Portable fuel bottles

[FastDoc]

My KLX has a 2.1 gallon tank. Not much for adventure touring. At 70 MPG I'm on reserve in 100 miles and pushing in 140. There is no aftermarket tank at this point, besides I really like the slim light stock tank for 99% of the off roading I do.

What do you all think about these fuel bottles? Idealy I'd like to pack an extra gallon (or at least 3/4) in my pack when I go on a long off road adventure.

This enables me to stay with my svelte tank and only take the extra when I may need it.

I plan to travel with a KLR and another bike with a big tank. The KLR will share, the other bike not so much! :roll:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=fuel+bottle&tag=mh0b-20&index=sporting&hvadid=23145954&ref=pd_sl_3ajdaha259_p

[lego1970]

I use the MSR bottles. They are not very big. I think their biggest bottle is about 1 litre, but they fit good in backpacks or strapped down on a tail rack, and they are pretty rugged. The cap is plastic and the body is aluminum. I haven't broken a cap, they are pretty thick, but I've had to replace the O ring on the caps every now and then. Having said that, alot of the fuel around here has ethanol in it which is bad on some O-rings. I bought a huge O-ring box from Harbor Freight that was like $5 bucks and has hundreds of O-rings all different sizes.

I use the bottles as extra fuel for riding, and for carrying fuel and oil when doing remote tree jobs. Again, I think the biggest bottle they have is only about a litre, but they do pack well, and a couple may all you need to get home or someplace to fuel.

I've had the same problem on both my old DR350 and DR650. The tanks are pretty small.

[MICRider]

Didn't Spud have a spare bike fuel container at one time that he was trying to sell? I think it was one of those square thin ones that are designed to strap to a luggage rack. Or, I could be thinking of another forum?

Cheers,
Stew

[FastDoc]

I dont like the square ones much because they are too bulky and would not fit in my luggage well. Many are designed to be mounted on the outside of the bike somewhere. I just need something that won't leak on my gear. 3 liters might be good. That would give me a range of about 200 miles. That ought to be plenty. More than than it's the siphon into the KLR Mother Ship. :P

[MICRider]

Ahh, ok. Other than the MSR bottles, they were the only ones I had saw for motorcycles before. Sounds like the MSR's would be perfect for you though. Good idea "borrowing" some fuel from the KLR, they hold lots!

Cheers,
Stew

P.S. I like your new avatar Doc, very nice picture :)

[BDIAgencies]

Hey Doc,

I would keep my eye on this company...they may produce something down the road...

http://www.clarkemfg.com/cart/


Brad

[lego1970]

I just need something that won't leak on my gear.


Just to give you an idea, my bottles are only used a handful of times a year, but are over 10 years old and have been used in temps from single digits to over 90 F in direct sunlight. Each bottle has had to have it's O-ring replaced a couple times, but otherwise they have never leaked.

[FastDoc]

I just need something that won't leak on my gear.


Just to give you an idea, my bottles are only used a handful of times a year, but are over 10 years old and have been used in temps from single digits to over 90 F in direct sunlight. Each bottle has had to have it's O-ring replaced a couple times, but otherwise they have never leaked.

Good to know! I think that's the route I'll take.

[FastDoc]

Hey Doc,

I would keep my eye on this company...they may produce something down the road...

http://www.clarkemfg.com/cart/


Brad

I like Clarke tanks. I had one back when I had a 1996 XR200L. For the KLX though, I prefer the stock tank. It is very narrow and small, making the bike more nimble off road. This bike does not feel much larger than a mountain bike. It's only for the once a year or so off road tour I'd need more fuel.

Indeed the bike is so narrow I can stand on it with my feet flat on the ground, and touch my toes under the bike. :D

[ontheroughside]

An important consideration for those using metal fuel containers in dry environments is static discharge. Feuling stations run all contacts to ground to prevent this. The same can be accomplished with a small copper wire from your filling bottle to your frame.

[lego1970]

An important consideration for those using metal fuel containers in dry environments is static discharge. Feuling stations run all contacts to ground to prevent this. The same can be accomplished with a small copper wire from your filling bottle to your frame.

Good point. On a hot day they do throw out a lot of vapors as soon as the pressure drops when you open the bottle.

[BillR]

Acerbis Number plate tank (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/10/608/1476/ITEM/Acerbis-Front-Auxiliary-Tank.aspx)
Beat having to unload the luggage for the extra go-juice.
Not knowing what the light mounts look like, some work will obviously have to be done.
Bill R

[cheesy]

I use the one liter MSR fuel bottles, but for a different type of biking, Doc, and I swear by them. That one on the bike has white gas for my stove.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2131/2126455207_cd7effa25e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21499296@N08/2126455207/)

Another choice, but getting harder and harder to find, are the SIGG bottles from the late seventies/early eighties. Current SIGG bottles just aren't as nice.

The bottle in the above picture is missing in action, though. Twelve hours after this was taken I was hit from behind and spent my vacation on crutches. Never found the bottle.

[lego1970]

The bottle in the above picture is missing in action, though. Twelve hours after this was taken I was hit from behind and spent my vacation on crutches. Never found the bottle.

Ouch!

[katoranger]

Sounds like a similar experience to Doc's.

[cheesy]

Sounds like a similar experience to Doc's.
I think Doc got it worse.

[ontheroughside]

Another option
I'm considering using this for my Gio and Gasser, but will require rejigging the headlight shroud to be infront


http://gnarlyparts.ca/index.php?cPath=5978_1455_9157

[FastDoc]

I like that old bike. 3 speed? In the grand scheme of things my crash was not too bad. Thank God I have almost no residual problems.

[cheesy]

Thanks Doc. 3 speed fixed gear. Still picking the occasional piece of grit out of my elbows and knees from sliding through the gravel. Did pick up some nifty scars. Bike looked worse.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2166/2126454247_a1b3fe0632.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21499296@N08/2126454247/)

[katoranger]

Looks like the upper stays are bent. Is that an English bike?

[cheesy]

Upper stays, lower stays, fork, twist in the top and down tubes. The only thing keeping the bars on was the bolt in the stem. Strange that the sleeping bag stayed on the front rack and both came out unscathed. :? The bike was a French Mercier.

[Weldangrind]

Another option
I'm considering using this for my Gio and Gasser, but will require rejigging the headlight shroud to be infront


http://gnarlyparts.ca/index.php?cPath=5978_1455_9157

That's a neat idea! :idea: Gnarly Parts has lots of neat stuff, and they're very friendly and helpful.