Auxillary Fuel Tank

[madmax-im]

I know this has been done before...case in point was MAXIMAN'S 'Zilla...So does anyone have any ideas as to how and where I could find such a system?I'd like to add another 3 gals or so to my '82 XJ1100.
I've grown so accustomed to the range I have on my ST1100...over 300 miles per tank on avg...so increasing the XJ's range is the desired outcome...Any and all comments are appreciated.

[fredintoon]

Hi Max,
if you want to go cheap and simple strap on a big pair of soft bags and carry a small jerrycan of gas in each one. OK you will still have to pull off the road & stop to pour the gas in the bike tank but you will not have to base your entire trip on finding the next gas station.

[madmax-im]

Hmmm not sure abt that one... was looking for a completely enclosed system ....pulling off the road to fill a tank could be unsafe for a number of reasons...
I did happen upon a thread by MAXIMAN abt how he added a new aux. tank sys. that was mounted lower than the orig.sys that he installed...but all the pics from that thread are MIA

[mro]

Do a google search and a bunch will come up like this

http://www.sampson-sporttouring.com/fuel-cells.html


mro

[Crazcnuk]

Get one of those little trailers, and a hitch. Put a 50 gallon tidy tank on it, and an electric fuel pump.

A bit of wiring and a couple quick-couplers and hoses, and you can drive till your legs rot off...

Personally, I've never wanted to drive more than 200kms in one sit....

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by Crazcnuk
Get one of those little trailers, and a hitch. Put a 50 gallon tidy tank on it, and an electric fuel pump.

A bit of wiring and a couple quick-couplers and hoses, and you can drive till your legs rot off...

Personally, I've never wanted to drive more than 200kms in one sit....

50 Gals!...a bit more than I want...I'd prefer 3.5 to 4 gals...I dont want to rot off my bike..but a good 300 mile range will suffice

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by mro
Do a google search and a bunch will come up like this

http://www.sampson-sporttouring.com/fuel-cells.html


mro

Now this is more of what I had in mind Thanks mro

[egleaves]

I have never seen this done, but it intrigues me. I would imagine that if you have a fuel cell with an internally mounted pump, you could mount it anywhere you want. Have the pump wired to a switch (momentary or toggle) and you could refill your main tank from the aux. tank on the go.

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by egleaves
I have never seen this done, but it intrigues me. I would imagine that if you have a fuel cell with an internally mounted pump, you could mount it anywhere you want. Have the pump wired to a switch (momentary or toggle) and you could refill your main tank from the aux. tank on the go.

Yes exactly that...while you could mount it anywhere its best to mount it as low as possible as to not upset the COG of the bike.The higher you mount it the more top heavy the bike will be...there is a system for the Kaw.Concours that mounts between the rear taillights on the rear fender..looks perfect.

[fredintoon]

Personally, I've never wanted to drive more than 200kms in one sit....

Hi Craz,
me neither but it's not about that, it's about not having to plan an entire trip around where the next gas station will be.
BTW, with the Special tank & hauling a sidecar that's 130km not 200.

[trbig]

Having a fuel cell on a back rack would put it somewhere close to the tanks current level. On a road course race, another 40 lbs of weight (5 gals) would matter, but that really shouldn't be a factor too much for any of us or these bikes. With it there, it could be gravity fed.. just turn your petcocks to off so it doesn't syphon into your tank and possibly overfill it.. and a valve to open it. You can find good fuel cells with baffles in them also to help avoid the "Sloshing" weight back and forth.

The bike's 4 1/2 gals and another 5 should get you pretty close to that 300 mile mark wherever you happen to mount it. A plus to a back rack would be that it would be easy to remove when not needed and a fuel pump wouldn't be a needed component for the electrical system to keep up with. Lines routed easily under the seat.. etc.


BUT.. sounds like this isn't the type of setup you're looking for.. just wanted to give you some options.


Tod

[Crazcnuk]

"me neither but it's not about that, it's about not having to plan an entire trip around where the next gas station will be."

I can count the number of places I've been, where there isn't a gas station every 50 miles, on one hand.

I've never even given gas stations a second thought when I've headed out on a trip.

I suppose if I was in Africa, or parts of South America, it might be an issue.

As for your 130kms on a tank, I'd do some tuning! Oh, wait I AM doing tuning, and I don't have the hack... That's 30mpg imp, 24.5 US.

There is no way you should be that low, even with the sidecar.

[psycoreefer]

A lot depends on the roads you travel and the time of day your traveling. SWMBO and I just did the "midnight" ride and she ran out of gas. We assumed like you that along a state highway there would be a gas station with in the "range" of her reserve which is about 35 miles. While there were about 10, but they were all closed for the night. If she'd have been able to get another 10 miles out of it we would have made it to the next open station.

[madmax-im]

Like I said..I got Spoiled

The gastank on My ST1100 is 7.2 gals and @ 50 mpg hwy...translates to 350 miles...usually I look for gas around the 300 mile mark...I'm not looking to be an iron butt...however it would be nice to fill up and cruise all the way to VT for next yrs XSEast rally...without having to stop for gas until I get there.This is what I've gotten used to.

[olebiker]

My fuel light comes on at 150 kms on the special. And I do ride where it is a long ways between stations. This last trip through Maine there was a long spot that had me worried. I would like more range as well. I just need a tougher butt to go with it.