New Steed in the Stable

...I was still after that BMW, and riding the "Super Sport" GSXR to all the races this summer(200mile to Iowa Speedway in Newton and 300mile to sprint car dirt track races in Oskalossa/Knoxville, round trips) was getting extreme ....then a "Sport-Touring" R1100RT showed up at a public auction, tho arriving for the bidding seemed like I would have a very dim shot at bringing the bike home with me, judging from the masses of guys there(huge crowd!) half of them pulling empty motorcycle trailers that I'd have to out bid...but I somehow did it!

In the first week I had this bike I put almost 1,000miles on it!...it's hard for me to understand how a 16year-old bike like this would only have 23,000 on it...less than 2,000 a year? when I do that much on my other(less comfortable) bikes in a few months

anyway, tomorrow I'll take it on a longer trip(done a few 300mile ones already) as my riding buddy(has a 1400cc Concourse) and I head out on a 4 day weekend to Indiana for some GP and Flat-track motorcycle races

Tanks Alot

Jakeultraviolence from eBay made me a great deal on the gas tank off his SR400 Yamaha that he is totally redoing(he sent a photo, so I can show it here)....along with the clean tank with locking gas cap came the ignition switch plus helmet lock and the working key that fits them all...the tank came packaged very well; layers of cardboard, newspaper, drop cloth, and thick plastic cling wrap, all held together with some of the most hardcore black duct-tape I've ever met.....such a shame the tank was so nice and protected from any scratches or other damage, and then I destroyed it to reshape it into my own design

Spent about a week beating the heck out of it with a hammer, scratching the finish with a saw, and sticking foam to it
...I use a foam shaping technique I developed when I worked as a sculptor using a "foam machine" and doing large scale statues....I recently found that the foam in a can stuff can be used the same way, if you add alittle water...still it's much slower, and the foam quality varies, but it does what I need it to do for the basic shape, the trick is to do thin layers and smooth them out using a sheet of plastic so it doesn't stick to your hands(as this stuff doesn't come off, and only won't stick to some plastic surfaces)...then the foam can be cut and filed to a final shape....next will be fiberglas, bondo, paint, and sanding to perfection

It was important to get the shape right to fit the bike, and I spent much time fitting it back on the bike and redesigning its look...as well as sitting on the bike to get the 'knee dents' just right and 100% functional, not just looks, but in this riding position you have to grip the tank with your knees to hold your body's weight off your arms/hands and back....didn't want a hard ridge cutting into my inter-thy after 70miles

The tank still has alittle more finishing of the foam to do in order to complete this stage... but I wanted to get the seat moving along as well first so that the tank can finished so they match up

mostly the final shape I want, but still in just the raw foam

the tank came with "YAMAHA" badges, so trying it on the bike for initial size n fit, I stuck the "HONDA" badges on there

before the knee dents, adjusting the front profile down so the whole tank is more arched instead of original teardrop
(I also had to shape how it fit the frame underneath the tank)

this is Jakeultraviolence's bike project: that the tank was leftover from

but here is the basic technique for shaping the foam

tank after being shaped with a hammer, and scratched so that the foam would be sure to get a 'bite' and stick

foam as if first comes out of the can...if you just let it grow and harden like this, you will end up cutting most of it off

squirt bottle will add just the little bit of moisture the foam needs to set
(when its covered with plastic to shape as it grows, the plastic seals it from the air which normally has a little moisture in it)

I just use a thin drop cloth plastic, but some garbage bags will work to..cover it so that it won't stick to your hands
(the liquid foam in this state is very delicate, gently spread it or you squish all the air out of it and it won't grow) 

you can use something flat to press it into smooth shapes, as the foam gets harder, you can press harder
(do not move or peel the plastic off until the foam sets all the way, about 20~30min, as when its 'doughy' it might all come off with the plastic)

now I use a hand saw, steak knife or wood file and sand-paper to cut it into shape on spots where bumps grow up too far...and then go over it again with more fresh foam...you can try out different shapes and then redo them....even try different designs on nether side, but try to make both sides the same to finish

less finished and testing the knee dents with the seat
...the foam will flex enough to shape with more hammering on the knee dents and any high spots

it has to clear the handle bars at full turn as well

using the foam will keep the tank much lighter weight without having to do extensive metal work

testing the shape of the tank on the bike as I go to decide the design
a few layers of fiberglass and then bondo will give me the final surface