What gas tank styles would you choose???

[Irish John]

Thanks for the response, I agree. I can see that some 50+ people read the initial post and didn't comment. That makes me wonder if people just don't care, or just aren't willing to lift a finger.

I'd like for riders to give their opinions on what size the perfect tank would be. Also, at what point does the tank get in the way of peddaling? The manufactures are asking me "exactly what size and shape do you want, we can make anything"

The tanks I'm looking at are all "tunnel tanks" which means that they fit over the top bar and hang down on both sides of it. I'll go find some pictures and links.

Peej

Yes I'd love a good tank that wrapped itself over the top tube and fastened on really well. I like the tanks on those Derringer bikes and they are a stock tank that must come from somewhere. Get those for me and I'll buy 6 to start withbut they need to fit Schwinn cruisers and Felt Cruisers top tubes, I mounf my tanks on very dense rubber foam sticky strips to give them firmer support on curved top tubes and prevent leaks from overtightening the tank clamps. Works really well but the tanks aren't good enough and sit up too high as has been said.

 

[iRide Customs]

Check into the old 70's Yamaha GT, MX or YZ 80 tanks. They sit really low with their deep tunnel

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yama...7406046QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

[gppeej]

Cool John I'll look for something like it. And iRide, didn't you think the pic of the orange tank I posted befor was a good match for the one in the ebay ad? The small tank pic below might be a good start, but it very plain.

I certainly like the look of the tank that Derringer is using. I love vintage Italian designs. Vintage Cosmo sells an old Benelli tank that is beautiful...but too big. I'd be tempted to have a 60% scale repop of this tank made:

http://www.vintagecosmo.com/store/p...id=89&osCsid=be7bf025d1a8383122ce7d69fef921e9

Other cafe styles by Italian makers would be good choices as wel;l. Take a look at this old Malanka/Morini currently on Ebay. Scale it down 20% or 30% and have it remade.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vint...c0.m245&_trkparms=72:1171|65:12|39:1|240:1318

And, I've seen many nice tanks from MV Agusta as well, take a look at these hand-hammered beauties:

http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/vintage_motorcycle_mv_agusta.html

So, I think I'm on the right track, thanks for the help.

Peej

 

[Irish John]

They're lovely Gpeej but they all look too big for a bicycle and wouldn't let you pedal. Also there would be fastening problems. What's needed is something that fulfills the purposes for which its needed.

 

[Mountainman]

yes -- couldn't help but notice
large ((big)) gas tanks look very silly on a motorized bicycles
getting the correct to size tanks made -- most important
and as Irish John has mentioned
custom made so as to fit a bicycle frame would be -- the very best...

most of those tanks seen around -- easy available let's say
seem to be made more for motor cycles -- not peddle assist

thinking custom made -- size and fit -- long run -- the MB kind

ride that MB thing

 

[gppeej]

I can't disagree with what you're saying. I too think a MB tank needs to be correctly sized and fitted for the bike. The mini chopper tanks are very close for the people riding choppers.

I'm having this discussion here and trying to gather info and opinions. The result should be finding OR creating the "perfect tank/s" for MBs. Of course, I realize you can't please everyone. Budget customers will tend to mount whatever is provided. Builders will continue to fab what they need, one off. Yet, still I belive there are people who want more choices.

We all would like to be able to choose from 4 or 5 MB tanks rather than no options. I have searched through the gallery and found some excellent examples of MB tanks that people built one-off (iRides '07 BT for example) But there are zero choices for people who don't weld. Did you guys catch the comment about having tanks made at a percentage of their original size?

Motor kit manufacturers have very little incentive to spend money or time finding and creating more options. Thats why aftermarket parts producers exist.

So, let say for example that we actually create 4 MB-specific tanks with optimal dimentions...and a reasonable price. Do you think I could sell them to retail and wholesale businesses and individuals. Or would the manufs just copy them and undercut me. Either way, I will have changed the industry for the better...right?

Peej

 

[azbill]

agreed...even if they start making them...it WILL be better for the community as a whole

good luck in your venture, I am following this thread closely

 

[Irish John]

I think Gppeej that if you got a good tank fabricated it would sell to MBc members. Whether the Grubee kit suppliers would stock it is another matter. They could be leant upon not to stock it as an optional extra. I'm not sure how you would get it distributed en masse but one thing you probably needn't worry about is it being copied in China - of course they'll copy it - they copy anything they can get their hands on but they just can't do it well. One of the strongest marketing factors these days is being able to say "not made in China".

 

[fetor56]

LOL....i like that............."not made in China"

 

[Irish John]

LOL....i like that............."not made in China"

Whenever I used to get on board a ship (and that was very often in the old days) I would stroll around to the front of the bridge looking for the makers nameplate. If it said built in Belfast or Built in Glasgow I knew I was pretty safe. If it was built anywhere else it was a cause for serious concern and I've been known to disembark because of that. Call me old fashioned but these things mean a lot to me for very good reason. If you walk around derelict homesteads in the Australian outback I guarantee you won't spend more than a few minutes before you find the names, Glasgow, Sheffield, Belfast & Birmingham stamped on old machinery that is lying about and refusing to die. I sailed from Montreal to Belfast on the SS Roonagh Head, built in Belfast, on the next voyage she hit a chinese ship in the St Lawrence seaway in thick fog and cut her in two with much loss of life but nobody on board the Roonagh Head was hurt. You should have seen the state of that iceberg after the Titanic hit it!