Touratech 41L tank
 

I've fitted my bike with a Touratech 41L tank but am less than chuffed to discover that despite Touratech claiming it "holds 41L allowing 700km range or more" the usable capacity is actually only 34L due to the tanks poor design. Anyone got any input with regards to this.

Goose www.gooseontheloose.com

In what way is the design so poor that the tank holds 7 litres less than Touratech claim?

I have been considering buying one of these for a while so am very interested in your experience.

Andy

Andy

The position of the fuel pump doesn't allow it to reach the last 5 litres and the collar around the inside of the filler neck prevents the tank being filled to the brim, costing another 2 litres. I was told about this 'problem' by a mechanic working for a reputable motorcycle workshop (after I'd bought the tank)and found it hard to believe. I then ran the bike dry and could only get 34 litres in. I've been in touch with Touratech who claim the the usable capacity is in fact 39 litres, but then they wouldn't be likely to put their hands up to anything else. I have to get in touch with a few other people I Know have these tanks and will post again when I have more info.

I can only confirm... fitted a Touratech tank myself and after I ran empty, I could only fill some 35 litres. Maximum distance I ran with one tank until now is 715 kms. I drive a BMW R1150GS.
Luno.

Andy,
On some tanks it it possible to drill holes in the filler neck so that you can fill it all the way to the brim. The drill shavings can be flushed out the bottom by removing the petcock. This might help for a liter or two.

Kevin

[This message has been edited by kevinmichigan (edited 29 July 2003).]

I have the 41 litre tank and the most I've managed to get in is 36 litres. I have an 1100GS thats loaded for world touring and I get about 500-600 km from a tank if I'm easy on the throttle. One other thing is the RID fuel guage is almost useless. Mine doesn't drop a bar until around 250 km, and I've run it with no bars, light on for 80 km and still could only get 32-34 litres back in. BUT it sure is great to have all that fuel and the big tank helps reduce some of the buffeting, I left mine unpainted and can see thru so I know how much I have, You would be surprised at how much is left on the left side, put a one way check valve in the crossover hose, that helps keep the fuel on the right side.
Hope this helps

Jay

I get my bike from the shipping agent tomorrow (currently in South Africa)and will spend some time during the week having a look at this. I'll also bring this thread to Touratechs attention as I feel they're taking the piss wholesale with this tank.

We should also have an update on our website by this weekend www.gooseontheloose.com , not much about bike riding yet but we have some good photos of Namibia.

Goose.

Thanks for flagging this Goose. I was planning to buy this tank for my 1150 but am having 2nd thoughts now. A number of thoughts:

1) how do Touratech get 39 litres? Does this require any sort of modification?
2) I asked my friend (a vastly experienced BMW dealer technician) about this - he says the problem lies in the large diameter of the plate on which the fuel pump is mounted, preventing the pump being mounted at the bottom of the tank, plus the wierd shape of the tank, which makes fuel in the bottom left portion unavailable to the pump in the bottom right. To get at this fuel you have to lie the bike down on the right side and pick it up again - maybe this is how Touratech get 39 litres?
3) the problem is not unique to the Touratech tank. The stock 1150 tank has less than 23 usable litres. (The plastic tank on the early 1100GS was much better - I used to get 25.9 from mine.)
4) the only "total solution" is to fit an external fuel pump instead of the original one. We (my above-mentioned friend Pat and I) did this to an R1100RS endurance racer a few years ago, and I think I will get Pat to do it to my GS as well. This way I'll get the full 41l, plus the pump and filter will be much easier to get at for cleaning etc. There are various places we could mount the pump.
5) the Adventurer will have a 30 litre tank - I wonder how much will be usable and whether BMW have addressed any of the current problems?

Hope you're giving Touratech a hard time - if communicating with them is difficult where you are I'm happy to give them and/or Bracken a ring (I'm sitting in London, hoping to set off RTW in 6 months or so.)

I,ve discounted the idea of adapting the pump to reach the bottom of the tank. Correctly fitted the pump inlet is to close to the tank wall to screw/ glue or otherwise attach any form of extension and despite the pump and filter plate being round it only fits into position one way (unless you put it in the tank upside down). The filler cap neck however is fairly easy to adapt and I've put how I did it on my website www.gooseontheloose.com , under 'technical tips', it should be updated by the weekend.

As for Touratech they're being very evasive, I've brought this bb topic to their attention and the silence is defeaning. Bracken, who fitted out my bike for me are also careful to avoid the subject, until you've bought the tank from them that is. Having said that, it's the only thing I could fault them for.

So, it looks like 36L is our capacity.

Regards, Goose.

Update

I have just received an email from Herbert Schwarz of Touratech, as follows:-

Dear Mr. Greygoose,
thanks for your latest news.
*
I do not understand why all these other people do not contact TOURATECHfor such problems.
I can ensure that we don't have problems like that here.
We really want to help you but give me a hint how we can do it.
.. And please stick to facts.
It is shurely not the poor design.
*
Best regards
*
Herbert.

Perhaps we're all missing something Mr Schwarz is taking for granted, either way his address is herbert.schwarz@touratech.de , I'm sure he'd like to hear from people concerned.

Goose.