years including flaring the fenders on the race car 2.5". He's also an x-motorcycle racer who was expanding a tank the last time I was up there. Drop him a line and see what he says.

www.ffmsd.com








Fitz

[markbvt]

Assuming you want to keep the stock shrouds on your V-Strom, the best way to expand the tank is going to be to just enlarge the lobes at the front of the tank that are covered by the shrouds.

The better way to do it might be to get rid of the shrouds, which will give you a lot more room to enlarge the tank. And the shrouds aren't necessary -- the headlight/instrument cluster/windscreen pod doesn't need them for support. Or you could always go the Thin-Strom route and get rid of all that shit in favor of something smaller mounted to the fork tubes.

I'm seriously thinking about doing some major stripping down of my Wee-Strom next spring and turning it into something more along these lines... maybe even add dirtbike forks and a 21" front wheel.



or



--mark

[RandyO]

Charlie North @ Function First Motorsports has done some incredible custome metal work

that's what I'm looking for, closer to home would be nicer, I will add Charlie to my list

Assuming you want to keep the stock shrouds on your V-Strom, the best way to expand the tank is going to be to just enlarge the lobes at the front of the tank that are covered by the shrouds.

The better way to do it might be to get rid of the shrouds, which will give you a lot more room to enlarge the tank. And the shrouds aren't necessary -- the headlight/instrument cluster/windscreen pod doesn't need them for support.

All things I have thought about, I don't think just enlarging the lobes will get me to the capacity that I am looking for. the dent in the tank is not big, maybe 8-10 sq.in. located about an inch or so behind the filler cap and 3-4 inches left of the centerline of the tank, so I'm envisioning a bubble that would be big enuf to include the damaged area and raise the filler cap making the tank 2-3 inches taller

between those 2 mods, I can probably add the 2.5 gallons or so to get it to an 8½-9 gal capacity I am looking for

there was a guy local to me that has done a lot of Harley custom tanks but he move his shop and I don't know how to get ahold of him anymore

based on what beemerphiles pay for the optional 11 gallon GS tanks, I'm thinking what it cost me to get the tank modified, I could always sell a nicely done high capacity tank for what I have in it, if I no longer have the need

200 mile range of the stock tank on the 1k is kinda limiting for serious adventure riding

[markbvt]

200 mile range of the stock tank on the 1k is kinda limiting for serious adventure riding

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I went with the Wee-Strom.

--mark

[RandyO]

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I went with the Wee-Strom.

--mark

I get better milage on the highway with my Vee than I did with my little SV650, SV would get 45-55mpg rural and even urban, the lower the speed average, the higher the milage but on the highway at steady 75 or above, it sropped to mid 30s, milage was consistent meaning it never varied from that pattern much over the whole 135k I put on it.

my Vee, when I first got it, was consistently 39-40 no matter what speed I was averaged by the time I had 20k or so, I was up to 42mpg average, now at 47k, I'm getting 44-45 except now that I've had opportunity to go thru severl complete tankfulls in the rain, I have determined that my milage drops to about 41 when roads are wet, otherwise 44-45mph at 30 in urban or 80 on the highway ar anywhere in between, even in gravel and forest roads

with all the ld riding I did, I knew I didn't want another 650, sure it can wind it up and do it, the Vee is barely in top gear

[Oldmanonasuzi]

Fitz pinged me so I guess I should crawl out of the woods and stick my nose in.

Here are a few pics of an old GS tank that is getting refitted.
This is all snip and trim work similar to the way I reformed Fitz's car.

This shot shows a new inner section that hugs the frame rails tightly.


Side plates being formed.


This view shows the enlarged side proportions


And here one can see the tank is pinched at the rear to hug the frame.
The fuel cap has also been updated to a flush cap.

These shots were taken a few years back and I seem to be lacking more current ones.
I have pics of other tanks I have reworked also as well as other metalforming projects.

Here is a link to a bike I built a few years ago that shows a bit of interesting bits,
http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/IBRB/

[RandyO]

thanks for posting charlie

I guess the big question is

is it possible/practical to do the tank expansion without having the bike handy for measurements & fitting. I know that custom work like this is a lot of eyeball along with measurements. I hate to give up the abilty to go riding for even a day or 2 but for all practical purposes, a couple weeks at least even if it can be done in a one or 2 day project, logistics dictates that just cause I'd have to arrange a ride back from dropping bike off and later picking it up, if it could be done with only the tank and an inital measurment and maybe pics, I could strap the spare tank on the back of my bike, ride up, get the measurements, ride home, then ride back to pick it up at what is probably more convenient times for you.

but, the thought of ending up with a 300+ mile range is probably worth the short sacrifice

Ive about given up trying to find the guy that was local, I don't remember his name, he was an employee of an old client of mine that is no longer around, but I've seen some of the harley tanks he built

[Oldmanonasuzi]

Hi Randy,

I take it you do not put the bike up during the winter?

Many times there is room to expand the tank down underneath it and this does require repeated fitments on the bike.
Usually once this is roughed in and clearance issues are determined around the tank most all the work can be performed without the bike.
I do want to go over the job with you and make sure the project will have the outcome you want. This does need you and the bike together to ensure the shape and style fits your style and desires.
I generally do like to do at least one final fitment check before final welding and the " Make it pretty work" This get more critical if allot of forming work is done that could distort the inner portion as far as fitment is concerned.

[RandyO]

Hi Randy,

I take it you do not put the bike up during the winter?

Many times there is room to expand the tank down underneath it and this does require repeated fitments on the bike.
Usually once this is roughed in and clearance issues are determined around the tank most all the work can be performed without the bike.
I do want to go over the job with you and make sure the project will have the outcome you want. This does need you and the bike together to ensure the shape and style fits your style and desires.
I generally do like to do at least one final fitment check before final welding and the " Make it pretty work" This get more critical if allot of forming work is done that could distort the inner portion as far as fitment is concerned.

no, I don't put my bike up in winter, I do an annual "Kanc" ride on Stupidbowl Sunday (sorry if yer a football fan) and this winter, I'm planning a completely subfreezing Ironbutt Assn Saddlesore 1000 some day this winter, ride 500 miles out to State College PA area and back for the 1k total



As Mark mentioned in his post expanding the lobes to protrude further forward, I think might be able to gain a gallon on each side, than raising the bubble around the filler a little bit (this is the area my spare tank has damage) when my bike was 3 days old, parked in my barn, a ladder fell on it, was able to get a brand new tank on my comprehensive insurance, its a pretty good crease, but didn't distort the tank other than right where it hit

[Oldmanonasuzi]

That had to be frustrating when the ladder fell.

How much room is there under the fairing? It looks like the fairing expands while the tank gets smaller in there.

It also looks like room behind the radiator, but not looking right at it I have not seen what is needed to maintain airflow.

The dent should be no issue since that area will be reworked.
Do you run with a tank bag or any accessories up there?

[beet]

http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf...3558MWEAX2.htm

[RandyO]

That had to be frustrating when the ladder fell.

How much room is there under the fairing? It looks like the fairing expands while the tank gets smaller in there.

It also looks like room behind the radiator, but not looking right at it I have not seen what is needed to maintain airflow.

The dent should be no issue since that area will be reworked.
Do you run with a tank bag or any accessories up there?

the frustrating part about it wasn't the dent in the tank, I rode my bike to dealer same day, left it there for estimate, insurance adjuster was thers next day and issued check immediatly (I had not even told the insurance company (progessive)the policy changes yet) dealer orders new tank, it arrives in a couple days...... doesn't fit, turns out my bike is a california E-33 model, have to wait a week for correct tank from western warehouse.

at least the bike was ridable, so I didn't have to give up riding time.

tank swap was done in conjuction with my 600 mile service, between the discount the dealer gives me, it covered my deductable and I ended up getting the tank and 600 mile service done and still had a few $$ left over

as I think I said earlier, my guestimate there's enuf room under the faring to add about a gallon to each lobe


Beet.. if I go with aux tank route it would be a 5 gal fuel cell from Jaz, thx for that link though, my preference is the expanded tank, mostly cause i have a damaged spare that is perfect for expansion