skrew37
Member
I've searched everywhere and have come to the conclusion that if you want a cool, non-stock gas tank, you have few options:
1. Use a Moped tank.
While this is an option I would've liked to pursue, I just can't justify spending the money that's being asked for these. As a general rule, I don't like to spend more than what the cheap china engines cost.
2. Retrofit a Motorcycle tank.
These look and are huge, and as I perceive it, make the bike MORE top heavy than the little "blister" on the top tube that is the stock tank. Not for me.
3. Build your own tank.
I've seen a lot of fantastic builds on here, unfortunately I don't weld, so that is out of the question. I thought of maybe finding a gas-safe container and modding in a way that would lower the bikes center of gravity and flow with the lines of the bike. I've found many candidate containers, but, well, they're ugly. I've worked with wood in the past and decided that that's the only way, for me, to go.
I use a 3D modeling program as my job requires daily and in some down time, modeled my bike and some different tanks to try. I came up with a simplified pattern that not only is perfect for sheet metal, but also for a wooden tank application. I plan to use 1/8" plywood and make 2 tanks (left and right halves) to straddle the top tube kinda like saddle bags, but ultimately emulate the look of a vintage boardtracker. While I've read it is plausible to seal these, I'm going to use a container inside the "wooden boxes" as this is safer in the event of a crash.
I've included pics of my design; I constructed a 1:2 scale model that might just work for me. Any questions/comments/criticisms are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for reading!
1. Use a Moped tank.
While this is an option I would've liked to pursue, I just can't justify spending the money that's being asked for these. As a general rule, I don't like to spend more than what the cheap china engines cost.
2. Retrofit a Motorcycle tank.
These look and are huge, and as I perceive it, make the bike MORE top heavy than the little "blister" on the top tube that is the stock tank. Not for me.
3. Build your own tank.
I've seen a lot of fantastic builds on here, unfortunately I don't weld, so that is out of the question. I thought of maybe finding a gas-safe container and modding in a way that would lower the bikes center of gravity and flow with the lines of the bike. I've found many candidate containers, but, well, they're ugly. I've worked with wood in the past and decided that that's the only way, for me, to go.
I use a 3D modeling program as my job requires daily and in some down time, modeled my bike and some different tanks to try. I came up with a simplified pattern that not only is perfect for sheet metal, but also for a wooden tank application. I plan to use 1/8" plywood and make 2 tanks (left and right halves) to straddle the top tube kinda like saddle bags, but ultimately emulate the look of a vintage boardtracker. While I've read it is plausible to seal these, I'm going to use a container inside the "wooden boxes" as this is safer in the event of a crash.
I've included pics of my design; I constructed a 1:2 scale model that might just work for me. Any questions/comments/criticisms are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for reading!