When it comes to choices in selecting a new fuel tank -- and there are many -- trying to narrow your final selection down to just one can be almost impossible. You can buy one from the factory, from aftermarket suppliers, or even have one custom built. You also have the choice of the traditional two-piece fat bobs, one-piece tanks, aluminum or steel, standard length and stretched, and let's not forget, capacity. The amount of choices can be staggering.
When you finally do select your tank of choice, why would you just bolt it on and call it quits? After all, you worked so hard to pick out the proper tank that you might as well do everything you can to make it, and the bike it's going on, look as good as possible.
You could just bolt your tank in place and move on, or you could also create filler panels and sculpt the frame of the bike to look as though it flows into the tank and becomes a part of it. It's this type of boxing in open steering head gusset areas and open areas around the upper motor mount that make the difference between a bolt-together catalog bike and a true custom. Turning the tank and frame into something truly unique that will stand apart from any other bike -- even those using the same parts you used yourself -- is what choppers are all about. All it takes is a little creativity and a good game plan.
We dropped in on one of our favorite local builders, Matt Hotch of Hot Match Custom Cycles, in Fullerton, California, to see one of his custom fuel tanks being installed. Hot Match cuts and forms every individual piece of metal for filler panels to suit the needs of whichever bike is being built. No two Hot Match bikes are the same, and Matt's attention to style and detail has garnered more than a few First Place trophies at events all over the country.
Let's watch as Matt Hotch and Rodney install a custom Hot Match tank to one of Matt's frames and then mold it all together.
Rodney starts by applying...
Rodney starts by applying a few strips of rubber to give an air gap between the tank and the frame during mounting. Once the job is finished, Rod will install new rubber strips to the painted frame to provide a little more vibration resistance. The small metal piece welded to the frame will be the forward wall of the boxed-in section just ahead of the seat. There will be a small air gap between this plate and the fuel tank.
Before the tank is set on...
Before the tank is set on top, Rodney welds in this plate, which he cut to fill the empty space at the top of the frames downtubes. It doesn't serve any particular function, it's just there to change the look of things a bit and will probably add to the strength of the neck section of the frame.
The tank is placed on top...
The tank is placed on top of the frame, and a small piece of scrap metal is placed between the tank and the forward wall of the boxed seat section. This will keep the tank in position while the mounts are being welded.
With everything centered,...
With everything centered, Rodney fits this piece of bent round tubing before welding it in place. This piece is used to alter the lines of the frame, and the forward tank mounts will eventually be welded to it.
The front tank mount is bolted...
The front tank mount is bolted on...
...followed by the rear. The...
...followed by the rear. The rear won't quite fit because the upper motor mount is in the way.
The offensive area is marked...
The offensive area is marked for cutting.
It is then cut out on a band...
It is then cut out on a band saw.
The cut is smoothed on a belt...
The cut is smoothed on a belt sander...
...and the mount is bolted...
...and the mount is bolted in and welded.
Another measurement is taken...
Another measurement is taken to ensure the tank is properly aligned before moving on.
A small piece of tubing (arrow)...
A small piece of tubing (arrow) was cut and notched to go underneath the round tubing below the tank. The piece is welded in place between the forward tank mount and the tube.
Matt drops in the upper triple...
Matt drops in the upper triple tree to make sure it clears the tank from lock to lock.
Now that the tank mounts have...
Now that the tank mounts have been welded, the tank is removed. Rodney cuts templates for the side panels from heavy cardboard file holders.
Two side panels based on the...
Two side panels based on the templates were cut and are now being welded on either side of the steering neck.
The tank will flow into the...
The tank will flow into the seat as though it were all one piece. Rodney will add a couple of loops to form metal around the centersection of the frame, creating a pocket for the seat. He begins by bending the solid bar that will be used for the rear section of the seat pocket.
The rear piece of the seat...
The rear piece of the seat loop is welded on.
The forward seat loop is ...
The forward seat loop is welded.
Now Rodney uses some more...
Now Rodney uses some more cardboard to make a template for the metal that will encase the forward seat section.
The piece is cut out on the...
The piece is cut out on the band saw...
...then clamped on and formed...
...then clamped on and formed with a body hammer.
A top piece is cut out and...
A top piece is cut out and formed to cover the upper section of the forward boxed area. It will be tack-welded, then all welds will be completed before grinding and smoothing can take place.
The forward section of the...
The forward section of the seat area is boxed in and ready for the next step.
Rodney uses a small grinder...
Rodney uses a small grinder to smooth out the welds in preparation for body filler work to further smooth out all his hard work.
What a difference! Look at...
What a difference! Look at how well everything runs together from the front of the frame all the way to the rear.
To get an idea of how good...
To get an idea of how good this bike will look when it gets back from the paint shop, here's another Hot Match creation with paint that is under construction.