Camel Tanks and Others...

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OB1
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by OB1 »

OnHellas wrote: Sun Apr 28, 2019 8:58 pm Me again. So the CRF has a 9-litre tank as standard I think.
The IMS tank holds 14 litres.

This for me is probably the route I would choose for the following reasons.
It’ll fit the bike and won’t fall off.
The weight will be up front rather than having even more at the back with your luggage.
You’ll probably be carrying plenty with your tools, camping? clothes etc so having one less item to carry and try to strap on will be a bonus.
Much less thieveability (if that’s a word?)
Once you’ve finished with the big the tank will be very sellable therefore recouping some of the original outlay. Just make sure you keep all of the standard stuff of course.

You probably already know the golden rule when in remote places ‘when you see fuel, buy fuel.’

It's always that initial outlay that puts me off the camel tanks and others and this is what is attracting me to the Desert Fox solution as a couple of those will double my range. I agree with your conclusions about the location and "thieveability" of a larger tank in the original location, however, the Rally's tank is a little larger than on the CRF250 L (10.7 litres opposed to 7.8 litres), so the increased capacity of the Acerbis or similar tank doesn't make as much economic sense.

This is where my quandary seems to be: finding a solution that will give plenty of range without breaking the bank. If the rear positioned Camel Tank (above) had come in at around £200, it would have been a viable proposition but, with the weak pound and high shipping costs, it becomes a little too expensive. Maybe I should contact them and see if I can get a deal for two tanks...?

Thinking about this; maybe a combination of a Camel Tank and a Desert Fox... too much to think about! :lol:
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by sledgegreen »

Would a pair of 2L alloy tanks be of any interest? £45 each or £100 the pair. Available here:

https://adventurebikerider.com/forum/vi ... 27&t=48464

I don't understand the pricing strategy either, but they look very pretty.
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by OB1 »

sledgegreen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 5:33 pm Would a pair of 2L alloy tanks be of any interest? £45 each or £100 the pair. Available here:

https://adventurebikerider.com/forum/vi ... 27&t=48464

I don't understand the pricing strategy either, but they look very pretty.

Two litres (even twice) isn't going to be enough on this trip. My goal is to, at the very least, double the range of the bike from around 160 miles to over 320 miles which would require another 10 litres, hence my thought of using two Desert Fox bladders or a combination of bladders and/or tanks.

I did see the advert earlier but I hadn't noticed the pricing strategy! :lol:
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by catcitrus »

just go for an IMS 3 .5 (US gal= about 14 litres) tank--they know what they are doing-I've used them on my wr250r and my CRF230 --should give you a 200 mile range at least.
If you need extra then a collapsible container could be used on the odd occasion . https://imsproducts.com/Products/index.cfm?IDset=6246
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by SteveR »

OB1 wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:16 am
Hi Steve. When I was in Northern Finland a couple of years ago on the Tiger, I carried a 5-litre reserve and needed it on two occasions as fuel stops were up to 300 miles apart. Where we're going next year, 300 miles may seem like a luxury!
It doesn't appear that there is a cheap solution. Except....

https://www.aliexpress.com/af/fuel-blad ... y&jump=afs

I read an article about long distance lads in either the US/Canada or Oz, using these cheapies. As you know, ordering through aliexpress works...
Probably need an exterior bag for security and to allow it to be strapped down with the bladder inside.
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by qcnr »

Fuel bladders, about 14:30.
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by bfgjohno »

I think you'd get frustrated with the rotopax. Unnecessary bulk when not needed. The IMS is great but it's £350 for a small increase in volume. The desert fox is available in Europe and ticks the boxes of cheap, compact when not in use and good volume. https://www.allroadmoto.be/en/search/desert+fox/

If you are using petrol for cooking then a Sigg bottle serves a double purpose.

In extremis just do what the locals do: plastic coke bottles of fuel emptied into the tank as soon as there's space.
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Re: extra fuel options

Post by Chris S »

I list and update all the extra fuel options I can think of here:
https://adventure-motorcycling.com/long ... torcycling
I think I even wrote it up for the ABR mag once.

Bulk, ease of use and price seem to be the issues.
The problem with Rotopax and copies is the bulk vs the actual volume.
I'd say they were never really intended for bikes but in the US became a 'look'.
I've seen some truly shocking Rotopax set-ups out there!
I have used a cheap 5-litre fuel can (on an original CRF with the tiny tank) which I can't say ever really got in the way, and I needed to use it most days.
Things may have changed but tbh it was a relief to get off that seat at 130 miles.
A rigid can is easier to use than a floppy bag, but of course it is annoyingly bulky (if not heavy) when empty.
Another good thing with the can, as set up on my CRF, is that it's as easy to fill up as the main tank.
Whip the cap off and stick the nozzle in. The Rotopax as on page one would require unbolting to fill up.
All this messing about increases the chances of making a mistake like forgetting to do something up.
Same with a fuel bladder.

You can get the 6L Desert Fox bladder in RSA for 36 quid.
I bet it won't cost another 25 to send it to the UK.
https://flyingbrick.co.za/product/deser ... l-cell-5l/
The multiple attachment points are much more suited to lashing to a bike than those Ali Express Liquid Containment knock-offs which I've also used. You can see it rolled up under the Magadan - the o-ring blew away and it was never the same.

Wrt the IMS tank – there's a good chance you can sell it in the UK for not much depreciation after the trip.
14 x 30kpl = 420kms – a ballpark figure. You can supplement it with pocket-sized reusable 5L bladders from 6 euros (see link).

Or, buy a used steel fuel tank, cut the bottom off and get it welded on top of yours, complete with cap.
That whole area where the front of the seat laps up over the tank is wasted, imo.

However you do it, on a long trip you will welcome a useful sized main tank every time you fill up.
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Last edited by Chris S on Fri May 03, 2019 7:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: extra fuel options

Post by OB1 »

Chris S wrote: Thu May 02, 2019 7:00 pm I list and update all the extra fuel options I can think of here:
https://adventure-motorcycling.com/long ... torcycling

Thanks for the response, Chris. I must remember to check your book each time I have a question... cut out the middle man! :lol:
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Re: Camel Tanks and Others...

Post by sledgegreen »

OB1 wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 6:22 pm
sledgegreen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 5:33 pm Would a pair of 2L alloy tanks be of any interest? £45 each or £100 the pair. Available here:

https://adventurebikerider.com/forum/vi ... 27&t=48464

I don't understand the pricing strategy either, but they look very pretty.

Two litres (even twice) isn't going to be enough on this trip. My goal is to, at the very least, double the range of the bike from around 160 miles to over 320 miles which would require another 10 litres, hence my thought of using two Desert Fox bladders or a combination of bladders and/or tanks.

I did see the advert earlier but I hadn't noticed the pricing strategy! :lol:
I realised that this wouldn't satisfy all of your needs, but there is nothing that says you have to find a single solution to the whole requirement, and 4L capacity for £100 seemed so much better value than the 6L tank for £400 which you mentioned in your initial post. I also wonder whether you will always want to use all of you extra capacity, or will you carry just enough extra fuel to reach the next fuel station (plus a safety margin)? So, sometimes the standard tank will be enough, whilst other times you will want a bit extra, and other times you will want a lot extra?

Any way, I found your thread interesting, so I did some googling, and I came across this website:

http://www.atlinc.com/custom-fuelocker- ... dders.html

It seems to be an american company (with a branch in Milton Keynes) which specialises in fuel bladders for boats. Amongst other things, they offer bespoke bladder manufacture so that boat owners can store fuel in bait lockers etc. I wonder whether they would make a bladder to fit in a Kriega bag, or a hard pannier or some other container.

Doing this would mean that the bladder doesn't need to take the strain of being fastened to the bike - it just sits snuggly in its outer bag or box, and that mounts on to the bike in the normal manner.

I suspect this will be a red herring, but it is the only fuel bladder manufacturer with a UK base that I found except for manufacturers of large bladders (1000L upwards).
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