Motorcycle gas tank

[worntorn]

I recently built this tank for a Norton project bike. The plan is to use a Triumph Thruxton fairing at front, so the fuel tank top skin had to match a Thruxton R shape. The bottom has to be made to fit the Norton Commando.
I have a Thruxton R so it wasn't too difficult to copy the shapes and come up with a wooden buck to build from.
Glen

[worntorn]

Starting in to shape the sides and top

[worntorn]

Using the English Wheel . I built this English Wheel in 2011 using the Power Ultra 205 in Tig mode. The tubing is very heavy wall , 5/16",which makes this English wheel very stiff and effective. As I recall, the amp control was cranked to the top and Pedal on the floor with the 205 when welding this thing up. That was just about perfect heat.

[christian]

Very cool!

I had a 1971 Norton 750 Commando. It was my favorite motorcycle. The tank had the coolest shape, even if a little small in capacity. And I loved those swept up exhaust pipes, with one on each side. The sound of that Norton was the best.

I had a 1971 Triumph 500 Trophy too. It had those two bullet side pipes that came up under the thigh, which could get warm, as I didn’t have the heat shield for mine. Good times!

But, those newer Thruxton R models are gorgeous. I mean, a little retro, a little cafe-style, while seeming like they’re still comfortable to ride. Three-cylinder, as I recall…

Anyway, please let us all see how the process goes on to completion.

[christian]

Oh,

Is that red tank the completed project, as I see it does have those Norton-like indents?

If so, please post a fuller pic of the cycle.

I mean, the factory Thruxton tanks seemed to have a bit of that indent already, if I recall correctly.

[worntorn]

The red tank is on my Thruxton R. It holds 14.5 litres, not much more than a Commando Roadster tank (12litres).
I wanted a bit more capacity so the buck was made with an extra inch of height vs the Thruxton tank.
The goal was 18 litres minimum capacity.
The end result is 22 litres. I picked up a lot of volume in the tank bottom shape, mostly in the cutout for the frame tube.
Here are some more progress photos.

[christian]

Very nice!

[christian]

Yeah,

I did an aluminum gas tank for a zero-turn mower a few years ago. I went to an electric fuel pump on it, rather than gravity-feed, as the location was then much different. And, of course, diamond plate is a favorite material of mine, even before I got the AC TIG welder for aluminum.



That tank was about my first significant project doing AC TIG on aluminum. And, I chose a flip-top cap reminiscent of the one on that Norton, and is also similar to one on a Triumph TR6 car (interestingly, a 1971 too) that was my first car as a teenager. It was cast aluminum, so it was a little nasty getting a pass or two of clean bead on it. And I welded it on the underside, rather than a fillet up top.



Anyway, this tank ended up at 2.7 gallons, and the OEM poly tank was 2.2, which was a fitting increase since the mower also got a motor repower from a single 12.5 HP to a twin 20 HP.

[worntorn]

Very custom, ready to race zero-turn!

More photos. Welded up, then many hours sanding and smoothing to flush weld. After that I spent a lot of time with the E wheel removing little curvature imperfections.
Then a flange was created at the bottom.

[worntorn]

Forming the bottom

[worntorn]

All polished, mounted and decals applied.

[christian]

Smokin', dude!

[worntorn]

Thanks
Sadly, that will be the last Al. project for the PP256.

Glen