Choosing a Sportster Gas Tank for your Motorcycle
There are so many motorcycle gas tank styles out there it boggles the mind. However one stands tall above the rest with its iconic shape. The Sportster gas tank has been a favorite of chopper builders since it first appeared on stock bikes in 1958. Chopper nuts were immediately drawn the small sleek peanut tank, and began retrofitting them on their big twins and custom builds. Remember, they didn't have Throttle Addiction and its bountiful custom gas tank choices. Today is a different era, and Throttle Addiction currently has 4 different custom Sportster Peanut tank options available. The fuel tanks all maintain that classic peanut tank look, but have subtle differences that we'll highlight here.
From Left to Right: Narrow Frisco Sportster, Custom Frisco Sporty, Frisco Sportster, Mini Sportster
All of the Frisco-style tanks are similar in appearance at first, but with a closer look the lines are slightly different. Take heed to the widths, heights and capacities.
The Mini Sportster Tank is in a class by itself; at 1.3 gallons this tank is all about style and less about mileage. It sits a little higher on the frame for that unique chopper look. This option looks great on smaller motorcycles like Triumph and BSA, but if you're not looking to cross the country on your chopper (it would be lots of fill-ups with this one) it looks completely badass on any chopper! It wasn't our intent with this tank, but we know lots of these end up on mini bikes and mini chopper builds. It's a cool option if your little dude needs a realistic mini chopper.
The Frisco Sportster Peanut Tank maintains the stock shape and size as the MoCo produced version used from the early 60s-into the 2000's. We have installed a "Frisco" tunnel, meaning a very low tunnel height so the tank sits high on the backbone of the motorcycle. This will increase the fuel capacity and to utilize every last drop, we set the petcock all the way in the back on the left side. This Peanut tank uses a Harley Cam style gas cap and a 1/4" NPT petcock. This version has a fuel capacity of 2.5 Gallons.
The Narrow Frisco Sportster Tank is by far our most popular Sportster style gas tank. The common treatment among builders and customizers is to take a couple inches out of the middle of the sportster tank providing an even narrower look. This is a time consuming and expensive process if you're paying someone to do it, so we produced this tank that won't leave you in the poor house. SKU: 1027 has a full inch taken out uniformly down the middle. From there that pesky "flat spot" on top of all peanut tanks has been removed and smoothed over leaving a nice eye pleasing shape. The top shell is stamped from 14 gauge steel which is plenty stout for most abuse. The cam style gas cap is off-set to the right and the 1/4" petcock is low and on the left. The Narrow Frisco Sporty Tank is one beautiful part that looks right at home on just about any motorcycle build you put it on. This fuel tank has a capacity of 2.1 Gallons.
The Custom Frisco Sportster Tank With the success of the Narrow Sportster Tank we decided a slightly different take on it was in order. So we created the Custom Frisco Sporty Tank. This is a Larger capacity model that is pinched in the back. The front remains the stock Sporster width, but we removed 1" out of the rear. In other words, we cut a pie shape out of the center. This hugs the backbone of your frame nicely and still has a distinctly custom look. Again, the flat spot was removed and the Cam style gas cap off-set to the right. The 1/4" petcock bung is down low on the left side to maximize fuel. This custom version has a fuel capacity of 2.5 gallons.
Here's a handy video where Zach walks you through our different custom Sportster gas tank offerings.
With all gas tanks, it is best to pressure test before you paint it. Also, be sure the fit of tank, mounting hardware, petcocks and gas caps are true prior to painting. Make sure you don't apply too much stress to the tabs when bolting them to the frame, this can lead to cracking of welds. We recommend use leather or rubber washes to shim between the tabs and the backbone to ensure an even fit. Do not sand seams or welded edges of the gas tanks, this will weaken the area and increase the risk of cracking on the edges. Instead, use a thin spread of body filler prior to painting. Check out this video where Zach goes step-by-step through the process of installing one of our custom Sportster gas tanks.
The build quality of all of our gas tanks is top notch, which is why we sell so many. We try our hardest to make sure we carry everything builders need to complete a motorcycle project, making Throttle Addiction a one-stop stop for everything you need to customize your bike. Happy building!
