R&M Belly Tank...... On Tourer

[Strider]

I had gotten so used to the mileage on the IS (Traveller) that now I have the Tourer (Grace) the miles kill me.  I need to check carbs and sync, etc, but average 80-95 miles before I go on reserve.  No biggie - she runs well - but was thinking about a belly tank to gain 3 gallons.  Checked with R&M and they still make the belly tank for the Valkyrie.

Was just wondering - the folks that have them, what do you think?  Any issues with the fuel pump or anything?  Any issues with clearance or anything?  Also, anything I need to be aware of - besides having to solder the tube onto the tank?

It sure would be nice to get another 60 miles before I have to go on reserve.  Anyway, there were some old friends on their page with pictures of the Valks, so was just wondering if I could get any pros or cons on the belly tank from those who have them - or used them.

Thanks.

[Robert]

Warren I love my belly tank on my standard since it does give you more mileage. I used to get 125 to 150 mls before looking for a station without the tank. There are no clearance issues and install is a bit of a pain but pretty straight forward. I have had problems with the fuel pump and replaced it but it was no big deal. The fact that the system is now under pressure and you can put a regular fuel filter on it along with no more having to worry about hydro lock were real pluses for me. The other thing is it makes the bike easier to jack up since you have a flat broader and longer contact area to work with. All in all a welcome addition to the bike. If I would do it again, that is yes.
 

[John Schmidt]

Hey Warren, long time no see. Re. your mileage, you should be getting anywhere from 120 to 140 before reserve under "normal" circumstances. Bud, you just have to quite racing everybody at all those stoplights.    I think my first move would be to have the carbs checked out, might simply be set to run too rich. If it runs good but the mileage is in the basement, that would be my first move. After a nice run some day, pull the plugs and check them out. If they're kinda black and sooty, too rich. You might still want to have the extra tank installed but I'd sure get the carbs checked regardless. An easier switch would be to shop for an I/S tank of the same color, then add a fuel gauge. That stuff you can do yourself, with my overloaded Tourer and the I/S tank I still bust 200 miles on the open road. In town, not so much, I tend to spank the throttle just to get out of the way of fools.  

[Dave Ritsema]

I have heard nothing but good things about them from various Valkyrie family. I will also say that Roger is a class act and has created a great product!

[Chrisj CMA]

Hey Warren, long time no see. Re. your mileage, you should be getting anywhere from 120 to 140 before reserve under "normal" circumstances. Bud, you just have to quite racing everybody at all those stoplights.    I think my first move would be to have the carbs checked out, might simply be set to run too rich. If it runs good but the mileage is in the basement, that would be my first move. After a nice run some day, pull the plugs and check them out. If they're kinda black and sooty, too rich. You might still want to have the extra tank installed but I'd sure get the carbs checked regardless. An easier switch would be to shop for an I/S tank of the same color, then add a fuel gauge. That stuff you can do yourself, with my overloaded Tourer and the I/S tank I still bust 200 miles on the open road. In town, not so much, I tend to spank the throttle just to get out of the way of fools.  

No such thing of red and white Interstate, but the rest of this post is what Id do.  I would also check the petcock and fuel lines.  When I bought BF's bike there was a quick  disconnect thing with a funky looped fuel line.  It went on reserve at 90 miles.  I took all that off and changed to a Pingel and now it goes on reserve at 155 miles.  But with the Pingel there's not much reserve so I get gas around 120 just to be extra safe. I never rely on the reserve.

[bassman]

Running at least 40# front 42# rear tire pressure??

[DarkSideR]

I installed a belly tank on my standard. Best upgrade I have done to the bike to date! I often ride long distances and really love the freedom the extra 3 gallons gives me. Installation was somewhat involved but do-able. Definitely a winter time upgrade. Oh yeah, if you have cobra exhaust you will need to get the 2.5 gal belly tank variant.

I have a couple of years on the bike now with the belly tank. Since I have had 1 fuel pump go out on me. Do you homework because there is a roadside re-plumb to get it back to gravity fed if the fuel pump quits. With practice takes about 5-10 mins, and is just as easy to reverse. I do ride with a spare pump in the saddlebag. That might be a bit excessive but again I do often ride great distances.

I think however a bigger concern is your fuel economy. You should be around the 130+ miles mark before hitting reserve. Give her a full tune up, and sync the carbs. If that doesn't do it your carbs probably need run through. I'm getting 35 mpg's on my bike. With 8.5 gallons of fuel on board that give me a 300 mile range.

Hope this helps,

DarkSider  

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

If you still have Punisher's # give him a call he can hook you up with any and all information.

[Misfit]

I have a lot of miles on a belly tank and highly recommend it. After having the bung welded into the tank the rest of the install can be finished in two or three hours easy enough. As far as welding the bung I would skip the radiator shop and have a reputable welder tig it in. It will be much better and look like a factory install. I have done half a dozen or so. Some folks say that by adding a fuel pump it will make your bike less reliable. Everyone of those same folks dive cages with fuel pumps all the time without a second thought. In fact there are now and have been bikes for years with fuel pumps. Just to quiet the belly tank naysayers I fitted mine with a second pump. It is plumbed in and ready to go. I was going to wire it to a switch so that if one failed I could just flip the switch and continue rolling. Instead I ran the wires to near where the first pump gets its power. This way if pump A fails I only need to remove the side cover, unplug pump A and plug in pump B and I am rolling again. In 100k miles I have never needed to use this second pump but it is there if needed. The R&M belly tank is a top shelf item. Not only that but Roger is top shelf as well. Call with any ?? 

[Willow]

Has anyone mentioned that the addition of a fuel pump (removal of gravity feed) eliminates the possibility of hydro-lock?

[The emperor has no clothes]

Has anyone mentioned that the addition of a fuel pump (removal of gravity feed) eliminates the possibility of hydro-lock?

I would think that would be as much of a draw as having extra fuel. But then, I like to stop and stretch every 100-150 miles anyway.

[PhoenixRizing]

When I first got my bike the reserve was broken I've since tried on several times to replace the peacock cause that was where the reserve was broken, everyone of them leaked upon installiom. So I put the original broken one in there and no leaks. Bike is set to on so whenever I get to out 100 miles I fill up again just to be safe. Everyone is talking bout this hydrolock, I've been running this bike like this for over five years without ever shutting the fuel off and I've been lucky I guess cause I have no issues, bike fires up every time and runs strong.

[Willow]

... Everyone is talking bout this hydrolock, ...

There are actually many, many more that haven't than that have but if it does happen to you it can be devastating and expensive.

[vanagon40]

. . . I like to stop and stretch every 100-150 miles anyway.

Yeah. I used to like to stop every hour for a smoke. I really miss those smoke breaks. [First time I quit was March 20, 2009; last time was January 1, 2017.]

. . . I've been running this bike like this for over five years without ever shutting the fuel off and I've been lucky I guess cause I have no issues, bike fires up every time and runs strong.

. . . There are actually many, many more that haven't [experienced hydrolock] than that have but if it does happen to you it can be devastating and expensive.

Yes. Eleven years, original petcock, never shut off the petcock, no problem. Knock on wood.

[Rams]

Has anyone mentioned that the addition of a fuel pump (removal of gravity feed) eliminates the possibility of hydro-lock?

I would think that would be as much of a draw as having extra fuel. But then, I like to stop and stretch every 100-150 miles anyway.

What does that have to do with a belly tank?

I have had a belly tank for the last 4 or 5 years, I stop when ever I feel like stopping.   Shrug..

As I tell folks all the time, when fuel up, I've got right at 10 gallons of fuel on board, I don't worry about finding a fuel stop every 100 miles or so.   I stop and stretch, eat, drink and/or pee when I feel like doing it.   Those events normally occur between fuel stops but, I rarely let a stop go by that I don't top off.    The rest of the story is, I don't worry about finding that next fuel stop very often.

Some don't believe it (and that's OK) but, I've actually ridden 412 miles without putting my feet on the ground (once).   Have no desire to do it again, my bladder was about to burst and I was on vapors in that belly tank but...............   It's nice to have that fuel capacity.   I'll leave it at that.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Has anyone mentioned that the addition of a fuel pump (removal of gravity feed) eliminates the possibility of hydro-lock?

I would think that would be as much of a draw as having extra fuel. But then, I like to stop and stretch every 100-150 miles anyway.

What does that have to do with a belly tank?

I have had a belly tank for the last 4 or 5 years, I stop when ever I feel like stopping.   Shrug..

As I tell folks all the time, when fuel up, I've got right at 10 gallons of fuel on board, I don't worry about finding a fuel stop every 100 miles or so.   I stop and stretch, eat, drink and/or pee when I feel like doing it.   Those events normally occur between fuel stops but, I rarely let a stop go by that I don't top off.    The rest of the story is, I don't worry about finding that next fuel stop very often.

Some don't believe it (and that's OK) but, I've actually ridden 412 miles without putting my feet on the ground (once).   Have no desire to do it again, my bladder was about to burst and I was on vapors in that belly tank but...............   It's nice to have that fuel capacity.   I'll leave it at that.

I was just trying to say, the elimination of a possible hydro lock would be important. Having the extra fuel would be secondary to me. There are very few times when riding that I'm in such a hurry that I can't smell the roses a little. 

[MarkT]

Some think the fuel pump failures are from heat.  It's right next to the exhaust headers and not immersed inside the tank like car pump installs nowadays. It was easy to install a heat shield (and recommend it to belly-tank users). However I'm not selling them; just made my own.  I suppose I could, hadn't thought of doing that.  I'm wondering where you put the extra pump, Damon.  I'm guessing right next to the OEM and probably a T-fittng down there to join the other pump line.



I installed my belly tank as a super-reserve.  It's used only if I pump the fuel up to the main which takes 9:35 and is shutoff at that time by a digital timer. There's a hidden switch to prevent mischief switch-throwing (which happened on the WV Inzane ride by a HD rider when I was in the jon at a gas stop) and 2 more switches to enable timer programming and ensure the pumping doesn't happen accidentally.   Otherwise the bike remains as OEM gravity feed, albeit with a Pingel & Dan-Marc.  If the pump fails - no problem the bike is then the same as OEM w/o the super-reserve.  I like it that way.  Draining the main down to the belly at the gas pump, assuming the full 3 gal to transfer (say we do a fuel stop shortly after I pumped the fuel up) takes 40 sec. which happens while I'm getting the station's pump going.  I can provide fuel easily to another rider who runs out, and have, with an extra petcock.  Also can drain all the fuel, both tanks - handy for maintenance.   The setup was involved and took some work to fine-tune it. I had a heck of a time finding thread sealant that would stop ethanol fuel leaks on the fitting off the "bung line".  Right now I have Rectisol #5 there, and yellow teflon tape everywhere else, and it's not leaking (knock on wood, there's quite a few thread fittings).

BTW I found it's tough to find the Pingel with my finger, even with a paddle glued onto the lever and no gloves on. There's a vent fitting right there which feels like the paddle. So I never turn it off and depend on the Dan-Marc.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,84264.msg829542.html#msg829542

[baldo]

I was torn between a belly tank and a center stand on my Standard. A stand became available so I got that and installed it. I have yet to use it. It's very difficult to get the bike up onto it. It sits too low, I haven't really spent any time addressing it yet.

Since then, I've installed an I/S tank and wondering if there's the need for a belly tank. I usually have to drain my tank long before then.....

[The emperor has no clothes]

I was torn between a belly tank and a center stand on my Standard. A stand became available so I got that and installed it. I have yet to use it. It's very difficult to get the bike up onto it. It sits too low, I haven't really spent any time addressing it yet.

Since then, I've installed an I/S tank and wondering if there's the need for a belly tank. I usually have to drain my tank long before then.....

Bob, I've got the same issue with the center stand. Just ride your back tire up on a 2x6. I think not having a grab rail makes it harder. But getting the back tire up on the board works fine.