~ Custom external fuel tank Im building ~

~TABASCO~

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Hello,
Im about to begin building my rear fuel tank for my trip this summer. Although we have carried extra fuel in the past, I believe this year we will actual 'have to have' it to make it to the next stop. So, anyone who knows me, buying a rotopax is way to easy...... LOL.... I want to build my own, I dig that stuff............

Im looking for a simple cap like what is here in the photo I can add the vent in the center. I would have thought this would be really easy to find but Im having issues. Looking for this with an aluminum bung to weld into the new tank. If someone happens to know where to locate one, can you drop a note........ And Im also open to other 'vented' caps if you have had good luck in the past.... Keep in mind, dust, dirt, Etc. There are many custom Chopper vented caps but it's basically a hole in the top of the cap that will let dirt and dust / water into the tank. Don't need that ! :)

Ive run into some folks that are into this type of stuff. This tank wont have a pump or tied into the main tank. If I need the fuel I will manually transfer it over to the main tank. Im not racing and don't need the fuel that fast. Not only that, but all the extra stuff required I dont want to carry around. This will also be good if/when I want to not use the extra tank. It's not wired or "part" of the complete fuel system, its just a stand alone container. Anyhow, ultimately I can build it as big as I want and carry as much as I want. Im my head currently Im thinking two' ish gallons. One day in the future, I might take it off and put up for sale, or just give it away to another ST adventure rider who needs it, or barrow it for a BDR............


Screenshot 2023-04-21 at 12.58.59 PM.png
Screenshot 2023-04-21 at 12.58.33 PM.png
 

TenereGUY

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Hello,
Im about to begin building my rear fuel tank for my trip this summer. Although we have carried extra fuel in the past, I believe this year we will actual 'have to have' it to make it to the next stop. So, anyone who knows me, buying a rotopax is way to easy...... LOL.... I want to build my own, I dig that stuff............

Im looking for a simple cap like what is here in the photo I can add the vent in the center. I would have thought this would be really easy to find but Im having issues. Looking for this with an aluminum bung to weld into the new tank. If someone happens to know where to locate one, can you drop a note........ And Im also open to other 'vented' caps if you have had good luck in the past.... Keep in mind, dust, dirt, Etc. There are many custom Chopper vented caps but it's basically a hole in the top of the cap that will let dirt and dust / water into the tank. Don't need that ! :)

Ive run into some folks that are into this type of stuff. This tank wont have a pump or tied into the main tank. If I need the fuel I will manually transfer it over to the main tank. Im not racing and don't need the fuel that fast. Not only that, but all the extra stuff required I dont want to carry around. This will also be good if/when I want to not use the extra tank. It's not wired or "part" of the complete fuel system, its just a stand alone container. Anyhow, ultimately I can build it as big as I want and carry as much as I want. Im my head currently Im thinking two' ish gallons. One day in the future, I might take it off and put up for sale, or just give it away to another ST adventure rider who needs it, or barrow it for a BDR............


View attachment 100660
View attachment 100661
I've been thinking about a 2 gallon tank too. I'll look around for a source for a cap.
Ever think about a small transfer pp that could be DC powered from an SAE connector you use to plug in a battery tender?
 

~TABASCO~

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I've been thinking about a 2 gallon tank too. I'll look around for a source for a cap.
Ever think about a small transfer pp that could be DC powered from an SAE connector you use to plug in a battery tender?

Yea, a small pump is very easy and can be hooked up about 50 ways.... super easy..... I just dont want to carry any "extra" weight, and dont personally need it. I can easily manually transfer two gallons in just a few minutes... Also, if I'm 200-300 miles off road and away from any town its less stuff to possibly leak or go wrong.
 
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~TABASCO~

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Is that another fuel tank acting as a crash bar a' la KTM?

It does look like that........ I dont know the final out come of this project. Or how it was used.... That would be very heavy with all that fuel. Hope they don't fall.

In the upper phots, if you look at the bottom of the front tank they have incorporated a skid plate or crash bumpers to the lower tank.... Im sure these photos don't represent the final product...
 

TenereGUY

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Yea, a small pump is very easy and can be hooked up about 50 ways.... super easy..... I just dont want to carry any "extra" weight, and dont need personally need it. I can easily manually transfer two gallons in just a few minutes... Also, if I'm 200-300 miles off road and away from any town its less stuff to possible leak or go wrong.
Yep, totally understand that thinking.
 

Sierra1

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. . . . they have incorporated a skid plate or crash bumpers to the lower tank.... Im sure these photos don't represent the final product...
I did notice the "skid piece", but missed the filler caps. It also looks like there's no fuel carried up high, but lower in the one piece "tank". I'm bettin' that total fuel capacity on the front tank is going to be about the same as a conventional tank, but the weight will be much less noticeable due to where it is. I'm impressed with the clean fabrication.
 

~TABASCO~

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Yep, totally understand that thinking.

This cap looks like a simple Honda CRF plastic cap with the center vent... But finding this with a mating aluminum bung is being obstinate........
 

Sierra1

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This cap looks like a simple Honda CRF plastic cap with the center vent... But finding this with a mating aluminum bung is being obstinate........
What about a junk fuel tank, and just cut the bung out, and reweld? Whoever did the fabrication in the pictures is surely capable of doing that.
 
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~TABASCO~

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What about a junk fuel tank, and just cut the bung out, and reweld? Whoever did the fabrication in the pictures is surely capable of doing that.

This bike is from Italy..... Stock tank and most all tanks are Steel.. Im building aluminum... They don't weld together, ever...... The stock filler neck is not optimal for many reasons....
 

TenereGUY

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There is a place that builds aluminum tanks about 50 minutes from the house. I'll see if I can figure out how to contact them and see if they will know a source.
 

Sierra1

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This bike is from Italy..... Stock tank and most all tanks are Steel.. Im building aluminum... They don't weld together, ever...... The stock filler neck is not optimal for many reasons....
Aluminum thick wall tubing? Put your own thread into it? You only need a couple threads.
 

TenereGUY

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Bung King out of Northern California makes a vented aluminum fuel cap. In the question section they said it will have some small seepage if the fuel is in constant contact with the vent.
 

magic

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Here's a couple possibilities, or do a google search for aluminum fuel tank parts. I have used similar fittings to build boat fuel tanks.
 

~TABASCO~

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It has started....... I have contacted a company that provides aluminum bungs, I described what I want to use and they sent over one to me... I should be able to see if the cap & bung will work properly in the next day or so (when I get all the parts). I'll post a few photos as I go along.......
 
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