Customization: The Tank
This is definitely one of the more serious customizations you can do to your motorcycle. Not only is it the largest canvas on the bike, but you also have a lot of safety features to consider. Many customizers skip this step and move straight to painting the stock tank. Replacing your fuel tank requires planning unlike upgrading your mirror, handlebars or grips. Fortunately, some of the planning is taken out of the mix if you buy tanks made specifically for your motorcycle. You’ll find most of these are for Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
This is also an area where many riders that are serious about building a custom motorcycle might start to look towards kits. We’ve talked about kits before and we’ll revisit that concept later.
To my surprise I found a lot of resources for getting the raw tank for a custom project. The one above is from RC Components, a company that makes several of the parts you will want for your customized motorcycle. They have a great, well organized web site and support all the major motorcycle manufacturers. Definitely a recommended visit. While they don’t make the tanks or other accessories, we come across Tejas Thump Cycles in many of our parts searches. They emerging as a one-stop shopping site for high end customizing.
There are web sites that focus on the safety factor I mentioned above. Please keep in mind that you’re working with the flamable liquid container that sits between your legs. When you think about that you realize you have to really consider the composition and safety features when selecting your tank. You may want to consult an OSHA certified safety expert before you lay down your bucks. At least make sure your tank is OSHA certified.
I found some really incredible chrome tanks on Scotty’s Choppers. Scotty’s place is down-under, but thanks to global shipping you aren’t limited to looking at tanks on your own continent. His designs let you know there are a lot of variations and can include many features. Think your design through. There’s nothing like spending the money and time only to decide there was a better way to do it.
One last stop before we let you ponder your options. Independent Gas Tank Company makes a large variety of tanks that will meet your custom needs. This is one of those companies you feel safe about dealing with because this is their specialty. They don’t make forks or frames. They don’t make mirrors or saddles. They make great gas tanks for customizing your motorcycles. They are definitely worth looking at.
Well, that’s all I have for now. As usual, we welcome your comments and suggested sites for additional tanks. Next, we’ll look at fenders before we find a place to paint our custom machine. Here are some of the sites we used in our research.
