Will be in the market for a steel roadster tank to replace my fiberglass Hi-Rider tank. Are the Indian produced gas tanks actually poor quality? The price, of course is what's tempting, but if they don't fit well, aren't shaped closely to the original, have poor cap fit, and incorrect petcock placement, they may not even be worth the low cost. I don't know that being thinner than stock or other aftermarket tanks, is, in and of itself necessarily a deal killer if they don't leak. Can others weigh in here about their experience with them, and maybe comment on the quality of the paint job on the painted tanks. When you can buy a painted Indian tank for about half of a bare EMGO, or a good used OEM tank, the cost, as I say, makes them seem tempting. Would appreciate input on if or why I should steer clear or maybe consider them.
Gas tanks from India
- Thread starter quawk
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2009
- Messages
- 2,952
I recently bought an Indian Manx style tank for a Featherbed, through Ebay, from “Royalchoppers.” They get a better review than many suppliers.
The silver paint finish is not not perfect show quality, but it’s good enough.
The tank does not leak. It fits the bike frame, about as well as most cafe racer gear.
The “five gallon” tank is undersized, at 4.2 Imp. gallons. It’s about 5 US gallons: 19 litres. It has an unwanted dished area in the base and is slightly short and low.
The threads for the cocks/taps were rusty and in poor shape. I had to buy a BSP tap (a hole threading tool), to clean them up.
The filler neck rim was rough and had to be sanded flat with a block. The rubber washer in the filler cap was quickly destroyed by contact with petrol.
There is a racing-style breather tube welded to the top of the tank. It had to be blocked off, to keep the fuel from squirting out when the bike slows down.
I’m not bothered about the faults. It follows the usual rule that items made in India have things wrong with them.
The silver paint finish is not not perfect show quality, but it’s good enough.
The tank does not leak. It fits the bike frame, about as well as most cafe racer gear.
The “five gallon” tank is undersized, at 4.2 Imp. gallons. It’s about 5 US gallons: 19 litres. It has an unwanted dished area in the base and is slightly short and low.
The threads for the cocks/taps were rusty and in poor shape. I had to buy a BSP tap (a hole threading tool), to clean them up.
The filler neck rim was rough and had to be sanded flat with a block. The rubber washer in the filler cap was quickly destroyed by contact with petrol.
There is a racing-style breather tube welded to the top of the tank. It had to be blocked off, to keep the fuel from squirting out when the bike slows down.
I’m not bothered about the faults. It follows the usual rule that items made in India have things wrong with them.
Last edited:
concours
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2011
- Messages
- 9,374
Steer clear.
baz
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- May 26, 2010
- Messages
- 7,862
I had good luck with a gold star replica tank
The chrome and paint was good as was the tank
But the taps were unusable the badges weren't the best
The caption needed work to work properly
And the breather pipe needed some mods
But all in all pretty good
No leaks
£230 to my door
The chrome and paint was good as was the tank
But the taps were unusable the badges weren't the best
The caption needed work to work properly
And the breather pipe needed some mods
But all in all pretty good
No leaks
£230 to my door
Attachments
Last edited:
Test purchase in the past, we did not even attempt to fit them -
Painted in household gloss
Weighed very heavy
did not leak
Filler neck in wrong place and orientation
bosses for petrol taps offset as you look across the bike
Roadster tank shape looked like a tank from a MZ ETZ.
Painted in household gloss
Weighed very heavy
did not leak
Filler neck in wrong place and orientation
bosses for petrol taps offset as you look across the bike
Roadster tank shape looked like a tank from a MZ ETZ.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2009
- Messages
- 2,952
Eek!
acadian
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2010
- Messages
- 1,434
Alloy 4.2 gallon tank for my A65 Spitfire bought from Royal Choppers:
- Mounting bosses incorrectly placed so I had to fabricate a new bracket
- Rubber in filler cap incorrect grade for fuel
- petcock bosses needed to be cleaned up with a tap
Polished finish was OK but needed to be redone, the tank does not leak and is well proportioned overall.
The work needed was expected and didn't bother me, overall happy with the tank
- Mounting bosses incorrectly placed so I had to fabricate a new bracket
- Rubber in filler cap incorrect grade for fuel
- petcock bosses needed to be cleaned up with a tap
Polished finish was OK but needed to be redone, the tank does not leak and is well proportioned overall.
The work needed was expected and didn't bother me, overall happy with the tank
baz
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- May 26, 2010
- Messages
- 7,862
I'd love emgo to extend their range to include the Interstate and fastback
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2011
- Messages
- 1,153
Buying a tank from India is a crap shoot. I bought an Interstate tank that was painted pretty well but the cost and grief to get it to fit doubled the cost of the tank. I would not do it again.Many guys have had better luck but if I were you and wanted a Roadster tank,go with the Emgo.
Mike
Mike
- Joined
- May 7, 2005
- Messages
- 7,094
Not going to happen, they made one batch of the Roadster priced to pay for all the costs including tooling, this many years later that first batch is the one still being sold. The numbers for a batch of Interstate or Fastback would be higher with the larger tooling and they would never all be sold so economically unviable.
After this additional member feed back about gas tanks, I'm trying to convince myself to pull the trigger to go with the EMGO tank. Will the flip-up cap on my existing tank (fiberglass Hi-Rider) be able to be transferred to a new EMGO tank? The cap is actually pretty nice. Same for the petcocks, I assume they will transfer. And can I ask have others purchased items from Classic British Spares, and if so, good or not so good experience/service? Looks like they may have a good price on the EMGO tank.
o0norton0o
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2015
- Messages
- 1,969
I got my interstate tank some years ago when someone here pointed out that the unpainted interstate tanks on ebay from a particular fabricator in india were going for $153. with shipping. He said his tank was "good", so I decided to take a chance. The only thing that could have been better was the filler neck was a little low, so when you popped open the cap, the back of the cap wanted to hit the tank. I had to grind the back of the cap down because there wasn't anything I could do to change the tank. It's not something anyone notices. I recall that everyone who got a tank from this vendor got a decent quality product. Granted that it was an unpainted tank so all the fabricator had to get right was the metal work, and he did so. At the time, a used OEM interstate tank was going for $900. and I think the well known fabricator who makes norton tanks was getting $2500. to make one from new. I took a chance for $153.
I think it came out ok... I taped off for the stripes and stenciled the logo in black and gold, then used 2 coats of that 2K stuff over everything. The fairing was originally purple... The side covers were also from India.... I turned them both into Dzus fastening.
I think it came out ok... I taped off for the stripes and stenciled the logo in black and gold, then used 2 coats of that 2K stuff over everything. The fairing was originally purple... The side covers were also from India.... I turned them both into Dzus fastening.
I contacted Greg Marsh about a tank. He replied he only sells them professionally pre-painted. Adds considerable cost as pro paint is expensive.
Your response and pic of your bike make if tuff to decide. Considerable negative feedback about the India made tanks, but your story and the pic of your tank/bike, as I said makes me wonder. I know you can't tell everything from one pic, but your tank looks NICE. Like the whole bike.
i agree, i tried the indian tank n panels fora roadster and the tank would not go over the spine of the frame where the head steady is. i bought an emgo and it fits great aand the shape looks much better
