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R18 Classic Tank Upgrades

kerseymancory

New member
Hi all,

Been looking at the R18 for a while, but have a couple of points that are holding me up. I love the aesthetics and features the R18 Classic provides without breaking the bank. I'm bummed about the small tank size compared to the B/Transcontinental, but don't want a 10k price jump for another two gallons.

With the models sharing the same frame, I'm thinking about getting a tank from a Transcontinental and bolting it on to the Classic. Has anyone attempted to change out the tanks or know someone who has?
 
The fairing bikes have a slightly different frame. The difference is right around where the tank sits and forward. The frame on the faired bikes is reinforced there and since the steering geometry is different, the length and angles near the headstock are quite different.

The net result is the area the tank mounts is a bit longer on the faired bikes. If the extra capacity is in the length, it would be unlikely to fit on the R18 Classic due to interference around headstock.

I’m getting an R18 Classic this spring. I’m not worried about fuel capacity though. 2 of my BMWs have similar capacity and I’m typically wanting a stretch or bio break before the tank is dry. One of them, my S1000R gets much worse MPG than the R18, so the range is even smaller. My GSA has nearly 9 gallons, but it’s more a case of refilling every other or third stop.

In reality unless I was riding mostly in some parts of the western US where fuel availability gaps could be 200 miles or more, it’s not an issue. Worst case if I was riding there, I could add a spare fuel container in a saddlebag for that stretch. But in the vast majority of riding the range won’t be an issue.
 
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