Topic: Tank of my dreams! Reality!

[Tim.]

Picked me up a fancy new tank for my XS650 project    Handmade British alloy.  Got it for less than 1/2 the cost of something from the Tank Shop and I picked it up in person.

[digismash]

gorgeous!! where did you get it

[UnCrash]

Shiney!

Where did you get it?

How much.

You're such a tease!   Details man, we need details!

 

[bill440cars]

           Fantastic tank there. Congratulations tintin! Can't wait to see just what all you are going to do to that 650.

                                                       Later on, Bill

[Tim.]

A local guy was selling it online - got it tonight and paid CAD$350 for it.  Certainly not cheap, but a good deal I think.

Need to source a screw-on fliptop gas cap and petcocks.  The seller mentioned some British supply place - thought he said 'Dragonfly' but I couldn't find anything online.  Will have to ask.  Apparantly I can get a unit that threads on and has the flip-top cap.

Interestingly, there is some sort of shield or 'baffle' inside the tank.  About 1/2 way to the rear, it's a curved plate of alloy like a spoon with the concave side facing the rear of the tank.  Reaches up to about 2 inches below the top of the tank and tapers down the tunnel to the bottom sides.

The only thing I can see it could be for is to prevent voilent movement of gasoline inside the tank under hard braking and getting forced out gas cap vents - any thoughts?

I've attached a highly detailed CAD drawing of what I mean.

[Tim.]

This is the underside and front view - something only a few of us nuts might appreciate.

[flatblack]

That'll never work. You've really screwed up this time, paying all that money for a tank that obviously will not fit and will cost so much in time and treasure to mount correctly.

Ship it to me (I'll pay the freight) and you'll soon be able to forget about this collosal mistake.  Otherwise, this will haunt you the rest of your days.

 

fb

[Tim.]

Sure - why not.  Just send me your mailing address and the tank will be right there 

After a bit of reading at www.thetankshop.com it turns out the inner baffel is just that - to stop the fuel from moving around too much.  Learn something new everyday.  Maybe the tank came from there originally.

[burmashave]

She's a work o' art, she is.  Be a shame to drill 'oles in 'er.

[Tim.]

No holes will be drilled

I'll be using a strap to hold the tank to the frame - like a Norton I suppose.  Don't know much about these things.  I'll have the appropriate brackets for the strap welded to the XS650 frame, and possibly some posts to support the tank in that flat recessed area.  No mods to the tank!

Need to source fuel lid and petcocks, along with the strap.  The Tank Shop seems to sell the Monza style flip lids - hoping to find somewhere on this side of the pond though.

So far the plan is:

Alloy rims - black powdercoat
Stainless spokes
Black hubs
Polished fork lowers - dual disk
Tomaselli headlight brackets
Tomaselli adjustable clipons or clubmans (I have the Tomaselli clubmans)
Polished triple tree (or maybe black - might look better close to the tank)
Fork brace - maybe a short front fender
Black seat - would like to hide the electrics in a hump behind the seat - need input on those smaller batteries
K&N Pod filters or velocity stacks (only two - YAY!)
Tarozzi rear-sets (have them)
Engine is already partly painted black with the fin edges in aluminum.  Will simply clean and polish.
Avon tires - can't think of anything else on this bike for some reason!

Will keep the group posted on the project.  Might take a year or so (or might be riding it this coming fall - who knows!).

[crazypj]

You mean these people?
http://www.draganfly.co.uk/main.html
Doesn't come up on web search, you have to search UK/Ireland only

Ariel specialists I think. My brother has a 1956 350 Ariel, bought parts from them about 20yrs ago.
PJ

[bill440cars]

       tintin, I'd be as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof, about someone trying to steal that tank. Your ideas on the build, sound great that is gonna one cool ride.

                                                 Later on, Bill

[Tim.]

I'll incorporate a lock into the strap holding the tank down!  Trust me, on the drive home I stopped at a store to pick up a pepsi and I was thinking it would be just my luck if someone decided to bust into my car tonight.

Last night I was trying to find somewhere safe to put the thing.  I was going to put it under my bed, but had visions of the bed breaking and the tank getting crushed!  I let my kid play under the bed, but won't put this tank there!  Funny how things are.

I'll wrap it up in some blankets and box it up till its time to fit it to the bike.  Of course I know within a week of having it on the bike there will be a ding in it.

[chung]

Tell the truth, How long did you stare at it and how many pix did you shoot? Sweet piece of craftsmanship, I'm still pleased if I can get a fiberglass tank for one of my old beaters

[Tim.]

I'm still staring at it - who's kidding who?   I still need to go get the bike to go under the thing, and tell the wife the tank isn't actually for my BMW, but for another bike!

[Uncle Ernie]

" Of course I know within a week of having it on the bike there will be a ding in it."

You got that right, pal.  It's surprising how soft aluminium turns out to be. It just make it yours all the more.

Was wondering, if the XS frame is similar to a Honda, you'll need to relocate the coils- or does the XS only have one?
I suggest pipe insulation for the between the tank and frame.  Even after strapping it down, some rpm's will have that thing singing real loud from the harmonics or something.
There are several (British) petcocks on Ebay right now. New ones with elbows can easily cost around $70-$80 for a pair. Don't forget the pipe tape.

[Tim.]

Here are some pics XS650RR posted at the DO THE TON site of his frame.  You can see the coil mounting plate in some - the coils hang from the underside of this plate.  Honestly I think I'll just have to remove the tacked on 'cups' at the front of the frame and possibly add a couple of posts to support the underside of the tank at the front.  The rear of the tank will probably sit on the frame rails.  Might even get away with bolting a plate to some of the existing bracketry like the coil plates to stick out under the flat underbelly of the tank.

And for sure I'll be padding the top tube of the frame.  And I'll have a couple of brackets welded to the frame to hold the strap - maybe one of my old leather belts will do the trick till I drop the coin on a proper tank strap

[chung]

The foam pipe wrap works great. Also foam weather strippin. Just a little something where it makes contact with something like at the back of the tank.