Need help with gas tank design.....For all

GoldenMotor.com

borntofli

Member
Jul 27, 2012
306
0
16
tx
I have access to a plastic molding facility....I, as most of you hate the cheesy metal teardrop tank we get....What type, shape, mounting location would you like to have on your bike......

Behind the seat....... Tube type under top bar..... Front stem mount.....

I need to make at least 100 to get price down to sell them cheap...

All input would be appreciated....

Thanks...
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
The question is probably too open ended. I think most people like the in frame tanks best, but not all bikes can accept them and one frame is different from the next. For an in frame it would need to be something very common that a lot of guys have, like a Huffy Cranbrook for example. I'm guessing the next in popularity would be a cylindrical behind the seat tank about the size of a juice can. That or something that would fit on the top bar of the frame. I don't know what shape as again it would depend on the design of the bike.

Both of your posts were sent today. Not everybody logs on everyday. Give it time and you may get other responses. It would be good if inexpensive tanks were available beside the kit tank. Good luck to you!
SB
 

buba

Member
Jul 2, 2010
914
10
16
los angeles
buba here

borntofli ----pm me with your phone number-- let's talk

I have posted about the tanks I am in the process of making /prototyping

it is no easy task either way --by means of materials and .... etc.

best
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Well, obviously I am the only one who needs a new tank........ Never mind.......
Silverbear gave some good advice, i'd go with an inframe type for what is probably the most popular budget wally world bike which as silverbear said is the Huffy Cranbrook, Panama Jack, Karaoke and a few other that I cant think of right off hand but all these bikes have the same frame dimensions where an inframe tank would go.

A behind the seat type tank would be nice also, one thing to keep in mind is that most people who build the Huffy bikes are low budget builders and go with that bike because it is affordable, the bikes can be had for $100 +/- $20 so a high dollar gas tank will not appeal to many Huffy owners, I would guess that a $50 price tag maybe give or take a few bucks would be the limit that most people would be willing to pay, so I would keep that in mind also.

I look forward to seeing what you have planned if it all comes together.

Peace, Map
reddd
 

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
4,032
158
63
USA
I've been seeing CL ads by a guy called 'blues wizard' in which he is building on a women's cruiser frame, then welding a really nice gas tank across the from steering head to seat post. Looks like good capacity and much better looking that those new frames with built-in tanks. I've been thinking of trying that after seeing how good it looks.
 

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
5,104
11
38
San Diego, Kaliforgnia
I suggest an in frame tank similar to what Scotto has made for his bikes, only larger capacity.
Like this: http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=44847&page=18

Make them to fit the more popular cruiser frames as Silverbear suggested; such as the Huffy Cranbrook, Panama Jack, Karaoke, Schwinn Point Beach, ect. They all have similar frames. ( Hint: I have a Point beach ;) ).
This way you will initially have a larger market of bikes already in use and folks wanting to upgrade their tanks and hopefully a faster return in your initial investment.
I agree with the $50 price point being as high as you would want to go, the lower the price the better of course.

Edit:
Also be careful of the type of plastic you use. Many plastics will not hold up to gasoline. Even the plastic used to make modern portable tanks very slowly leaches the gas through it. Commiefornia is trying to outlaw all plastic gas tanks due to this. Something about being harmful to the environment...
I think they are nuts.
 
Last edited:

buba

Member
Jul 2, 2010
914
10
16
los angeles
some have mentioned just some of the obstacles one has to overcome

the said price point I think makes it undoable unless you are going to be the provider
and even at that might not be worth the headache

if you wholesale them (general in frame tank) I do not see your profit margin on a 50 dollar plastic tank

school me please
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
It all depends on what it costs to produce the tank. Without knowing that the rest is moot. And maybe $50.00 is less than what people would be willing to pay, but the lower the price the higher the volume of sales.

Anything made by hand out of metal or fiberglass is labor intensive and takes time. And one off tanks take a lot of time just figuring out and making the pattern before tank fabrication begins. Not cheap. Maybe plastic is different once a mold is made and the same thing gets produced over and over again. Don't know...
SB
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
48
58
Moosylvania
Pretty cool idea Borntofli. Think it would do well as a product. I actually like the stock tanks but think I am the only one.

Was considering this for a while and think the classic sort of horse shoe shaped tank would be a good option. Would be more universally fitting for most bikes and would look somehow, natural.
http://www.wawacycles.com/attachment/view/416096.jpg

Just a thought.

Best of luck with your venture and looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
 

atombikes

New Member
Feb 14, 2010
525
2
0
Northern VA
I also like the horseshoe shaped tanks (like older small motorcycles had). Problem I see, even with the $50 price point, is that I can go on ebay and buy and actual steel tank from a 70's small motorcycle for about that much money. Or, you can buy one of those 4L Whizzer repop steel tanks for about $50 including shipping.

So in my mind, a plastic tank would either have to offer a different, desirable style for my $50, or the price point must be lower.
 

KnockKnock

New Member
Sep 10, 2013
79
3
0
CenTex
I would think it might be better to cater to the Huffy Cranbrook crowd (maybe the Wally-World special Schwinn Delmar) with an in-frame tank. Horseshoe tanks can be had on eBay for cheap if someone wanted a "universal" alternative. I don't plan on being an actual consumer, so this is just my 2¢.
 

Trey

$50 Cruiser
Jan 17, 2013
1,432
5
0
Where cattle outnumber people 3 to 1.
You have gotten some pretty good responses here, and I'd like to add my thought.
If you could produce a generic (paintable), behind the seat can-type tank that mounts universally, for about forty bucks, I believe you would sell so many that you could then produce more brand specific types as you saw fit.
If you do, I want one asap :)
Good luck!
 

buba

Member
Jul 2, 2010
914
10
16
los angeles
someone can school me

I was of the impression that an injection mold for polypropylene runs 4-7 thousand bucks pretty much regardless of shape of tank

anyone have some personal experience with such type molds

if so-- you would have to sell a lot of tanks just to recoupe said cost
 

PaPa_FoZzY

New Member
Nov 23, 2012
56
0
0
42
Neshoba co. Mississippi
if you could make it of the same plastic used in the red gas containers I may be interested, they seem to hold up pretty good. If it would be cost effective for yourself and the consumer I would suggest doing custom tanks, where as I (the consumer) would send you an out line of the opening and you make the tank to fit. however after typing that I realize that a good deal of people might not be as precise with their measurements as I'am and you'd surely have alot of people blaming you for their poor measurements. It's a good idea and I wish you the best of luck. A custom made inframe tank (plastic or metal) would be worth $50 to me. I have the tools and the talent to make one myself but I lack the motivation, I let a brand new schwinn point beach, and a brand new 2 stroke kit sit inside my shop area for a few months before I put it together. I want to be done with it in 30 minutes or less with no need for future adjustments.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
if you could make it of the same plastic used in the red gas containers I may be interested, they seem to hold up pretty good. If it would be cost effective for yourself and the consumer I would suggest doing custom tanks, where as I (the consumer) would send you an out line of the opening and you make the tank to fit. however after typing that I realize that a good deal of people might not be as precise with their measurements as I'am and you'd surely have alot of people blaming you for their poor measurements. It's a good idea and I wish you the best of luck. A custom made inframe tank (plastic or metal) would be worth $50 to me. I have the tools and the talent to make one myself but I lack the motivation, I let a brand new schwinn point beach, and a brand new 2 stroke kit sit inside my shop area for a few months before I put it together. I want to be done with it in 30 minutes or less with no need for future adjustments.
Come on man get motivated.... you're suppose to be pa pa foZzy not pa pa lazy....lol!

Map