tank for a bob

what kind of tank would you guys use for a bobber?

 

Not much choice unless you're planning on SERIOUS mods...

skillet

 

yeah its getting all chopped up

 

narrow friscoed pnut or axed alien tank

 

Just my personal opponion but, a friscoed p'nut on the stock backbone looks a bit goofy, and cobbled to me.
The triple backbone kills the effect of the frisco tank.

I have seen at least one bike with a pair of modified fat bobs with a custom dash insert that looked real sharp.
The sportster tank gives a good look with out being overly bulky.
Deffinately do it justice with a 3-5" stretch to fill the gap with a solo seat.

Ghost

 

maybe a picture of what it will turn out like when im done might help this out a bit....

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-s ... 4072_n.jpg

 

I put a Virago tank on my XJ750. Didn't have much choice, but it did fit my plans to cafe the bike. http://imgur.com/a/TpjBz

Doing the job was pretty simple, but I was in a garage full of tools (guy who sold the bike).

Step 1- drain gass form Virago tank and remove petcock on right side (you don't need it, there; another on the left). Cut a small plate of metal and drill two holes so you can bolt it on where the petcock was. Throw a nice bit of gas-proof gasket between the plate and the tank, then tighten the screws. If you want something a bit less rat, you can come back and paint this bit, and smooth out the shape.

Step 1- remove all the selenoids and cables running along the spine (main harness stayed) and cut the tank knobs off with a recip saw. I cleaned them and the frame up, then welded them back on about n inch back and up (top rear corner of the gusset). This is required because the Virago tank's tunnel is narrower (the saw kerf and cleanup brings the nobs in a bit) and has its mounts further back (so would bump into the bars if you COULD just slide it on).

Step 2 - cut out the center section of the rear tank mount, weld it to some 1" wide by 1/8" thick bar stock. Bend this into an inverted U shape that fist the tunnel (with the rubber over the mount) and secure the tank with the top plate (put a big washer under the bolt- you want it FIRM for this). Line the legs of the U shaped bit up with the frame and cut to fit. I cut mine so it would stand on the top of the tubes just forward of the seat, because that's an easy place to do a weld. This is needed because the Virago tank sits a lot lower and has petcocks that would bump into the carb and valve head. It also is to narrow to fit over the frame at the back, so you need it up a bit. Don't fret- it looks quite nice and the stock seat still fits.

Step 4 - put a dab of paint on the bolt head and push the seat down real hard. It should close pretty good, but the bolt will hit the seat pan. Hog that contact spot out with a 1" spade bit, and you are good to go.

Pictures of my job will be up (in a thread for the bike) within the week.

EDIT - whoops, missed the bit where you were running on a radically altered frame. On a spine like that, the pnut / alien thing makes sense. The photo you posted is running one. I don't much care for how it looks on that bike though. The look I really like on bikes lit that is two separate tanks, one on each side of the spine. Usually they are fairly basic tanks, sometimes just round cylinders, or really simple stamped forms, almost like lawn mower gas containers. Welded "facet tanks" also work well.

 

i like the look of the tank in this photo. i found a stock sportster tank at the harley dealership that i'm using. The 3 bar neck makes the tank/petcock setup a pain in the ass but i relocated the petcock/bung to the very back of the tank to drop down between the rear split in the back bone. All the other tanks i've seen (and 1 i borrowed from a chopper shop here) the bungs that are preinstalled sit right over one of the rear neck pieces. Just a thought.

 

rogue, you are correct thats exactly what we are doing lol...im looking for a sportster cheap if anyone knows where one might be