Cafe gas tank?

I want to put a long cafe style tank on my KZ650. It's only going to be a single seater and I'm kinda going for an old-school racer type look only without the farings. Sort of a Honda (Gasp!) CR 750 type of look. My problem is I don't relly want fiberglass and I can't really afford paying $500+ for a fiberglass tank from Airtech, so I'm going to fire up the band saw and the MIG welder and try my hand a making one out of sheet metal. Just wondering if anybody here has tried something like this before and has any pointers or tips? Also if anybody knows of a cheaper source than Airtech for similar tanks, in case my metal crafting skills turn out to be not up to the task.
Thanks

If this is to be your first tank and you want to learn how to do it, Go for it! If you think you can build one for less, you can't.

Do your self a favor buy one already made!

In any case Good Luck.
Bill

Maxwedge wrote:

I want to put a long cafe style tank on my KZ650. It's only going to be a single seater and I'm kinda going for an old-school racer type look only without the farings. Sort of a Honda (Gasp!) CR 750 type of look. My problem is I don't relly want fiberglass and I can't really afford paying $500+ for a fiberglass tank from Airtech, so I'm going to fire up the band saw and the MIG welder and try my hand a making one out of sheet metal. Just wondering if anybody here has tried something like this before and has any pointers or tips? Also if anybody knows of a cheaper source than Airtech for similar tanks, in case my metal crafting skills turn out to be not up to the task.
Thanks

As someone who fabs parts I'll say this... you can easily make something that will hold gas... but that's about the extent of it. lol You won't be able to build anything half way decent looking without an english wheel or plannishing hammer... or a good shot bag and hammer set and years of experience.

As aformentioned, just buy one... it'll be less of a headache.

Oh, and a better place to look is Glass From The Past. They have aeremicchi single tanks for like $350.00 IIRC, and they can make it fit anything you want them to.

I have a XS850 tank that might work for you. Here are some pics. Make me an offer.

Post edited by: kawtoy, at: 2006/04/15 17:44

try again

Tracy made fiberglass tanks in the 70"s. I see them on ebay at times. Roy

another

i might know where theres a tracy body that has never been used,still in origional primer.bought back in 80-81 for kz1000 they dont hold very much fuel though.:whistle:

Such negativity already and I haven't even started yet, LOL. Sure, I've never built a gas tank before, but I have done a lot of body work. I don't have an english wheel, but I do have several hammers dollies and a shot bag. Not a lot of compound curves in the shape I want, so it seems do-able to me. I figure I can screw up a lot of $5 peices of sheet metal before that $500 starts looking like a good deal. Nothing motivates me like somebody saying it can't be done. Of course I may take you up on that XS850 tank if it doesn't work out though. Time to head out to the garage.

i dont think anybody is saying it cant be done,i just noticed somebody say tracy body and mentioned i have access to one.ive posted some sheetmetal work pictures lately that im done,im not the greatest by any means its been a hobby for many years not a profession.ive got access to some people with over 40yrs of metal working experiance to point out my mistakes and boy do they!:whistle: :woohoo: but they also tell me how to fix it when i screw up.ive always said theres nothing i cant do,it comes down to how bad i want to do it.keep us posted!goodluck,happy wrenching!

I need another "Tracy" body like i need another bike but i would be interstead.
And Tracy bodies and tanks hold a lot of gas. The small one i have will hold nearly four gallons. The tank extends into the side covers. I don't know how much the Tracy for my KZ holds. I have never filled it up. Roy

I tried this and didn't have very good results. The look is good but my welding wass awful(cheap Harbor Freight wire feed welder). I kept burning through the metal. I can get a pic if you want.