Bike Upgrades: Long-Range Fuel Tanks

Words Dean Mellor

Riding around Australia is one of the world’s great motorcycling adventures, but the limited fuel capacity of many bikes can bring the fun to an abrupt stop… in the middle of nowhere. When it comes to increasing a bike’s touring range there are plenty of fuel-carrying options.

Australia is a bloody big place and when you’re taking it all in from the saddle of your bike its vastness can almost seem overwhelming. But it’ll seem even bigger if you’re taking it in as you trudge the last few kays into town because your bike has run out of fuel.

Whether riding in the outback or just touring between big regional towns, there are often big distances to be covered that will far exceed the woefully inadequate fuel capacity of many bikes – and there won’t be a service station within cooee.

Whether you ride a sportsbike, a tourer, a dual-purpose adventure machine or a dirtbike, there are plenty of different fuel carrying options that can increase your touring range to match your needs.

Jerrycans and containers

Filling a jerry can and finding somewhere to secure it to your bike is the most obvious way of extending touring range. The size and shape of the jerry can will depend on where it can be mounted on your bike and how much additional fuel capacity you need.

You can source motorcycle-specific jerry cans in various sizes but the larger the capacity the heavier it will be and the more difficult to mount.

For riders who don’t need a lot of additional range, Givi makes handy 2.5L jerry cans and optional mounting kits so they can be securely fitted to panniers. The Italian company also makes a universal support that can be mounted where a pannier would normally be situated that caters to jerry cans ranging from 5L to 10L capacity.

Touratech makes handy 2L and 3L plastic jerry cans that can also be fitted to a pannier using an optional mounting bracket. These jerry cans have large openings to accept service station pump fillers, and spouts for easy bike filling, but if carrying fuel Touratech recommends they are mounted where they’re not like to suffer from hard impacts in the case of a fall.

RotopaX manufactures a range of different size and shape fuel containers that can be easily carried on your bike using the brand’s unique mounting bracket. These rotationally moulded containers feature a leak-proof design, and RotopaX containers attach to a wide array of OEM and aftermarket mounting brackets, as well as optional L-brackets that can mount to a bike’s rack so the container is situated where a pannier would otherwise go.

For those who just need a small back-up fuel supply to get back to base, small-capacity fuel bottles are a great solution, such as those used by hikers for carrying camp-stove fuels. These are usually manufactured from aluminium or stainless steel and they generally range in capacity from 0.5L to 1L, making them ideally suited to dirtbike riders who need just a little bit of extra range. The bottles can be stored vertically or horizontally, so they can be thrown in a tool bag or they can be placed in a holster that’s attached to the bike, such as the neat Wolfman Wolf Bottle Holster.

There are several other plastic and metal fuel containers on the market that are designed to be packed in saddlebags or panniers. No matter what style of container you select ensure that it meets the Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) 2906:2001 Fuel Containers-Portable-Plastics and Metal. You should also regularly check for damage and leaks, and ensure the lid is secure.

Replacement and Auxiliary Tanks

A lot of dirtbikes have fairly limited fuel range but there a couple companies that cater to these with larger-capacity replacement fuel tanks including Safari and Acerbis. Sure, a replacement tank costs a lot more than a jerry can, but it is no doubt the easiest and safest way to carry extra fuel, negating the need for messy fuel transfer and, depending on tank design, keeping weight as low as possible to minimise effect on bike handling.

Safari Fuel Tanks is an Australian company that produces replacement plastic tanks to suit a wide range of dirtbikes as well as some adventure bikes. The size of the replacement tank depends on the bike model, but some are quite large, such as the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin tank which is a whopping 30L.

Safari also makes rear tanks, which can be fitted instead of a replacement tank or used to complement a replacement tank. In the case of the Honda CRF450 for example, the replacement tank is 21L and the rear tank is 8.5L, giving an impressive combined fuel capacity of close to 30L.

Safari tanks are available in a choice of solid colours or a translucent plastic finish, and the latter allows the rider to quickly and easily gauge how much fuel is in the tank.

As well as producing a huge range of long-range replacement plastic fuel tanks, Italian company Acerbis also makes various auxiliary tanks including the 2.1L Handlebar Tank and 6L Rear Fuel Tank. These can be used by dirtbike riders who just need a little bit of extra range or by adventure riders who want to complement a larger replacement tank.

Fuel Bladders

Liquid Containment makes a range of Jerry Flex fuel bladders specifically for motorcyclists that range in capacity from 2L to 15L. These flexible fuel bladders are manufactured from a durable reinforced military-spec TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) that allows them to be carried in a backpack or externally on the bike. Some models have tie-down loops and all fuel bladders are supplied with a drain hose and a filler with a pressure relief valve design.

The Giant Loop Moto Gas Bag is another fuel bladder with sizes ranging from 3.8L to 18.8L. The Gas Bag is described as a collapsible welded film and ballistic nylon reinforced container.

Some advantages flexible fuel bladders have over hard containers is they can be easily fitted on most bikes without modification, or even packed in with luggage, and they don’t take up a lot of space when empty because they can be rolled up or stored flat.

No matter what fuel storage option (or combination) you decide is right for you and your bike, you’ll be able to ride further for longer than ever before.