The lovely Mrs_Bob and I purchased a couple Honda motorcycles. They are Adventure/Touring style motorcycles but have fairly limited fuel tanks. The range is roughly 240 miles before the tank runs empty and that is optimistic given that we will have camping gear, luggage boxes, etc strapped to the motorcycles.
We are planning to go into Canada in 2019 along the north short of Lake Superior and several sources warn that anyone with a motorcycle should carry extra fuel.
I've been looking for the "perfect" solution to carrying fuel and found one that I think is, at least, a darn good solution and taking all sorts of measurements and trying all sorts of options. My goal is to carry a minimum of 2 gallons of fuel, 1 gallon per motorcycle, but more would be better if possible.
Option #1 - Rotopax, FuelPax and similar - these are flat hard fuel containers. Sizes vary but they are roughly 3" thick, roughly 14" square. Photo below shows orange tanks mounted on a red Honda. Downside is the shape. Clearly would spill fuel in a skid, and mounting next to a hot engine? I've seen them mounted to the outside of the luggage cases, making the motorcycle even wider at the rear. Also seen them mounted to the rear top case and even mounted on top of the passenger seat. None seem like good mounting choices. Roughly $105 to carry 1 gallon of fuel, with a $40 mount and a $65 canister. 2 gallons, 1 for each bike, $210.
Option #2 - DESERT FOX 6 Liter Fuel Bladder => https://desertfox.bike/desert-fox-5l-fuel-cell/ These are flexible fuel cells. Roughly a square pillow, encapsulated in a Cordura fabric case with lots of lash points. Can be rolled up and stored away when not in use. Can be strapped to the rear seat on the handful of days it is needed. Seems like a reasonably good choice. I found a source in Australia that will ship 2 of the 6 liter (1.5 gallon) bladders for about $185. So 3 gallons for $185.
Option #3 - GIANT LOOP 1 or 2 gallon Fuel Bladders => https://www.giantloopmoto.com/product/gas-bag-fuel-safe-bladder/ These are flexible fuel cells. Roughly a long rectangular pillow, encapsulated in heavy vinyl with lots of lash points. Can be rolled up and stored away when not in use. Can be strapped to the rear seat on the handful of days it is needed. Seems like a reasonably good choice. A 2 gallon bladder is $200.
Option #4 - Chinese knock off Rotopax rectangular cans => https://www.amazon.com/YOUNGFLY-Por..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=Z0GQR1Z89TN7B6E851N6 These are sort of like the flat Rotopax containers but they are thinker and more box shaped. Somewhat easier to mount on the front of a motorcycles side case, at least some of them. I played around with a green 5 liter gas can in my garage. Not exactly the same, but similar size. You can see it in the photos below. I could mount 1 to the front of my rectangular cargo boxes but there is no good way to mount it to my wife's more aerodynamic cargo boxes. These are cheap, 1.3 gallons for under $40 but they are still bulky.
MSR Fuel Bottles - these are high quality aluminum bottles, but typically 1 liter in size with a cost of about $20 per bottle. https://www.amazon.com/MSR-Liquid-F...06230&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=msr+fuel+bottle There are lots of mounting options that average about $15 per bottle. Some are plastic containers, some are fabric with velcro and elastic. Pretty simple to strap 2 of these bottle to a motorcycle for 1/2 gallon of extra fuel. Finding places to strap 4 bottles becomes a bit more of a challenge. Cost for 2 gallons (8 bottles + 8 holsters) is roughly $300 so its the expensive choice. Lots of people use this option, but typically only carry 1 or 2 bottles. Its a good way to carry a SMALL amount of fuel. You can see in the last photo, 2 red MSR bottles in cordura holsters mounted under the rear seat between the luggage cases.
We are planning to go into Canada in 2019 along the north short of Lake Superior and several sources warn that anyone with a motorcycle should carry extra fuel.
I've been looking for the "perfect" solution to carrying fuel and found one that I think is, at least, a darn good solution and taking all sorts of measurements and trying all sorts of options. My goal is to carry a minimum of 2 gallons of fuel, 1 gallon per motorcycle, but more would be better if possible.
Option #1 - Rotopax, FuelPax and similar - these are flat hard fuel containers. Sizes vary but they are roughly 3" thick, roughly 14" square. Photo below shows orange tanks mounted on a red Honda. Downside is the shape. Clearly would spill fuel in a skid, and mounting next to a hot engine? I've seen them mounted to the outside of the luggage cases, making the motorcycle even wider at the rear. Also seen them mounted to the rear top case and even mounted on top of the passenger seat. None seem like good mounting choices. Roughly $105 to carry 1 gallon of fuel, with a $40 mount and a $65 canister. 2 gallons, 1 for each bike, $210.
Option #2 - DESERT FOX 6 Liter Fuel Bladder => https://desertfox.bike/desert-fox-5l-fuel-cell/ These are flexible fuel cells. Roughly a square pillow, encapsulated in a Cordura fabric case with lots of lash points. Can be rolled up and stored away when not in use. Can be strapped to the rear seat on the handful of days it is needed. Seems like a reasonably good choice. I found a source in Australia that will ship 2 of the 6 liter (1.5 gallon) bladders for about $185. So 3 gallons for $185.
Option #3 - GIANT LOOP 1 or 2 gallon Fuel Bladders => https://www.giantloopmoto.com/product/gas-bag-fuel-safe-bladder/ These are flexible fuel cells. Roughly a long rectangular pillow, encapsulated in heavy vinyl with lots of lash points. Can be rolled up and stored away when not in use. Can be strapped to the rear seat on the handful of days it is needed. Seems like a reasonably good choice. A 2 gallon bladder is $200.
Option #4 - Chinese knock off Rotopax rectangular cans => https://www.amazon.com/YOUNGFLY-Por..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=Z0GQR1Z89TN7B6E851N6 These are sort of like the flat Rotopax containers but they are thinker and more box shaped. Somewhat easier to mount on the front of a motorcycles side case, at least some of them. I played around with a green 5 liter gas can in my garage. Not exactly the same, but similar size. You can see it in the photos below. I could mount 1 to the front of my rectangular cargo boxes but there is no good way to mount it to my wife's more aerodynamic cargo boxes. These are cheap, 1.3 gallons for under $40 but they are still bulky.
MSR Fuel Bottles - these are high quality aluminum bottles, but typically 1 liter in size with a cost of about $20 per bottle. https://www.amazon.com/MSR-Liquid-F...06230&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=msr+fuel+bottle There are lots of mounting options that average about $15 per bottle. Some are plastic containers, some are fabric with velcro and elastic. Pretty simple to strap 2 of these bottle to a motorcycle for 1/2 gallon of extra fuel. Finding places to strap 4 bottles becomes a bit more of a challenge. Cost for 2 gallons (8 bottles + 8 holsters) is roughly $300 so its the expensive choice. Lots of people use this option, but typically only carry 1 or 2 bottles. Its a good way to carry a SMALL amount of fuel. You can see in the last photo, 2 red MSR bottles in cordura holsters mounted under the rear seat between the luggage cases.