Testing the water....

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Nooj
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Testing the water....

#1 Post by Nooj » Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:50 pm

Nothing decided yet, just chucking some ideas around... would anyone be interested in a carbon fibre Falco fuel tank?

Would be vaguely in the region of £1000 - £3000 depending on numbers and production costs (lot of things to find out first).

They would be as resilient to ethanol as our current tanks are. The lay-up would be top quality.

This doesn't mean it will happen, but if there's enough interest.... maybe.
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GregD-UK
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tank...

#2 Post by GregD-UK » Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:46 am

Hi all,

If it was done in 25litre size l would pay a tidy sum...
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#3 Post by Falconihlist » Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:57 pm

I think I would be very interested in this idea :smt003

Will fairings and tail pods be available?
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squadron Nero
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#4 Post by squadron Nero » Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:39 pm

£1000 - £3000 :smt119

Not for me, I couldn't justify that kind of expense for something that has little benefit.

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Re: Testing the water....

#5 Post by Chabby » Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:48 pm

Nooj wrote:They would be as resilient to ethanol as our current tanks are.
So not at all then :smt017

- Maybe an alloy tank would make more sense.

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#6 Post by Falcopops » Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:21 pm

CF tank, mmmmmm

I'd have had a hard time turning that down a couple of months ago, but given my current financial situation and the likelihood that both my Falco's are likely to be up for sale I'll have to pass

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Re: Testing the water....

#7 Post by mangocrazy » Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:51 pm

Chabby wrote:
Nooj wrote:They would be as resilient to ethanol as our current tanks are.
So not at all then :smt017

- Maybe an alloy tank would make more sense.
That was my thought as well - except that apparently not even aluminium is entirely safe from the ravages of ethanol, or so I've heard. How about stainless steel? :smt102

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#8 Post by Falcopops » Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:43 am

Since it'll be a pristine tank perhaps a resistant liner would be the way to go, you know that pour it in and slosh it about stuff. Deffo good idea if you could figure a way to slightly oversize the tank to get a few more litres in without making it look wrong

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#9 Post by mangocrazy » Fri Jan 09, 2015 7:15 pm

Falcopops wrote:Since it'll be a pristine tank perhaps a resistant liner would be the way to go, you know that pour it in and slosh it about stuff. Deffo good idea if you could figure a way to slightly oversize the tank to get a few more litres in without making it look wrong
Not a bad idea at all... A CF tank will have less wall thickness than a plastic one, so if certain external dimensions were increased by just a little, then a nice increase in capacity could be achieved. And I like the idea of an ethanol-resistant inner skin... :smt023

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#10 Post by Nooj » Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:05 pm

Should add, they'd be completely carbon fibre, rather than just wrapped fibreglass or what ever.

Tank liner isn't that great, it can still crack as the tank expands and contracts from fumes and heat.

I did look into having some ally ones made up, but no one would do it, they all had too much work to cope with as it is. Stainless would weigh a lot and be probably the same cost as carbon. All would be cheaper than a new Aprilia tank though :-s
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#11 Post by HisNibbs » Tue Jan 13, 2015 8:21 pm

Nooj wrote: All would be cheaper than a new Aprilia tank though :-s
As would the bike I guess.
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#12 Post by mangocrazy » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:24 pm

Nooj, from what Richard was saying on his FB page he applies an ethanol resistant liner as part of the manufacturing process. Are you saying that this can crack on his CF tanks, or are you referring to aftermarket treatments on the standard plastic tanks?

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#13 Post by Nooj » Mon Jan 19, 2015 10:53 am

Aftermarket ones, I mean. Richard would be the guy to ask about it really, he knows way more than me.
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#14 Post by HowardQ » Mon Jan 19, 2015 12:14 pm

Falcopops wrote:CF tank, mmmmmm

I'd have had a hard time turning that down a couple of months ago, but given my current financial situation and the likelihood that both my Falco's are likely to be up for sale I'll have to pass
Sorry for the belated reply Dale, (still out here in Lanzarote).
Things must be bad if you are thinking of selling both Falcos.
Does this mean you're in paradise, but without job?
Hope you get things sorted OK.
Good luck,
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#15 Post by zoidberg » Mon Jan 19, 2015 8:15 pm

how much?

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