Fuel availability!

captinktm · Post by **captinktm** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:18 am

Now I realise this subject as probably been covered on here before, but i am still confused (not hard)
Surely I can't be the only one that worries about fuel all the time. Riding the 950 to Turkey a few years ago it was a constant, stop too often (to keep the bike brimmed) or running on fresh air looking for stations. This of course was across Europe! I ventured into Romania last year and while riding in the mountains off road and off track had many occasions where I had to double back or even walk to fuel stations. I am off later this year to Mongolia and while guys post there are plenty of fuel stations on route, that of course depends on sticking to some sort of route dictated by said station, which is something I don't do. Even staying on route in these counties like here in Bulgaria there is no guarantee that the marked fuel will be there still. I am seriously looking at buying an under seat tank which would mean another 7.5 lts but is there another cheaper option? I run Keriega panniers and a 40 lts soft top bag so no where really to strap more bottles/tanks to. I can get 350km per tank but that's not really enough once you take to the hills or as I like to set the compass and crack on. The under seat tank is 350 euro which is not that bad? Idea's please. No! getting a c90 is not an an option besides KTM don't make one:laugh:

Mike101 · Post by **Mike101** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:24 am

When i had my 950 i also looked at this. The huge 40ltr tanks are over £1000 so way out of budget.

I think the best option are the rotapax red can thingys.

Other than converting to one can and running the under seat option i don't think there is another...i know as i looked.. a lot

Mike

DaleC · Post by **DaleC** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:37 am

Captain - mates in Oz use fuel bladders that they strap down over their soft luggage. I believe the brand of choice is Liquid Containment (refer link: Liquid Containment) as they come in various sizes from 2 litres upwards, are reasonably priced (starting from AUD$80 = £50) and are already fitted with tie down loops.

I hired cheap Chinese bikes in Mongolia last July and rode just short of 3,000km and never had difficulty finding fuel within each 250km. This was mostly on the Mongolian "B" roads - ie they appeared on the map, most times

hmy: Only on one occasion did we have difficulty where they had run out of fuel and this was actually on the main road to Moron but was quite near a large Nadaam festival (likely cause of the shortage). Luckily there were stations further down the road within 50km that had fuel.

I can't speak of Western Mongolia or other countries that you will cross.

Sounds like a great trip! (thumbs)

Scott_rider · Post by **Scott_rider** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:49 am

Closer to home, we have run out of fuel in both France and Spain

hmy: . We were in South West France somewhere near Angouleme and the Ducati Diavel ran out on a dual carriageway...and in Spain, my Fazer 1000 coughed and died and coughed due to hardly any fuel in the Pyrenees...both times we did eventually find a petrol station but it was a few hours of faffing

.

Tramp · Post by **Tramp** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:57 am

A gallon fuel can strapped on luggage...

But ponder this..you can do 350k then another 100k but you push it and still run out....when riding innthe wilderness its always touch and go...

zimtim · Post by **zimtim** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:57 am

http://www.cjdesignsllc.com/about-us/br ... 50990-adv/
I have one of these, takes the range to over 200miles, I did get to 220 but that was riding with care and I was sweating a bit.

if you know someone who could knock something up for you I would be happy to help where I could.

Godspeed · Post by **Godspeed** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:10 am

captinktm wrote: No! getting a c90 is not an an option besides KTM don't make one:laugh:

You might be able to strap one to the back seat, at least you'll save the walk to the petrol station

AustinW · Post by **AustinW** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:15 am

Rotopax mounted flat on the rear carrier. It's strong enough to then use to fix other bags or whatever on top of it.

captinktm · Post by **captinktm** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:16 am

zimtim wrote:http://www.cjdesignsllc.com/about-us/br ... 50990-adv/
I have one of these, takes the range to over 200miles, I did get to 220 but that was riding with care and I was sweating a bit.

if you know someone who could knock something up for you I would be happy to help where I could.

Yes this is an option, and there is a tig welder guy in town. But doing this also means that you are running 2 into 1 which I could cut and weld my self, surely this means the rear cylinder run's on a shorter header than the front, and must cause fuelling differences? I am guessing that even here in Bulgaria this would cost the same amount as the under seat option.
Thanks for your reply and I will keep you posted if I go down this route.

captinktm · Post by **captinktm** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:26 am

Godspeed wrote:
captinktm wrote: No! getting a c90 is not an an option besides KTM don't make one:laugh:
You might be able to strap one to the back seat, at least you'll save the walk to the petrol station

I see all the bikes you have listed and guess that if you rode them all on the same route together you would still use less gas than the 950? Ah but would be grinning insanely