Which Tank

[steveb263]

Hi , here is my next question , I would like peoples opinion as to what looks best , these are the pics of my trike (not finished yet) . In one pic I have the tank I was thinking about using and in the other pick I have borrowed a tank from a friends Zephyr . Which looks best , I like the style of the black tank but the size of the red tank . Also do you get bigger versions of the black tank if so what are they called and who sells them because all the tanks I have looked at of the same style all seem to be about the same size i.e length and width    .


  Cheers
    Steve

[Manky Monkey]

That's a tidy trike Steve. Very nice.
The black tank's a "Mustang". Made by several custom parts companies in a couple of sizes, usually about 3 1/2 American gallons.
"Custom Fasteners" sell them:

custom tanks

My personal opinion is that the Zephyr tank looks a million times better though. Changes the look of the whole trike. Much curvier, rather than being perched on top of the frame like the Mustang. Don't forget, it's all about personal choice & taste though. Don't build it to please other people, but to make you happy. 

[steveb263]

Hi MM , you are right but unfortunately the aesthetics are not my forte , I am good at the mechanical but not so good at the looks . Ideally I would like the older style chop/trike look but friends have told me that I'll be stopping at every petrol pump on long runs . Most of the similar tanks to the black one I have seen have similar dimensions (approx 400mm ish by 300mm ish ) I would like one that is longer and wider and deeper , I have looked at a couple on flea bay but unfortunately they were much the same size . I had forgotten all about Custom Fasteners so I will give there site a look and see what they have . One other question I have is I am using a Reliant back axle and have plumbed the brakes into the original master cylinder (Suzi GS 650GT) it is operating the brakes when I had the back axle on axle stands , do you reckon it will be powerful enough when on the road or the MOT brake rollers.


  Cheers
   Steve

[Manky Monkey]

I don't think you'll find much better than the Zephyr tank myself. Looks just right to me.
My very first trike was a Yamaha XS750, using a Reliant axle. Like you, I re-used the bike master cylinder, but it didn't have enough oomph to fully operate the brakes. All my subsequent trikes have used 5/8" bore Girling cylinders. It all depends on the bore size. Don't forget that you're now trying to stop a much bigger area of rubber than the bike cylinder was designed for. There are several threads in the trike tech section about this.
I haven't actually had a trike on the road for a couple of years now, (got 2 Reliant engined projects tucked away, awaiting completion), but my average travelling distance between petrol & leg stretching stops, is about 100 miles. So most custom tanks are big enough for that kind of range. My own trike uses a Harley Sportster tank.

[steveb263]

Thanks once again MM , problem I have with the Zephyr tank is nobody seems to have them the phrase rarer than hobby horses sh*!&e comes to mind lol

[Manky Monkey]

You could try forum member Toad. He works at a bike breakers yard.

[steveb263]

Brilliant I'll give him a shout .

 Cheers
  Steve

[Cabman77]

Zephyr tank just looks so right I think. There`s nothing stopping you splitting the mustang tank and making it wider/longer to whatever floats your boat.

I seem to remember Zakboy saying that the bike M/c should be man enough for reliant drum brakes but not the disc conversion.

Have fun 

[steveb263]

Hi Cabman , the bike M/c is locking the wheels up sitting on stands , I had thought about using two bike cylinders side by side going into a 'T' piece then into one pipe to feed the brakes so I would then have double the pressure working the brakes but not sure if it would work . As for the tank I had thought of your suggestion as well but the heat built up with all the welding might end up buckling the tank or would small alternate welds stop that.

 Cheers
  Steve

[Cabman77]

just spread the haet around rather than weld it all in one go. TIG would be best. If you cant turn the wheels when they`re locked up I`d give it a go and see what happens. Just tread gingerly at first til you`re used to whatever power, or lack of. you have there.

[terry t]

try it out Steve. brakes and peddle ratio are a big issue on all types of builds. were having it with Andy's pop at the moment. are you running separate braking system ie lever on bars for front, peddle for rear.
i run the standard m/s on my goldwing with drum rear brakes. i dont have a problem with them. but i have mg midget slave cylinders and back plates with reliant shoes. still as long as yours are free and slide up and down on the back plates you should be ok. like i said try it out

[steveb263]

How and where would you go about splitting the tank

[BikerGran]

My GT550 trike with standard Reliant drum brakes has a Girling 5/8ths master cylinder operated by the original GT mechanical lever - very easy to lock the wheels!

[steve brock]

Kwacker tank looks in proportion.. My 2 cents

[BikerGran]

Yes the Zephyr tank looks best - the other one perches just a little too high.  Same kind of tank but with with a channel so it sits a little lower over the frame would be fine too.