Alternative fuel tank?

the U.S. DOT is very strict about gasoline containers and the way that they are transported

 

this seems like a good alternative if it fits. i think Tink is right on point on the flask one too.

 

Many endurance racers have custom tanks built or modify the OEM tank for more capacity. Look up a well to do race shop and they should be able to point you in the right direction. I'm sure it's not cheap but I'm guessing somewhere around a grand could get your tank chopped and expanded with paint.

 

A larger tank would have added even more weight and ruined the handing of the bike IMO. This is why they went with this way with the fuel size, handling. It's a sport tourer not a full on touring bike so I'm thinking another bike is going to suit you better, something with the range you need like a FJR perhaps. I think it would be far easier to do that than try to find some solution. I feel the same way about the lack of aftermarket rearsets for this bike and the lack of full exhaust options so I just work around the constraints.

Nobody is being a dick to you. We all knew going in that the tank is what it is as the journos have had a field day with that since day 1. For many of us it was never a concern. I bought it to corner on and I hate slab. After 150-175 miles of turns I'm ready to get off for 5 whole minutes, piss, refuel, and get some h20/electrolytes in my body. If you need 200+ miles between stops there are other options.

 

Cant really blame some of the responses. It is not so much acting adult, but more just tired of beating a fossilized horse.

The VFR1200 is what it is. Some things like ergos you can farkle up to suit you better. Range isn't one of them. Personally, if I ever get to tour Xcountry and need more range, I'd look for a different bike. Rigging up an aux tank to go 250 mile nonstop is like hacking up a brand new Camaro SS into an "El Camaro" just so you can haul 20 bags of horse manure home. Surely there are better ready made vehicles built for that.

I just think it is better to accept the bike for what it is and enjoy its strong suits, than to dwell on its "flaws" and lament what it ain't.

 

My Tourtank 2.0 came from the same guy and it has served me well. If you wanted something stealthy without giving up side case space, you could do something like a Corbin Smuggler, but make the rear section hold fuel. Seems like it would be easy to plumb and be very discreet. You could probably get another gallon in there. This is of course assuming you're flying solo and not 2-up. I do like the flasks, but couldn't really give up the luggage space for 2-up. Like I said, I carried a quart in the tailpack for emergencies, but just dealt with the fuel range as-is. Seems that since crossing the big-5-0 mark, the wife and I don't really feel like doing 600 mile days 2-up anymore. Now we're down to about 400 a day and just did 80 mile stints in the saddle. So 2.5 tanks per day. But I did have emergency fuel on-board for those awesome mountain rides.

 

dont get me wrong guys, I love the bike.. wanted to see if anyone explored adding/changing the gas tank..

 

I know its not the answer you want but I have a 97 VFR and I can get 240 miles from one tank. Maybe buy one of these as a long range bike.

 

honestly I would love to get a few bikes, an older white vfr would be on the list..

my wife wont ride anymore she wants one of us to be around for the kids...

 

my 83 Interceptor goes about 220 miles on a tankful...the difference...on that bike 200 miles was a good day, on the VFR12, you can do 300 miles before lunch

 

yup... when I head out for short rides, they turn into long rides real quick..

 

I like DD's approach on this. The Viffer Grande will probably go 200 on a tankful, if I'm willing to go deep into the blinking fuel light. This is based on my experience of going 150-160 miles and then only needing a bit less than 4gal to top off the tank. If I had a fuel canister - even a smallish one - for backup, I'll feel a lot more comfortable going past 160 miles.

200 miles is a long way, even across West Texas. Unless you are particular about fuel brands, gas stations are close enough apart not to make VFR1200's range an issue.

 

Yeah, so Honda designed a Pup, failed to address its excess weight & then as they always do (their cars are the same) they finish building a bike to sell as a mile muncher & then put a small tank ojn it so its NOT so heavy with a full tank ! They apply the small islands of Japan fuel range to their vehicles, which I always fine hillarious. A bike that is not an out & out sports bike needs a 200 mile range to be of any use, but very few bikes can make that range !

Best option is obviously a custom tank. In alloy it will save weight to. Wait does the 12 have a dummy tank with a fuel cell under the seat ? I'm sure there must be room under those bulbous fairings to fit auxillary tanks, they may have to be custom made, or you can get a best fit option with your own mounting setup !

 

And here we go...

 

too funny!!!

 

Eating too many Jo-jo's can seriously affect mileage on any bike. Then we got the other technical shit like barometric pressure up there in them Rockys.

And for those who ride the areas where both gas (gasoline this time) and Jo-jo's are in short availability try the stretch from El Paso to San Antone some time.

I have an alternate solution and some advice.. First the bad news. Do not expect the dudes on this forum to kiss your behind just because you don't get the answer you want,to a question that is so old it creaks. Even the 400-500-750 and 800 cc VFRs get crappy mileage if the wick is turned up in the flats or the mountains.

Now the good news. I have a brand new still in the box Aluminum ten gallon Heinrich tank for an airhead BMW that you can have to play with for $1500.00 . Getting the bike to go along with it is gonna be another problem. For a few pesos more I can send you a detailed list of instructions on how to fish a fuel pump out of a Ducati tank for a possible mod.

Bottom line? If in need of more gas,carry some along. Or maybe hire some kid from MIT engineering to design what you need.

Thanks for the number of years you have been riding. Now compare that with the cumulative number of years riding experience of some of the dudes here that addressed your question. Small potatoes.. or Jo-jo's.

 

ELVIS PRESLEY - DON'T BE CRUEL - YouTube

 

To the original poster:

I, too, hate stopping for gas. I tend to run long days at times (700+ miles when the bug really bites), and at the end of the day I look back and realize I blew over an hour at gas stations. Anyway, on to my advice.

Honestly we usually don't *need* to ride longer than 170 or 180 miles but we run down to vapors and start to worry and it screws up our enjoyment. But the truth is, most of us probably never really come that close to empty. Obviously we have some close calls, but truth be told when my '09 fuel gauge starts to blink on the last bar, I've actually gotten another 70 or so miles out of the bike and still had almost a half gallon left in it. So here is my suggestion: get that gallon container, keep it in the trunk, and don't be afraid to run your bike down to fumes. My guess is that you'll still not need to tap that spare gallon 95% of the time, and instead you'll be bale to ride another 45 minutes, maybe even an hour, knowing that if you to empty this thing there's a gallon waiting, so no problem. Just this last month I was up in the Bighorns in Wyoming and got down to my reserve before I'd even gotten to the descent down to the plains. I thought I was royally f'd when I hit the nearest town to find it was so small it didn't have a gas station. I spent the next half hour anxious, worried, knowing I was not gonna make it. Sure enough, I made it with a little room to spare and didn't need any backup gas. Difference is, if I'd had it, I would have enjoyed that spectacular drop out of the Bighorns instead of worrying about hitching a ride to a station and back.