Alloy fuel tanks for Norton

Carbonfibre · Mar 9, 2011

I wonder if anyone using this forum would be interested in very high quality alloy tanks, which were exact replica's in terms of shape to the OE steel and GRP parts?

These would be far more costly than the budget steel tanks available currently, and just wondered whether or not there would be any sort of market for these?

I am asking as a friend of mine who makes MotoGp tanks, could do these standing on his head, but I get the feeling that high unit costs would maybe rule this type of thing out for the Norton market?

askdoctorday · Mar 9, 2011

I wouldn't mind hearing what kind of dollars he has in mind for an alloy Commando or Interstate tank? And would they come polished or plain? Thanks! eric

pelican · Mar 9, 2011

maybe one day, but I couldn't in the near future

cjandme · Mar 9, 2011

I'd love one but it's not in my near future either. You're talking Evan Wilcox type price range right?

Carbonfibre · Mar 10, 2011

Thats the sort of response I expected, and means that Commando owners are going to have to make do with the less than perfect offerings from India and Pakistan. In production terms though, and bearing in mind how thick the layup of the OE GRP tanks was, it would be very easy to make GRP replacements, which would be 100% resistant to modern fuels, look cosmetically perfect, and be very reasonably priced.

However unfortunately at least here in the UK the continuing manufacture of GRP tanks that are not able to withstand modern fuels (and complete lack of interest related to dealing with this!), has meant customer confidence in this material is very low, and this seems to be something that would be very difficult to overcome!

norbsa48503 · Mar 10, 2011

How about you and your friend look into this as a project. Build an alloy insert for the GRP tanks. They would not need to be good looking only workmen like pieces. Just hold fuel and fit into the old shell. Cut the bottom of the old GRP tank out and fit the new alloy insert. Should keep the price way down and if done right look very original to the bike. Problem solved. Alloy tank liners 250.00US installed I can see the sign now. :roll:

Tintin · Mar 10, 2011

norbsa48503 said:
How about you and your friend look into this as a project.

Why? To have some months during which the Ethanol eats its way thru the aluminium before it attacks the GRP? :twisted:

Tim

Carbonfibre · Mar 10, 2011

norbsa48503 said:
How about you and your friend look into this as a project. Build an alloy insert for the GRP tanks. They would not need to be good looking only workmen like pieces. Just hold fuel and fit into the old shell. Cut the bottom of the old GRP tank out and fit the new alloy insert. Should keep the price way down and if done right look very original to the bike. Problem solved. Alloy tank liners 250.00US installed I can see the sign now. :roll:

Thanks.............that sounds a feasible idea and is certainly worth lookng at.

tpeever · Mar 10, 2011

When I was putting together a Moto Guzzi 850T restoration last year, I wanted a polished alloy tank for it. As far as I was aware, there were only two places that made such tanks (other than completely one-off custom stuff like Wilcox), one was The Tank Shop in Scotland and one was a place in Germany (can't remember the name at the moment!). The guy making the tanks in Germany died and that source has dried up as nobody has taken over the business. The German tanks were about $800 US at the time I was checking. The Tank Shop's tanks were slightly cheaper (about $650-$700 US) at the time but there was a 6 month to one year waiting list for one. I ended up painting the tank I had because I couldn't wait that long but I was ready to pop down 800 bucks for an alloy tank. I am guessing there might be demand for Commando tanks in the same price range.

swooshdave · Mar 10, 2011

If this guy is that good why not make tanks to compete with The Tank Shop? With those lead times there seems to be a demand.

gtsun · Mar 10, 2011

I think it comes down to weather you can make great looking tanks cheaper than what is available now. Seems to me there has allways been a way to get a alloy tank, they just cost to much if they are any good. He should make some & see if he can do it cheaper with good quality. You might find your not going to be able to consistantly put them out at a decent price.

Carbonfibre · Mar 10, 2011

swooshdave said:
If this guy is that good why not make tanks to compete with The Tank Shop? With those lead times there seems to be a demand.

His stuff isnt on the same level as that from the "Tank Shop"..................that is unless they have started doing MotoGp tanks recently? He can do one offs, but is more interested in small batch work, and one offs tend to be very costly as the cost of tooling will need to be met in full by the customer.

79x100 · Mar 10, 2011

Unity Equipe had alloy Roadster and Interstate tanks on their stand at Stafford some years ago. The Interstate tank is still in the catalogue but marked 'No longer available'.

I remember looking at the Roadster tank and it looked very good to me, although it had a Monza filler cap, nice but not original.

As far as I can recall, the price then was around the £900 mark but I could be wrong. I suspect that they didn't sell many. Much as I'd have liked one, I have a couple of good steel tanks and I couldn't justify the cost just because it looked nice. If there was absolutely no alternative then it might become necessary but there were a lot of steel tanks made as well.

The Fastback must be a difficult area now.

In addition to the extreme problems arising with the fibreglass tanks, if the horror stories are correct and we start suffering more corrosion inside steel tanks then things will become desperate.

It might all be irrelevant. The report quoted in 'Roadholder' this month suggests that we will be driven off the road by fuel system corrosion and 'driveability' issues. Maybe our old clunkers will run so badly that we'll just have to keep them as ornaments ?

britbike220 · Mar 10, 2011

I make a decent living and have british bikes because they are relatively inexpensive to ride and maintain. I can't speak for others, but this average man doesn't have 1-2K to drop on a specialty item very often and if it comes to choosing money for tires, and annual parts, insurance, plates for my bikes, I choose the everyday parts over the expensive items just because it is more practical for me to do. I'd love a nice hand made alloy tank for one of my bikes or for a special that I can't afford to build, but it probably isn't ever going to happen just like I'll never own a high line vintage bike. I guess that's what dreaming is for?

blacklotus99 · Mar 10, 2011

I will be in the market for an alloy tank in the next month and from what Ive heard its going to be a struggle to get one. I would pay top dollar but it would need to a spot on perfect product. There are stories around about alloy tanks being made as one offs but due to poor quality are nothing but trouble.

Six months wait for a bloody fuel tank is just stupid in these times. As someone very well known in the Norton world said to me the other day, whoever comes up with a good quality product thats not too expensive, will make a fortune.

Either way... put me down for one.

mikegray660 · Mar 10, 2011

like most things in life you pay for what you get (or don't get)

evan wilcox - nuff said

SteveMinning · Mar 10, 2011

Beautiful. No doubt about it.

pbmw · Mar 10, 2011

I had a Tank Shop tank for a while.
The quality was soooo poor that I just couldn't put it on my bike.
I'm going to get an Evan Wilcox one.
His, really are the only choice. My Norton is not going to get sold. I can justify doing this...
I just can't see doing with less than what I really want. The pain of the cost is soon forgotten but teh pleasure of the quality is there every time I ride it.

Hobot · Mar 10, 2011

Ya know they got printable 3D fabricators nowadays that could print out a tank, ecessed cap and its hinge and latch to boot. Betcha that would be cost and material effective. Here's one recent advancement along these two wheeling lines. Outside could be aluminum-ized to fool everyone.

http://inhabitat.com/3d-printed-air-bik ... aluminium/

Carbonfibre · Mar 11, 2011

pbmw said:
I had a Tank Shop tank for a while.
The quality was soooo poor that I just couldn't put it on my bike.
I'm going to get an Evan Wilcox one.
His, really are the only choice. My Norton is not going to get sold. I can justify doing this...
I just can't see doing with less than what I really want. The pain of the cost is soon forgotten but teh pleasure of the quality is there every time I ride it.

I hear the Tank Shop stuff is pretty poor............the Evan Wilcox one looks very nice, not quite up to the standard of my guy here in the UK, but I guess not needing to pay for shipping makes the price very reasonable?

Alloy fuel tanks for Norton

Similar threads