extra fuel on a cruiser style mc?

[Huntindave]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum so let me introduce myself. I'm 56 years old and have owned motorcycles since high school. I currently ride a 1995 Yamaha 1100 Virago.

I am planning to make a long distance round trip from Iowa to Alaska via Canada and US roads. I am concerned about distance between fuel stops as I travel the western providences of Canada and some portions of the US.

What are my choices in containers for safely carrying extra fuel? I'm planning on being able to carry a container behind my pack (which will be attached to the passenger backrest). The container would not be inside my pack or saddle bags.

Anyone have any experience doing this? any suggestions? I'd like to find something other than a generic plastic gas can. I'm looking to be able to carry 1 to 1 1/2 gal of extra fuel.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Dave

[COFats]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum so let me introduce myself. I'm 56 years old and have owned motorcycles since high school. I currently ride a 1995 Yamaha 1100 Virago.

I am planning to make a long distance round trip from Iowa to Alaska via Canada and US roads. I am concerned about distance between fuel stops as I travel the western providences of Canada and some portions of the US.

What are my choices in containers for safely carrying extra fuel? I'm planning on being able to carry a container behind my pack (which will be attached to the passenger backrest). The container would not be inside my pack or saddle bags.

Anyone have any experience doing this? any suggestions? I'd like to find something other than a generic plastic gas can. I'm looking to be able to carry 1 to 1 1/2 gal of extra fuel.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Dave

I think you have a legitimate concern or issue regarding the route you plan.

You might check the Iron Butt Association website for some tips and advice. The have good suggestions for endurance riding, but much of it applies to long distance/term riding also.

I have a little concern about carrying too much auxillary fuel in non permanent containers or in loose containers. Obvious safety and balance issues as well as an effective reduction in your overall 'cargo' weight capacity. On a long trip you are probably going to need all the personal storage capacity you can get. The Yahama 1100 Virago is a fine stylish MC but not well suited (at least in body styling and available frame space) to easy effective customization to add fuel cells.

One suggestion I might make is to get a GPS. Many GPS have the ability to identify Gas stations on your specified route and advise of distance to these fuel stops. Garmin makes a model specifically for MCs. You get the extra advantages of accurate tracking and guidence on the trip.

Another possibility is to buy a small trailer to pull with the Virago for supplies and extra fuel. Don't like this idea myself, don't know if Virago can take a hitch, not sure what the load/weight limit might be.

I am sure some will recommend some sort of means to carry the extra fuel on the MC itself, but I'd really be concerned about the safety issues with any temporary or home made solutions as I assume you intend this to be a ROUND trip!

Good luck on your trip, sound like a fun one.

Ride safe & long,
Colorado Fats

[CB750F]

I don't know if they make something specific for it but a spill proof can might be the ticket. Go to a marina (they use them a lot on boats) and see if they have spill proof gas cans.Something like one of these.
http://automotive.hardwarestore.com/89-554-gas-cans/spill-proof-gas-can-101993.aspx

[CB750F]

I'd really be concerned about the safety issues with any temporary or home made solutions as I assume you intend this to be a ROUND trip!



There probably isn't any real safe way to do it, that is true, but some are safer than others. I'm thinking I could go a good 200+ miles on my 1100 Virago before hitting reserve.

[TFee3]

I carried a 6-gallon jerry can on my last bike by strapping it to my rack, and it rode fine. I now have 5-gallon ventless plastic cans I bought at Wal Mart that I'd have no qualms about carrying on my present bike. Because my jerry can was metal, I added a fixture at the bottom of it with an on/off valve and plumbed it right into my fuel lines. It worked very well. One thing, however - because it was higher than my gas tank, I had to make sure I was riding down the road before I turned it on, because, being higher, it would backfill my gas tank and eventually overflow it. I usually reached back and turned it on when my regular tank was empty. I had a total of 12 gallons and could ride 10 hours before even thinking of fuel.

My wife hates motorcycles and won't ride with me, so I'm thinking of installing an aux tank where the back seat is. It will be metal and painted to match my bike and have loops on the sides for tying things to it. If I can find someone to weld it up for me, I'll have them weld on the regular seat brackets from my extra back seat. Then, I can take it off when I wish and replace it with my back seat. It shouldn't be too difficult or expensive to make.

[Huntindave]

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes I am concerned with safety, hence my original statement regard plastic gas cans.:)

Sorry TFee3, I don't wish to carry that much fuel. I feel that would be extreme weight wise.

I also considered the trailer but just don't want to go that route, I'd probably end up taking much more in the way of other things as well.

I had considered the fuel bottles used by campers such as one like this.

http(remove everything in red)://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q24/Huntindave/bottle.jpg

They are about 12 inches high and 4 inches in diameter and hold 33ounces each. I found some sold as water battles that hold 50 ounces each. These bottles are spun aluminum and are advertised as leak proof. I myself have used a smaller sized one when backpacking and have never had a problem with them. I haven't yet checked the size of the opening in relation to the size of a gas pump nozzle but if my memory serves me right, it should just fit.



I was thinking that I could build a storage rack in which 2 or three of these could be securely fastened such that they did not bounce around going down the road. If and when I need the fuel I'd stop and empty them into my bikes tank at that time.

PS. I see the forum rules won't allow me to post a picture just yet,:( Tried to get around that by using the red font. Link should work if you cut and paste but remove the text that is in red including the ( ).;)

Thanks again, Dave

[TFee3]

I'm not sure my calculations are correct, but the aux tank I'm thinking of replacing my back seat with would be 13" wide, 15" long, and 8" high and would hold 5 gallons. Because the regular tank on my C90T is under the seat, the CG on the bike is very low, and I doubt that the weight would affect handling that much. When I had my 6-gallon jerry can on my 550 Suzuki, it was straight up on my rack. I felt it, but it wasn't a problem. When I was using the jerry can, I also had a military napsack stuffed as full as I could get it, a cooler, and, believe it or not, my 10-speed bike strapped across all that to my backrest. It looked weird, but it went down the highway fine, and I had no problems handling it at low speeds.

Those little water bottles are fine, but if you want to fill them, you'll probably have to do it away from the gas station. It's against the law in this country to fill anything but an approved gasoline container with gas. If you're seen, they'll run out and stop you.

[Huntindave]

TFee3,

"Those little water bottles are fine, but if you want to fill them, you'll probably have to do it away from the gas station. It's against the law in this country to fill anything but an approved gasoline container with gas. If you're seen, they'll run out and stop you."

Actually some of the bottles are sold as water bottles and other ones are sold as fuel bottles (white gas, alcohol,unleaded gasoline) used with camping stoves burning the above mentioned fuels. Both of the ones I've seen are made of spun aluminum and are red in color (red being an approved gas container requirement) so I don't see filling them being an issue.

Three of the larger ones will give me an extra gal of fuel which should be sufficient. I'm still open to other options and do value the input. One never knows whats out there, till one asks.:)

[TFee3]

You're right! I had forgotten that, but now remember seeing them in our sporting goods store. My friend had a pair of the water bottles that he carried around every summer in his backpack for over 20 years, so they are good bottles!

[COFats]

...I'm thinking of installing an aux tank where the back seat is. It will be metal and painted to match my bike and have loops on the sides for tying things to it. If I can find someone to weld it up for me, I'll have them weld on the regular seat brackets from my extra back seat. Then, I can take it off when I wish and replace it with my back seat. It shouldn't be too difficult or expensive to make.

RVers sometimes have aux gas tanks made for their rigs. Look in the RV sections of your phone directory for a provider. They are familiar with custom building tanks for different applications, and usually familiar with what it takes to make them work right in those applications.

Ride safe & long,
Colorado Fats