new bars or smash tank?

I picked up a new Interstate tank recently to replace my fiberglass tank and get more capacity. Only problem it that it doesn't quite work with my current clubman bars. I have a friend who took a mallet to his interstate tank to make the appropriate indents to clear the tank, not sure if I am ready to do that to a perfectly good tank. Thought I'd check to see if any other have managed to find a decent fitting set of clip-on bars or similar style before taking a hammer to it.

RSR

I would try to find different handlebars before I would dent a good tank :!: Try to find a set of Tomasseli bars, some can be adjujsted many ways.

Jean

Well Ive searched the depths of both brain cells I have left but still can't remember where I saw a add for some company who is replicating the Laverda Jotta adjustable bars. Google Raask. They made a set for a trick cafe bike shown in Cafe Racer magazine, April/May issue. I think it was on a newish Triumph?

Gday RSR, I like the fully adjustable Tommaselli clipons, I bought a pair for my project to suit the Tankshop 5 gal Manx tank.


Will have to go through a pile of paperwork to find where I bought them from!
Foxy

Thanks for the suggestions,

I found a Guzzi site selling the Tomaselli multi adjustable bars, and one for the Jota bars. Both look promising.

How did the mallet bashing work out? Does it look OK? It seems to me at the price of a good Interstate tank that would then need painted after bashing it that you should just get a custom alloy tank and be done with it and sell that Interstate tank to somebody who wants one. They aren't that easy to come by, so smashing it up on purpose is sort of like throwing away food in front of a starving man.

Russ

I had an aluminum tank for a bit, but sold it off to a guy in Australia. Don't really want to dent up the interstate tank, so I am going to try different bars before I do anything serious. The tank my friend did, was done probably 15-20 years ago. The bike has been up for a bit, but looked pretty good with his avon/rickman bullet nose fairing, and custom tail last time it was out.

RSR

Now that's got to be the most intriguing after market addition. Buy a new tank and bash it with a rubber hammer to dent-fit it. Surely you can find some bars or a tank that will work? Maybe a rubber tank or bars?

Just an opinion, don't take it seriously, I'm an traditionalist.

Dave
69S

No idea what brand these are, but very nice!!

Foxy

DogT said:

Now that's got to be the most intriguing after market addition. Buy a new tank and bash it with a rubber hammer to dent-fit it. Surely you can find some bars or a tank that will work? Maybe a rubber tank or bars?

Just an opinion, don't take it seriously, I'm an traditionalist.

Click to expand...

No offense taken. I'm seriously hesitant to take a mallet to it, but thought some might have had experience fitting clip-on style bars to a bike with an inter tank. As I am paring down my bike stable (from 9 now to 3), I want to run the Commando longer distances (3K+ mile trips), and so went with the extra capacity of the interstate tank. The problem is, I am much more comfortable with clubman/clip-on style bars. My build seems to fit the lower bars. The added problem is my bike has the 1970 headlight 'halo' and the mounts interfere with most clip-on bars. The Jota bars look like a nice compromise.

My friends solution was to take a mallet to his tank. Something I will consider, but as a last resort. Gotta make the bike comfortable to ride first, then worry about capacity and aesthetics.

Maybe I'm asking too much, wanting her to do some distance, but the Commando was my first bike, and I don't want to get rid of her. She's still the bike that I enjoy riding the most, and the one I'd rather put the miles on.
RSR

rightshiftrick said:

I picked up a new Interstate tank recently to replace my fiberglass tank and get more capacity. Only problem it that it doesn't quite work with my current clubman bars. I have a friend who took a mallet to his interstate tank to make the appropriate indents to clear the tank, not sure if I am ready to do that to a perfectly good tank. Thought I'd check to see if any other have managed to find a decent fitting set of clip-on bars or similar style before taking a hammer to it.

RSR

Click to expand...

Telefix clip ons are very adjustable. I have them on my Commando:

http://www.whaccessories.com/Handle%20Bar%20Telefix.htm