LATEST NEWS

Aprilia RSV-R Mille

Oct 2024

My first Aprilia RSV-R (I've owned a few) was mint. I couldln't stop tinkering with it. 57mm throttle bodies, Cordona quick shifter, Sigma slipper clutch. The list was endless. Then I raced it and stacked the thing at Donington Park, what a muppet. But what a blast, and top fun. It's all about the craic and banking those memories.

Roll on the years and Warren contacts me, asking could I fabricate an aluminium tank for his super trick RSV-R. Yes, I can and wow how trick is his Mille. Major tricked up engine with all the goodies, putting out 145bhp (mine topped 125 bhp).

Carbon fibre bodywork, BST carbon wheels. Epic Race Component Development rear sets. These have got to be the best rear sets I've ever seen, and a top yoke that's truly a work of art.

So to say I enjoyed fabricating this would be a massive understatement. It wasn't without its difficulties. The base had to be accurately replicated as the bike had a trick airbag kit, sealed by the underside of the tank and very tight fitting carbon fibre side panels. This is why I always prefer to have the owners bike in the workshop, so I can ensure correct fitment.

The shape and detailing of the compound curves are just joyful in the brushed aluminium. The finished tank is getting an OE spec paint job. Can't wait to see it.

The original tank weighed 5.8kgs, my hand-crafted ally tank came in at 3.8kgs. So now the bikes got an ethanol proof tank that'll last a life time and is lighter too.

Aprilia RS250

May 2024

I absolutely love 2 strokes. I passed my test on a Yamaha RXS100, then bought an RD350LC (Mars bar colours) and currently have a Yamaha TDR250, which is a long term project. I just need to finish fabricating the custom swingarm I've designed.

So clearly I jump at the chance to build anything that burns Castrol R.

I can't believe the Aprilia RS250 is 30 years old. They are light as a feather, handle superbly and have a cracking grin factor, when you twist the throttle.

It still looks bang up to date. The customer contacted me having had his original plastic tank suffer the dreaded ethanol rot. He needed a Mk 2 tank. So out with the hammers and here's the finished tank after hours of bashing and shaping. One things for sure Stewarts set for a mint summer on this bike.

Kawasaki GPz900r

August 2023

Making stuff is mint. If you've got a connection with the part your making it just gets better.

The GPz900r was my first ever big bike, Polaris blue (life's about banking those memories). So when Paul asked me to fabricate one of these for him, all those great times came flooding back.

Rumour has it the designers took inspiration from dolphins, when creating the flowing lines of the tank.

I can totally see that, the reverse curves on the sides, the way the radius increases to the front, it's just beautiful. It's iconic, a total design classic and instantly recognisable.

Paul said that the original tank was rubbing on the seat wearing through the paint. So I increased the recess, where the outer edge of the seat met the tank.

He also wanted to use the original filler cap and have the internal overflow and breather pipes retained.

Now that's a big job, not just replicating the original filler neck, but lining it all up and welding it in so the cap sits just right.

Now the internal tubing is only 1mm thick, so it can blow through so easily, when you go to weld it in place. Ready to weld it, well hold your horses! Try putting a weld helmet on, stick yer head in a bucket, then try and fit both hands in the bucket. Now try and weld that tiny thin tube.
Thats how difficult welding this muppetry is. And if you cock it up, the jobs ruined, so no pressure there, then. But I love a challenge. You can just see the tubes exiting the back of the tank. Jobs a good'un. Here's a piccie of the filler neck too.

The bike, the tank was going on, has had extra oil jets added to the cam cover, to increase the lubrication of the camshafts. I needed to add extra clearance to the base, in these areas.

When making the base I always like to replicate the original tanks detailing. Yes, I know the base can't even be seen, but I know it's there and just like that part on your build, no matter how small, if you don't sort it, it just niggles away at you. Constantly whispering "I'm still here"

So get it done right. Here's the finished base

It's cool to hand build stuff, coz you can improve things to how you like them. I never like the weld seam on mass produced tanks. It looks cheap and crappy.

By modifying the former and tipping the underside edge, you massively improve the look and flow of the lines, where the tank meets the side panel. You can see it in the first photo...no seam. Subtle, I bloody love it, hope you do too.

Triumph
Speed Triple 955i

January 2023

If you've never ridden a Hinckley triple, you're missing out . It's like the best of both worlds. Dollops of V-Twin torque, coupled with the extra revs of an inline four.

So to get the opportunity to fabricate a tank for the 955i was epic.

Don't get me wrong, these are seriously

complex tanks to reproduce. The fuel sender has a separate housing that needs machining, a 14 bolt fuel pump bezel, 5 x internally threaded blind bosses for the cowl (which also needs hand crafting in ally). You get my drift, it's a big job and that's before all the milling of the brackets and the jigs etc, just checkout the photos below.

But what a beautiful tank, what a beautiful bike, inspired by the Steve Burns Spondon framed Monster. You can see the heritage in the frame design.

So here it is after 134 hours (I counted this one),

Completely hand made using traditional techniques (translated as bashed to bits with a hammer) in 1050 ally, 1.5mm thick and totally ethanol proof - What a beauty.

Suzuki GS1000 tank

I then machined threaded bosses and welded them in place, so you can fit your original tank badges. Some people change their fuel taps and each tank can be customised to your tap choice.

I love the story of Hideo 'Pops' Yoshimura and his journey from Japan to the USA and the first AMA Championship. So as a nod to Pops, my tank improves on the original, being made in aluminium, upgraded with a Newton Equipment Aero filler cap and CNCd one way breather valve.

I just think it looks mint in the bare brushed ally, but totally understand if people want to paint them.....Each To Their Own.

If you'd like one of these, to improve your own bike, just give me a shout using the contact page or give me a call.

April 2022

I'm buzzing and stoked to announce I've finished this beautiful aluminium 1978 fluted Suzuki GS1000 tank. I've obsessed over making it for a number of years and really wanted to do this iconic bike justice.

So I not only replicated the tank, in 1.5mm 1050 ally, but also had a mould produced of an original tanks base. This enabled me to hand form all the swaged details of Suzukis tank tunnel and under-side.