Big Fuel Tank

nsman said:

....I am fortunate that I get to meet and deal with young people every day,i would have to say the truth is that the parents of these young people are the ones doing the measuring as their peers are much more forgiving.a great many of these young people only want to have a job that they like and make enough to ride the bikes.....things have not really changed much here ,seems thats all I wanted when I was young as well.
In a nut shell Dale,i quess my point here is that the venture is about making fuel tanks not money,but it may is possible.
As far as having lunch,maybe so, I will be passing through your area this Nov on my way to NZ.

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It would be my pleasure to share a meal with you.

Dale

I think if my chosen profession were making/selling big bore off road bikes as my niche, not mx bikes, then providing fuel tank options would seem a logical step - if I really wanted to sell these bikes!

Wouldn't it make sense to order some % when IMS is making them for the original manufacturing process?

I don't know the numbers needed or sales lost, but seems to me an awful lot of guys looking at big bore bikes are scared off because of the lack of fuel cell options Husaberg has at this time.

All in all it seems a silly way to lose sales... If I were a desert rider or dual sport rider (that is to say, if I needed the range), I would hardly give Hberg a second thought.

Thanks for the invite dale,I will be in touch.

HUSABOMBER said:

I think if my chosen profession were making/selling big bore off road bikes as my niche, not mx bikes, then providing fuel tank options would seem a logical step - if I really wanted to sell these bikes!

Wouldn't it make sense to order some % when IMS is making them for the original manufacturing process?

I don't know the numbers needed or sales lost, but seems to me an awful lot of guys looking at big bore bikes are scared off because of the lack of fuel cell options Husaberg has at this time.

All in all it seems a silly way to lose sales... If I were a desert rider or dual sport rider (that is to say, if I needed the range), I would hardly give Hberg a second thought.

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Marketing, Merchandising, Sales, Whatever:
A sleek tank provides for improved appearance and initial ride impression over that of a more bulbous piece.

Fuel (lack of) only becomes a problem after the purchase.

In an effort to improve initial confidence it is reported that Harley Davidson once reduced the seat height of several models in an effort to make that first show room stride the clencher.

Ever notice how soft the spring rates are on a stock cruiser? Sure feels good when your not moving. :lol:

Dale

Lineaweaver wrote:
"Marketing, Merchandising, Sales, Whatever:..."

Oh snap! I hope I didn't get you started on those guys again!

HUSABOMBER said:

Lineaweaver wrote:
"Marketing, Merchandising, Sales, Whatever:..."

Oh snap! I hope I didn't get you started on those guys again!

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Nah, happy to report all is good on this end.
:lol: LOL

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Sincerely,
Dale

shameless bump
take the pol please

nsman said:

From these numbers we see that the cost of producing a production run of Berg tanks is viable as the cost of the start up is not a major consideration at this time as long as 750-1000 tanks could be sold in a business cycle. .What is not viable is production past the initial production run,and no doubt this is the major stumbling block at this time for the tank producers.

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I lack the background and expertise to question any of your assumptions, but your statement about viability after the first production run seems misplaced to me. In my reading of the various posts on this topic both here and in past threads, I inferred that the major impediment to market entry for Clarke, IMS, et al was the upfront costs.

Is there more viability for a skilled and motivated enthusiast to do the initial design and testing and then sell that to the OEMs?

Satex said:

nsman said:

Is there more viability for a skilled and motivated enthusiast to do the initial design and testing and then sell that to the OEMs?

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Hi Satex,

If you need / want a larger Husaberg fuel tank your current options are to contract a fabricator or give it a go yourself.

Should the OEM like your design and feel such could prove profitable they will simply copy it without so much as a tossing a glance your direction. The same applies to the aftermarket.


Best Regards,
Dale

Hopefully it's just a matter of time before existing aftermarket gas tank fabricators like IMS & Clarke build extra capacity Husaberg tanks.

We might need to hold our breath for a little while as there might not be enough demand for extra capacity Husaberg tanks just yet but with new Husaberg bike sales growing it will hopefully be soon.

Gents,

For conversation sake, last week I posted a jetting topic to the forum saying that I had taken my carb off and cleaned it up before I rebuilt and reassembled the bike. While I had the carb off, I also drained and cleaned the tank including removal and rebuild of the petcocks. While I had the tank completely disassembled, I had placed it on the bike and went through the process of trying to figure out how to fabricate a larger capacity tank.

In my opinion, with the location of the air filter and the large square frame backbone which is the air box, the seat position and mounting location, and the radiator, there is very little room for a capacity increase in the Husaberg tank without having to go wider. Sure you can gain some capacity, but will the increase yield the desired results without having to make the tank wider? There is some room at the front of the tank, closest to the radiator, which could be modified to increase capacity but not a whole lot. The neck of the tank could be raised slightly and also yield a slight increase but not much. The bottom of the tank could be dropped slightly but also, not much room here either. The area I thought had the most potential for an increase in capacity is the area of the tank that allows air to flow through from the radiator, again there is some room for improvement but not allot. In closing with my observations, I do not know if there is enough potential to gain a gallon and a half out of the existing tank without going wider... I could see a possible 3/4 gallon increase without making some serious modifications to the air box. Please add some comments or suggestions as you all see fit.

Regards,

Hi Keith,
Great observation.

Makes for a great argument regarding proper engine state of tune including however not limited to fuel delivery.

Why not simply squeeze out every last inch from each existing ounce of fuel?

Riding style and gearing also have a huge impact.

Kind Regards,
Dale

Thanks for the reply Dale. After assembly I was on my way out for a quick ride and filled my tank up to 100% capacity after being bone dry. The local Mobile gas station pump showed a 2.444 gallon total capacity of my tank. Although maybe slightly off and not totaly scientifically accurate, this gave me a good beginning number to work with. Thought it was worth while to post my numbers in this thread.

I have never done any blow molding with plastics before but about 15 years ago my father made a composite fiberglass shell for a Suzuki Samurai 4x4 convertible after pricing out OEM shells. I helped a little in his project and learned a great deal about composites. My father has also done several composite experimental aircrafts in his life including the one he is building today. This gave me the inspiration into investigating the larger capacity tank for the Husabergs. I have tossed around the idea of having him help me to build a prototype tank for the Berg and now that the daily temps are averaging 110 degrees, I don't foresee much riding in my future until the temps drop back down again... A good time for just such a project. :wink:

Regards,

Hi keith,
Once again great information. You are wise beyond your years and obviously of benefit regarding your fathers experience.

Food for thought:
Theoretically one could use heat / pressure via steam to enlarge the OE plastic tank.


Best Regards,
Dale

LINEAWEAVER said:

Food for thought:
Theoretically one could heat and expand the OE plastic tank using steam for a marginal increase in capacity.

Best Regards,
Dale

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Hi all,

The boiling water/low air pressure method generally achieves around a 10 % capacity increase.

We did a 12l tank on a 200EXC for the Finke desert race last year and ended up with 13.2litres. Not a huge increase, but for some it may be the difference between making it to the next pit stop or sitting on the side of the track watching the race pass you by. :lol:

Riding beats walkin' :wink:

Oops, did it again!

I wanted to emphasize steam for it's pressure properties in addition to heat.

Dale

Dear Gentlemen.

Like nsman, I have taken a hard look on adding fuel capacity without widening the tank.
I even gobbled up a few bears and puffed my pipe to really add needed performance for my braincells.

My solution is as follows;
Do´nt use the tank for more capacity, use the part of the frame which already is the culprit for a wide tank / wide motorcycle: The wide frame from the air-filter to the steering head.
It´s a dead zone anyway, air is not sucked in from the steering stem.

Block the inside of the frame in front of the air-filter and make some kind of device so that when you fill up the tank, you also fill this space up with the ever precious fuel.
I would think that this space could add around 3 liters.

Good, or bad??

Best,
Heimir Bardason

Hi there, am I right in saying that with fuel injection and required pump the fuel tank could be wheret he carb is?

In any case I recall the old 19 litre tank was big and fat and no good but what I noticed is that having the fuel low made a huge difference. Those tanks had wings/ raidiator shrouds that filled up. With 12 litres of fuel it felt like 4 litres in the regular tank (almost). I also remember with the low slung standard tank and 4/5 litres of fuel the bike was perfect. The side 5.5 tank that replaced the right side panel made the big handle like a pig but was ideal for long transport type of riding.

So what I am saying is fuel central and low is the answer.

HeimirBardason said:

Block the inside of the frame in front of the air-filter and make some kind of device so that when you fill up the tank, you also fill this space up with the ever precious fuel.
I would think that this space could add around 3 liters.

Good, or bad??

Best,
Heimir Bardason

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Hi Heimir,
A truly ingenious idea.
I would expect no less.

Hope you are doing well.

Sincerely,
Dale

That is a good idea Heimer.In the spirit of Husaberg innovation it almost seems wrong to simply replace the plastic tank to gain fuel capacity!