Auxiliary gas tanks for maintenance

upthemaiden

upthemaiden

XS650 Enthusiast
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I wanted to see what some people had come up with to use as auxiliary gas tanks for working on your bike. Sometimes I'll make one out of a Gatorade bottle and a 1/4" threaded hose fitting, but they're always just temporary and I'd like to come up with something a little nicer to keep around. I see there are some on ebay/amazon for around $35-45, so I guess if my cost of collecting parts adds up, it would be worth just buying one of those. I even see some that look sufficient(but cheap) for about $12 that ship from India.

Anyone have pictures of what you've come up with?
 
I use the gas tank off of a Honda lawnmower engine that seized up years back. My brother uses a Motion Pro unit. Both work.

There is nothing wrong with using a Gatorade bottle temporarily. PET is resistant to gas but isn't recommended for long term storage. The yard guys in our neighborhood carry their two-stroke gas in old soda bottles..
 
I have used this for many years on sleds and motorcycles. It started life as a oil injection tank from mid 80's Polaris Indy snowmobiles. cheap on e bay.
bottlandclutchholder001.jpg
 
Found this tank in a field years ago when I was hiking in the bush to fish the Maitland river here in Ontario. Put it in my pack figuring I'd use it for something someday. I think it's off an old rototiller.

IMG_20170507_140630.jpg
 
Someone gave me this plastic dirt bike tank works great. I also have my home made ward stick syncer attached to the angle iron stand i made to hold it all.
 

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Fred gets the award for the cutest maintenance tank. However, it may be that Fred really likes to drive the 1100 down to the local Tim Horton, with that mini tank in place, just for the coolest bike in town feeling:laugh2:
 
fredintoon said:
Hi 'maiden,
got this little guy for $5 at a swapmeetView attachment 102368
Click to expand...
Not intending to hijack. If anyone wants me to take this somewhere else let me know.
Im helping my son with a 1100 like the one I see in your picture. The carbs are leaking bad. He cleaned them and they still leaked, we took them apart today took the needle and seats apart and cleaned they are the metal tiped ones. checked all floats only changed one a bit put them back on the bike and still leaked out the 2 ports on the mouth of the carbs. Set the floats at what the manual said. If I remember right 25.7mm.
Any other suggestions to stop this leaking? thanks
 
Robin: yours looks good but the engine it is mounted on will need some work before it will run properly.

WER: nice set-up. It would likely win a prize for the most uncomfortable seat ever put on a bike though.

Perhaps we'll see some other cool aux fuel tank setups at the SE-MI / SW-ON meet-up:
  • DATE: Sat July 15
  • TIME: 11:00 AM
  • LOC: Vinsetta Garage Restaurant
27799 Woodward Ave.
Berkeley, Michigan

As you may know, XS650s are preferred, but ALL bikes are welcome!

Dammit - another hijack.

Last one - I promise.

Pete
 
Pete, that is the start to mock up a model of an XS650 engine out of wood. Hmmmmmmmmm.
 
You rascal Pete, you had to get me thinking of this. Now I have to do it. Been thinking on it while working today.

Here's where I'm at so far on this project.

Has to be full scale obviously.

Some operating parts. Crank, cam, pistons, rings, con rods, valves.
Cam chain, do it in pieces and assemble with pins. Too much time to carve in one piece.
Still thinkin’ on alt/stator wiring challenge. Wind with cord and coat?

Tranny ain’t happening. Way too much time to do all those gears. Maybe future addition.
Will use that space to hide a small electric motor so 'It runs’.

What wood?

Bassword, easy to carve and work but too soft.
Pine is too soft and fibres tear too easy to carve well.
Oak, hard enough, tougher to carve, but too much porous grain for fine detail.
Poplar, perfect to work but ugly grain, would have to be painted and that would lose the ambience of the 'wood’ engine.
Maybe maple. Nice grain, but a beggar to carve.
Jelutong, too soft probably.
Gotta get some birch to try.

Man this one may jump the line in front of that guitar I gotta get round to finishing. (After the bikes are done of course)

NOW, look what you’ve done Pete!

Apologies for the thread hijack.
 
Tempting, long trip though. Lol. Never worked with it will do some research. If it's the right one could maybe source from a couple specialty suppliers on SW Ont.
 

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