Gas tanks from India

quawk said:

I've looked at the new gas tanks that Steadfast Cycles have listed in their Ebay listings. It shows in the description it is produced in Taiwan so I assume it's an EMGO, although they don't come right out and say they are. The desription also says that they are built with the baffle inside to "separate the reserve and reduce gas surging as the original." Do or did the original tanks actually have a reserve per say, as the petcocks on my original Hi_Rider tank only have an on and off position, and no reserve position, as many bikes had before they started putting fuel guages on bikes. I would think that for a tank to have a reserve system, it would need a three positions petcock. Could someone enlighten me about this.

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quawk said:

I've looked at the new gas tanks that Steadfast Cycles have listed in their Ebay listings. It shows in the description it is produced in Taiwan so I assume it's an EMGO, although they don't come right out and say they are. The desription also says that they are built with the baffle inside to "separate the reserve and reduce gas surging as the original." Do or did the original tanks actually have a reserve per say, as the petcocks on my original Hi_Rider tank only have an on and off position, and no reserve position, as many bikes had before they started putting fuel guages on bikes. I would think that for a tank to have a reserve system, it would need a three positions petcock. Could someone enlighten me about this.

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marshg246 said:

Standard is a main petcock and a reserve petcock. The main has a standpipe. For Norton, I recommend two reserve and only turn one on normally. This is because gas cannot get from side to side without significantly leaning the bike over. So, when the main runs out and you turn on reserve, there's still a lot of gas in the main side. Of course, if you know this and you run out the reserve, you can lean the bike over and move some from main to reserve.

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quawk said:

Thanks to you and baz for the explanation. I now understand how they can provide a reserve function. I've never had the petcocks out on my tank or looked at replacements on the vendors websites or pages. Can I ask which side, right or left, normally has the main petcock and which side has the reserve. I realize it probably wouldn't make any difference if installing them on a replacement tank, but I'd assume they had a standard order of assembly at the factory.

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marshg246 said:

If I remember right the official way is main on the left on a Norton and on the right on a Triumph. I was a "Triumph Guy" first so I put the main on the right when I install one on a Norton. Triumph doesn't have the problem I mentioned and AFAIK, only Norton has that problem running a main.

One caution is that Norton uses 1/4" fuel lines where Triumph uses 5/16". I'm told that running wide open can starve the carbs on a Norton so you need both open (I have no personal knowledge if this is true). I do know that tickling can sometimes be a little difficult if both aren't open and the bowls are empty.

Before you ask, the EMGO tanks are baffled just like OEM and it has nothing to do with left/right - it's front/back.

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quawk said:

Thanks to you and baz for the explanation. I now understand how they can provide a reserve function. I've never had the petcocks out on my tank or looked at replacements on the vendors websites or pages. Can I ask which side, right or left, normally has the main petcock and which side has the reserve. I realize it probably wouldn't make any difference if installing them on a replacement tank, but I'd assume they had a standard order of assembly at the factory.

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quawk said:

Thanks to you and baz for the explanation. I now understand how they can provide a reserve function. I've never had the petcocks out on my tank or looked at replacements on the vendors websites or pages. Can I ask which side, right or left, normally has the main petcock and which side has the reserve. I realize it probably wouldn't make any difference if installing them on a replacement tank, but I'd assume they had a standard order of assembly at the factory.

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Tornado said:

Advice I recieved some years ago was to have the reserve tap on the left....so that when main runs out, engine sputters, you can quickly reach for the reserve tap with left hand while still rolling along at speed, not needing the throttle hand to come away from grip. Seemed like as good as any reason for that arrangement....

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quawk said:

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.

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marshg246 said:

Ya, AFAIK, that was the Triumph reasoning and I have done just as you say quite a few times. When it spudders, time for the reserve and that's a lot easier with a free left hand and the right still in control of the throttle and bike.

The 73 750/850 rider's shows:

View attachment 114505

The 75 MK3 rider's shows:

View attachment 114506

So no firm Norton answer!

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baz said:

I was at a Norton rally weekend a few years ago on my highly modified commando IE Extra isos braced swinging arm apprillia wheels Yamaha forks etc etc and a bloke came up and asked me which side I had my reserve
I said on the left
And he said "WRONG" and said originally it was on the right !!
I couldn't believe what he saying
I said " the whole bloody bike is non standard do you honestly think I give a monkeys what side the reserve tap was originally fitted"

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kommando said:

Well when running out of fuel why do you need a hand on the throttle, it's not going to accelerate much

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kommando said:

Its really down to personal preferences, the factory set the main on the right possibly as the majority of riders would have been right handed so the tap would be easier to open for a right handed person. So that leaves your left hand to pull the clutch in so you can freewheel while waiting for the fuel to kick back in and do a bump start. But if you prefer your left hand to open the tap you lose access to the clutch but gain it to the front brake and the throttle for when it responds to the restored fuel. I am too used to it being on the right to bother with changing it to the left, plus an Interpol tank makes the likelihood of ever running out low.

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baz said:

Does your Interpol tank have the tray or rack?
And what is the capacity?
I have one on the shelf I'm considering fitting

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kommando said:

Mine has a tray which I have lined with waterproof material and then put a just right sized magnetic based tank bag. not sure of the capacity but without the tray pocket its the same tank as the Fastback LR which was 4 gal, so 3.5 gal maybe.

Seat is an Interstate seat with the ears relocated to the back to bring the seat forward, about midway between the position for Roadster and Interstate.

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kommando said:

Well when running out of fuel why do you need a hand on the throttle, it's not going to accelerate much

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