how many folks here have fiberglass tanks and what ..

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MikeM said:
aceaceca said:
Said it before, say it again. I run the stock fiberglass tank with no modifications and no fuel preferences. Seems to hold fuel and make the beast go down the road. Will continue to do so until it refuses to hold fuel.
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The shop I go to highly recommended that I coat my fiberglas tank. I dont have the bike on the road quite yet. The main issue was the dissolving fg going through the carbs and into the engine where it solidifies and causes damage, ( this is with ethanol blended fuel). I am guessing you dont have ethanol added? We have no choice in fuels here.
MikeM
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California has few if any stations that don't sell ethanol mix. :( I'm also an SF Bay area resident.
 
champ7fc said:
I have had an interesting experience with the fiberglass commando roadster tank. I had owned my Commando for about six months back in 1971. On a weekend leave I was involved in a serious accident. Coming home from a trip downtown an unlicensed driver shot through a stop light at an intersection and I hit him just to the rear of the front wheel, no time to do anything but grab the clutch and front brake. The front wheel folded up under the engine causing the main tube of the frame to bow up. Since the tank is secured in the front and rear, the fiberglass tank fractured like an egg shell, covered me with fuel and promptly exploded. I went sailing over the hood of the car with both handlebars firmly grasped in my hands, ripping them off the triple trees landing about 20 yards down the road in flames. Fortunatly I was still conscious and began to roll to put the flames out, I also got some help from some kind people who witnessed the conflagaration. I spent two months in a Naval Hospital and recovered. Interestingly, while researching the restoration of my Commando last year I discovered that what happened to me and others was the reason that fibre glass tanks were no longer installed on Commandos after 1974.That folks is why my newly restored Commando Fastback has an alloy tank and will never see the original Fastback tank even though I have one. I have related this , not to alarm you but to make you aware of the possibility that using a fibreglass tank could be dangerous. All of you ride safe and enjoy your bikes as I plan to enjoy my Commando come spring. Craig
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I agree with you about the danger of fiberglass tanks ripping open in an accident, but you must realise that you were lucky to survive that accident even if the tank had been made out of alloy, a slit second either way and you would have either been dead or counting your lucky stars nothing had happened. Was your two months recovery because of the burns or because of broken bones?

Jean
 
2nd the amount of impact to split a fiber tank as tested mine to find I split and leak way easier. I've bend bars on fiber tank after fork stop broke off.
The main fire risk is that gas leaks out Norton caps if bike is on side. When deer hit headlight and helmet '05 it trapped my R boot seam on broken peg stub so couldn't pull free with L foot under my back and bike didn't stall while gas leaked out over the points cover. Took couple seasons to get mostly physical recovery but not yet over the deeper inside soul damage, maybe never. Add another expense to this hobby besides new tank material. Wrists can leave fist like impression in steel tanks but don't break through.
 
Reply , Yes I was very lucky to have survived the accident, I do not want to split hairs here. If you have not been in the situation I was in back then , all I can say is you will have to take my word. Luckily I did not break any bones, However after my family doctor got through with me in the E/R I wished I had. He hated motorcycles and made no secreet of it. At the time I was wearing, helmet, leather jacket , Motocross boots, and leather gloves.The helmet was cracked and my leathers were burned consequently I am atgatt when I ride. The burns I suffered were second degree on my legs because I was wearing Levis. I spent the two months in Boston Naval Hospital mainly due to a massive hemotoma of the right leg, blew up like a ballon because every blood vessel in the leg had been damaged.I fought with the surgeons for weeks because they wanted to amputate the leg. Obviously I succeeded,however it was touch and go. I rebuilt the Norton after the accident. The person that caused the crash fled to Puerto Rico and I had an arrest warrant issued but nothing ever came of it. Two years ago I had my right hip joint replaced and I think this accident played a large part in that. We all pay for our youthful transgressions. I related this actual story not to sensationalize but to make some of you think of the consequences of using a fibreglass tank especially one that is 40+ years old. There are alternatives out there and ask this question, what is my life worth? I asked that question when I did maintenance on my plane and only used the safest and best parts. When I restored my current Commando I incorporated as many upgrades as I could and used mainly new parts ,expensive , hell yes but I'm worth it. Motorcycling is fun and dangerous. Put as many cards on your side of the table as you can. Craig
 
I have an old Dunstall GP tank that has not given me any issues so far, we have 10% corn oil in our gas.
 
champ7fc said:
... Put as many cards on your side of the table as you can. Craig
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This might be the most intelligent thing I have ever seen posted here.
 
I got away with a fiberglass tank for just over a year, I coated the inside with Caswell and did the best prep i could. But now I can see signs of the fuel getting to it, Slight lifting of areas on the surface. I thought if I did a real good job on it that it would last longer than this. It's not leaking yet but I've taken it off and am now working on the police tank i have. But hearing another story like this helps me make the decision to go with the steel tank.
 
rvich said:
champ7fc said:
... Put as many cards on your side of the table as you can. Craig
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This might be the most intelligent thing I have ever seen posted here.
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+1
Besides, fiberglass tanks would make great a flowerpot. People who don't know any better would think it's funny as hell.
 
I've long ago decided to have my asses put in IS fiber tank for display in biker pub.
 
I have been attempting to post images from my photobucket account to this thread but no luck. I guess if you want to see my Fastback you can go to photobucket and look up commando71. Craig
 
JeanDr, Ha , you have had a couple drinks ,your ass will not fit into said displayed gastank. When and /or if said glass tank goes up in flames then maybe your wish will come true.
 
"There is more than one OEM metal roadster tank. I have had the more common roll /spot welded seams and a more rare torch welded seam. This is well before the indian tanks were available.... The bottom sheet metal were noticeably different stampings and the torch welded ones sucked, and would hit the back bone tube....I.E. did not fit..."

how many folks here have fiberglass tanks and what ..


I'm working on this one, but it seems to fit okay...maybe i should leak check it before i go any further. Cj
 
cjandme said:
"There is more than one OEM metal roadster tank. I have had the more common roll /spot welded seams and a more rare torch welded seam. j
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Someone has had it apart before you got to it ?
 
"Has someone has had it apart before you got to it ?"

I'm pretty sure it's not been opened before. When I bought my MKlll last year it had a fiberglass tank on it (bone dry as it had been sitting in a garage for 20 odd years), but the PO offered me this one that he had in a box with some extra parts. He said that he dented it and then tried to use compressed air to "pop" the dent out. Anyway I'm not even gonna try and use the fibergalss one, it's been repainted and isn't real pretty anyway. I was supprised how heavy this steel roadster tank is though. Cj
 
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