Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > fibreglass or carbon tanks,,,

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by bradders

thought Neil had sold his....

Yep he did as I bought it, firstly I intend to cut a big hole in the bottom of it, get a alloy mounting ring welded to the bottom of it and then fit a Monster 620 Fuel pump, sod the going through a fuel cap entry to try and squeeze a pump inside.

Originally Posted by bradders

wish I had the skills to make my own

Wish I could as well, but if it works out I may see the guy who made my 2 into 1 conversion about making a copy or two of the tank, if he's not interested then there are other places about, usually see one stand at Kempton Auto-jumble with some nice Classic Tanks then there are companies like this http://www.holtworks.co.uk/contents/...fueltanks.html

[bradders]

cant you run a pump outside?

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by bradders

cant you run a pump outside?

Yes you can, mine will be an external one.

[bradders]

fancy knocking me up an ally tank - not one that carries 35l of fuel either

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by Ghost

Yes you can, mine will be an external one.

About £40 off Ebay for an external one when I was considering that option, but already having a Monster pump assembley which includes the filter, pressure regulator and flow and return connections it offers a tidy solution.

They are a lot easier to fit than the old 748/916/996/ST2 etc pumps as your not trying to force the O-ring up inside the tank

If I start looking into getting other tanks made it does away with having to get the flow and return connectors fitted into the tank and in the top you can fit a small tidy filler cap as the only thing that needs to pass through it is fuel.

[Jolley]

Originally Posted by skidlids

They are a lot easier to fit than the old 748/916/996/ST2 etc pumps as your not trying to force the O-ring up inside the tank

However, a standard Steel 916 style tank is more than likely (believe it or not) going to weigh almost as little as an alloy tank. A standard, minus all fittings, 916 tank weighs in at close to 3.5kg.... are any Alloy tanks less than 3kg?...

.... but then, you do have the fiddle and cost of pumps etc.... but you can pick up a 916 tank for less than 200GBP.... and they are a nice shape..... but it is a bit more work than most would bother with.... although by the time you have finished it probably would have been quicker and easier to fit a homemade alloy tank with external pump.

Bradders, my tank wil be up for sale.... but I think only an 851 purist will pay the 500 GBP I want for it (I paid 375 and another 150 for the cap - but it was a bargain price considering they are rare as anything and cost 900 GBP when new).

[skidlids]

Originally Posted by Jolley

However, a standard Steel 916 style tank is more than likely (believe it or not) going to weigh almost as little as an alloy tank. A standard, minus all fittings, 916 tank weighs in at close to 3.5kg.... are any Alloy tanks less than 3kg?...

.... but then, you do have the fiddle and cost of pumps etc.... but you can pick up a 916 tank for less than 200GBP.... and they are a nice shape..... but it is a bit more work than most would bother with....

Doing a 916 tank conversion at the moment on the 620 Monster I bought off Steve Mason
Tank = £60
Fuel Pump = £40
916 Airbox to chop the bottom out of £35
Existing Filler cap will fit and if I wasn't planning on using the 620s pump in Neals Alloy Tank I could be recouping some of my money

So hopefully a cheap conversion

[Jolley]

Originally Posted by skidlids

Doing a 916 tank conversion at the moment on the 620 Monster I bought off Steve Mason
Tank = £60
Fuel Pump = £40
916 Airbox to chop the bottom out of £35
Existing Filler cap will fit and if I wasn't planning on using the 620s pump in Neals Alloy Tank I could be recouping some of my money

So hopefully a cheap conversion

Kev... could you help everyone out and weigh everything together.... I bet it isn't more than 1-2kg more than Ghost's featherlight effort. I would guess tank/pump/fittings together at around 5-6kg, with the lightest alloy (all-up) at around 4-5kg.

[skidlids]

Good idea Ron
I just had a standard SS tank arrive today with pump so I can weigh that, I can also put the Alloy tank Neal made on the scales along with the 620 pump to get and idea nad also do the same with the 916 tank and pump.
For me its not about the weight as much as the ergonomics brought on by the middle age spread, the Standard SS Tank is not only to high at the back but also to long.
On my 996, 998 Hybrid,the 998R and my R6 all of which I get on very well with I feel like my heads over the headstock where as on the DD bike its more over the filler cap.
I get on very well with my S2R and M1100 road bikes where the tanks has more of a sloping rear section
So for 2012 I intend trying different options, Neal's old tank on my current SS DD bike and a 916 tank on the 620 Monster I got off Steve Mason
If all else fails I'll have to nick Dallas's bike as thats looking pretty well sorted after he's stolen a few of my ideas

[Jolley]

Originally Posted by skidlids

For me its not about the weight as much as the ergonomics brought on by the middle age spread, the Standard SS Tank is not only to high at the back but also to long.

Taking ergonomics out of the equation, I just think it is worth highlighting that there are some cheap/light/fairly easy options..... I would even have considered running a 916 tank on a B bike (with a plate made up for the pump hole), because it is about the lightest option out there if you can't get an alloy tank made up..... and in reality, all you need is a bracket made up for the front of the tank.