GRiSO with stand alone gas tank

I really like the look of the GRiSO especially the 1100 metallic colored motor but.........something that I have been wondering about is the GRiSO gas tank or lack of one. What does it look like under the wings or whatever they are called and has anybody permanantly removed those plastic parts or installed a stand alone gas tank? I currently have a 2005 carbed thruxton and I love the looks of it but I think a GRiSO with a stand alone gas tank would look cool too. If this is a dumb question I apologize before hand and will refrain from posting in the future.

As they say nvs, "Beauty is in the behind of the holder"
What's it matter what others think, let your creative juices flow (I find rum helps) and build it.

Be warned, this advice comes from one who suffers with chronic OCMD.

If anybody tells you it can't be done, it's only because they lack the foresight to see an obvious solution.

I think Grisonut is building a tank for his?

The biggest issue as I see it is the frame itself. It would be very hard to build at a k that would *straddle* the frame rails and still be able to use the extra capacity where the wings currently sit.

Range is about 300 Km to empty with a decent map as long as you're not being stupid. If you are being stupid range is considerably less!

Pete

Don't have a GRiSO to play with but;
1. Would it be possible to build 2 wing tanks, with all three connected via fuel and air vent lines?
2. More radical but frame is only steel tube. Cut-n-shut anyone?
3. Belly tank under gearbox with the fuel pump in it, gravity fed from stock tank.

This is how the GRiSO looks with the tank, seat and both fairing 'wings' removed:
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and this is the bottom of the gas tank (and my big toe...):
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Its pretty tight under there.

Pete Roper wrote:

The biggest issue as I see it is the frame itself. It would be very hard to build at a k that would *straddle* the frame rails and still be able to use the extra capacity where the wings currently sit.

Range is about 300 Km to empty with a decent map as long as you're not being stupid. If you are being stupid range is considerably less!

Pete

Ah, yes, stupidity leads to justice.    



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Luckily, I had a support van.    



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In fairness, this was my first tank, and mileage -- tho not my "stupid" factor -- has improved a bit.  

Bill

Thanks fellas I really like the looks of the GRiSO and the additional HP and better shocks and braking are calling me. I'd really like to see how Grisonut is coming along on that tank build. Honestly the only thing I am not liking are the wingy things, has anybody made any mod changes to them? or are they a necessity?

These are just 3 examples I found of OP's work by googling "GRiSO" and images.

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yrunvs wrote:

... I'd really like to see how Grisonut is coming along on that tank build...

I haven't gone far yet. No metal work...
I have to finish up the mock up in paper for the bottom part first, the area between the frame and the part that follow the outside of the frame itself. Once it's done I can cut out sheet metal to duplicate that mock up then make the upper part of the tank and weld the two halves together. That's the plan anyway.
I will post pics when I start to get heavy with this project.
My goal is to get about a gallon and a half more autonomy than stock so I can ride all day in the Mountains without refill.
I have been caught almost empty in the Carolinas/Tennessee with no gas station in sight too many times.
PITA, it makes you deviate from your route plan.

ghezzi wrote:

These are just 3 examples I found of OP's work by googling "GRiSO" and images.

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Yes I saw these and thats what made me start thinking. I do like the modded cut down wing look. I'd be very happy with the black GRiSO....maybe with risers.

Grisonut wrote:

yrunvs wrote:

... I'd really like to see how Grisonut is coming along on that tank build...

I haven't gone far yet. No metal work...
I have to finish up the mock up in paper for the bottom part first, the area between the frame and the part that follow the outside of the frame itself. Once it's done I can cut out sheet metal to duplicate that mock up then make the upper part of the tank and weld the two halves together. That's the plan anyway.
I will post pics when I start to get heavy with this project.
My goal is to get about a gallon and a half more autonomy than stock so I can ride all day in the Mountains without refill.
I have been caught almost empty in the Carolinas/Tennessee with no gas station in sight too many times.
PITA, it makes you deviate from your route plan.

Please post your pics when you can, thanks.

I've pondered this issue for ages but in the end I can get 250km + out of a tank which is usually sufficient to make me want to get off an have a rest anyway. This configuration served me well in an 11,500km trip across Australia, so much so that the extra couple of litres of spare fuel I carried with me was never called in to use.
In my opinion the simplest way to achieve an increase in fuel capacity would probably be to have a standard tank and cut it horizontally just abve the height of the frame and then add in a section to raise the top half however high suits your purposes.
If you had a good plastic welder and the appropriate material to fill the gap between the 2 halves this would allow an increase in fuel capacity and without all of the stuffing around with fuel pump location and tank mountings etc., that would be required if you built a custom tank.
If it was finsihed off properly it would probably look pretty close to original.
This of course would need someone with a spare tank to play with or some one who is brave enough to cut up there own tank as well as access to a qualtiy tradesman to do the mod.
There is limited additonal space around the fuel tank to be able to expand it in any other direction and the idea of increasing fuel capacity is to make the bike more usefull. Adding auxillary tanks is fraught with problems when you consider the need to move the spare fuel to the main tank so it can be picked up by the fuel pump.

mark111 wrote:

....In my opinion the simplest way to achieve an increase in fuel capacity would probably be to have a standard tank and cut it horizontally just abve the height of the frame and then add in a section to raise the top half however high suits your purposes.
If you had a good plastic welder and the appropriate material to fill the gap between the 2 halves this would allow an increase in fuel capacity and without all of the stuffing around with fuel pump location and tank mountings etc.

That's what I'll do... raise the top section but re-using the original plastic tank is a nono.
It will never work. The two halves won't stay bonded for too long that's why I'm starting from scratch with metal...

When you do this tank reconstruct will it be eye appealing? I know you fellas from Australia have bigger distances to cover (Grisonut I realize your in the USA) and such but I am more concerned with aesthetics....In other words I really like the naked motorcycle look with mid to rear set pegs and an aggressive seating position with substantial HP but the absence of a defined gas tank on the GRiSO is what I would like to change if I were to own one. A 90 HP Triumph Thruxton with the GRiSO suspension and brakes would be ideal.
So for me looks out weighs function.

I think the Norge has a bigger tank ...buy one of them...problem solved

yrunvs wrote:

When you do this tank reconstruct will it be eye appealing?

I think so.
An inch raise (slanted) would gain a lot without destroying the look and I know I can gain some between the frame.

yrunvs wrote:

So for me looks out weighs function.

I would have to say this sentiment is true for the vast majority of GRiSO owners. No one stares at a GRiSO thinking, "that thing must be very practical!"

I dunno - I think mine is pretty practical. It's not an uber tourer bagger, but I wouldn't hesitate to take on a cross country trip. Or a quick trip down town.

For the non-esthetic purpose of a larger tank - I wonder if the alternator could be replaced with a smaller one, or relocated somehow and the bottom of the tank moved down?

Agreed - a taller tank but with the right "bevelling" might look good.

To get rid of the wings, you'd have to relocate all the wires and whatnot under there. Hmmm.

That said, I like the wings.

As I'm sure I've said before Daniel Kalal has borrowed my GRiSO and ridden long distances through the real outback on it while it was wearing the excreble GT pipe and prior to the 68S map and never actually ran out of fuel. While there are areas in Oz and the U.S. where I'd take a fuel bladder with me I have to say that I've never really got myself worried I'd be drinking my own urine while dingos eyed me off as supper.

As far as my ability to travel further goes? Sod that. 250-270 kms between drinks is fine by me.

Pete

Pete Roper wrote:

I've never really got myself worried I'd be drinking my own urine while dingos eyed me off as supper.

Pete, you have a completely different set of worries in your part of the world that I do, that's for sure.

Pete was talking about his back yard! Further out there be bad things in the bush - have you not seen Wolf Creek?

When I had a GRiSO I used to carry 2 litres of fuel in a pair of camping stove bottles in a tailpack, just as a backup, so that if you did find yourself with the light on you had more than a good chance of getting to the next filling station.

My problem is not long distance within civilization but gas stations being scarce in no man's land and having to plan a route accordingly...

Hello all,

1st post here on the forum. After months tinkering with the idea to do a complete aesthetic overhaul of my GRiSO 1100, and having decided on DIY, doubts start to acumulate.

I would very much like to build a classically styled metal tank with improved capacity, but as I see from the photos (thanks man!) I understand that replicating the 3D shape of the underside would be a nightmare, and without the wings capacity can only grow up...like blocking-the-view-from-the-road up. So for now I'm going with painting...

Does anyone know what is the tank made of? I'd hate to paint/lacquer it with the wrong materials and discover a few weeks later by having bubbles creeping in or paint flaking off.

Thanks for thy wisdom!