XJ650 tank swap for Cafe Racer

Hey guys.

I'm just into my mid life crisis (41)....and loving it. I've had bikes since I was 16 (apart from the last 9 years when kids got in the way) I am now back to them....wooopeee.

I just bought a 650 seca and a GN400 (sorry I know the GN is Suzuki but im gunna street tracker it until the cafe racer is done) the 650 is gunna be a labour of love for me as I am going to cafe racer it putting R1 font end, bespoke home made seat and hump, bespoke home made rear sets etc etc. Im gunna take my time (money and those blooming kids again) and put good amounts of money into it so hopefully it will be a show piece....as well as fun in the sun (im too old now for rain...sorry)

I will be changing the tank as the 650 tank bottom is not flat (where it meets the faring side panels) and I want clean lines. SORRY enough rambling.....have I told you about the time....sorry again!

My question (about bloody time!!!) is what tanks will fit the 650 without too much trouble. I am happy to weld on fixing bolts, modify mounts etc to the frame but as you will know the frame is quite wide under the tank. I have seen a few examples but without more info as to what mods they have done with the tank pictures on search engines are not much help. Obviously I dont want to buy a load of tanks that will simply NEVER work on the 650. I also dont want the tear drop style tank.

Any and all advice will be greatly received.
Thanks again.
Rob

 

In regards to XJ tanks: Fuel tank interchange information

For any other tanks you'd probably need to do a google search of this site to find that information ( in the following format. [keyword] site:xjbikes.com). There have been several tanks of other makes fitted, but I don't have those threads bookmarked and can't recall which ones are the easiest to fit.

 

Thanks k-moe. I have read the above link and done a search as you told me but all the info (I could fine anyway) was for XJ tanks to XJ bikes. I am really looking for a something similar the picture below in terms of style of tank. I'll keep searching....spent days looking so far and my back is getting sore from all this bending over at the computer...told you I'm getting old now...

 

I think I've seen that bike in a thread before (not here), and it either has a Seca 650 tank, or an XS650(?) tank on it. The seams were reworked IIRC.

Redo your search, but use the keywords "custom, cafe, brat" and see what comes up. Hardly anyone tags their posts to have them come up in a search about gas tanks.

 

If your back is feeling sore from hunching over a computer, what is a cafe racer going to do to you?! Maybe it's Maxim time for you!

 

Good point. I'm going to build one and ride for a couple of hours a week....not spend days hunched over it looking for something I don't even know exists.......actually a may do a far bit of that too during the build too.....Oooooh that's my sciatica playing up again......better go for a horlicks and a lay down.

 

Thanks k-moe. I think you are right. If I cant find a alternative tank I think I might speak to a local engineering shop and ask them to rework the seca 650's tank to remove the under sling part or it and give it a straighter line (could be pricey though ).......XJ400 and 550 seca tanks are like Hen's teeth here in the UK and XS tanks (not tear drop shape) are hard to find too.