Alternate gas tank options

[patk12345]

I've been kicking around ideas for customizing my new XS, thinking cafe racer/street fighter style. I don't want to do anything permanently irreversible. With this in mind I was wondering if anyone has actually swapped tanks from other non 1100 XS's, 400's 650's etc.? Or possibly tanks from the other manufacturers. Pictures would be especially appreciated if you've got them.

[crazy steve]

There hasn't been too much of that because of the XS's double-backbone frame; there's very few tanks with the tunnel width to fit. IIRC, one guy over on the UK site swapped a later Yamaha tank onto his, but unfortunately it was off a non-US model, so you'll have a hard time getting one here. Short of modding the frame, your best bet would be to build your own, maybe using a XS tunnel grafted onto the tank of your choice...

[patk12345]

Thanks Steve. Definitely don't want to mod the frame. I may try to find a tank with crash damage and use that as a foundation. I don't want to hack up a perfectly good tank. I've also considered building one from scratch using fiberglass, which I understand is pretty common in the cafe custom scene. We shall see.

[jwhughes3]

T99Ford's thread

Check out his thread on redoing the tank on his VFR:

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...435#post347435

John

[patk12345]

Wow! Thanks John, the thread is awesome!

[T99Ford]

Pat,
Look into swapping to a standard tank. The standard tanks give a really good cafe profile in stock trim--they have knee dents already, and have the high backbone profile too. They pretty much bolt right on, and give you some more capacity, too!

This was my cafe xs1100 special, after I changed it to the standard tank. It's a great converstion. Good luck!

[patk12345]

Hey T, that's actually how my '80 is set up (Wish mine looked as good as yours does!)...




This is the '79 with another Standard tank I have, although the picture doesn't really show the knee indents....



I really want to do something even more squared off, if nothing else it's an excuse to use my new MIG welder.

Do know of a good instructional for building tanks from scratch? (besides the one you're working on yourself?)

[T99Ford]

I'm not really sure on any tutorials. I think your best bet would be a good metal fabrication book, and just use that in your selection of metals and the like. The rest is just your creative abilitiy

[FJ111200]

Here's what i've done to my Bitsa.
XJR1200 tank, unmodified apart from an FJ1200 3CV fuel tap.

[Danny Crawdad]

patk, how are those bar-end mirrors working out for you? Who makes them?

[patk12345]

Thanks FJ the bike looks great! As Steve mentioned that tank might be a tough find here in the states.

Danny, love the bar end mirrors, can't really see myself ever owning a bike without them. Not entirely sure which brand, they were installed by PO, here are two link for ones I've found online...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250797323999...84.m1423.l2649

http://www.caferace.com/Merchant2/me...gory_Code=RRBT

[XS1100 Newbie]

You might look into finding a 1984 Venture tank, (XS1100H). I think that is one that will fit, and it is a 5 gallon tank. I also think i remember someone saying that it didn't fit the front of the seat as well.

[cywelchjr]

You might look into finding a 1984 Venture tank, (XS1100H). I think that is one that will fit, and it is a 5 gallon tank. I also think i remember someone saying that it didn't fit the front of the seat as well.

That would be a 1981 Venturer tank (note the year and the "r" on the end, the 84 Venture is a totally different bike with totally different tank that's not compatible. The Venturer tank is a 6 gallon tank very much like the normal standard tank only a gallon larger.

[crazy steve]

This is the '79 with another Standard tank I have, although the picture doesn't really show the knee indents....

That tank is actually the larger Venturer tank, so you might want to look at a standard tank. Roughly the same shape, but not as bulbous, it's more 'squared off'. You'll have no trouble trading the Venturer tank for a standard...

[patk12345]

@Steve Interesting, I didn't really take a close look at it. I bought two bikes in three days, so I had a lot on my plate.

So this is the bike that the purple tank come off of, and a better view of the tank itself. I was told it was an '81, but I haven't had a chance to check the VIN, unfortunately it came without a title.