Won't be Runnin' on Empty

It's pretty difficult to get lost or get stranded these days in America. You've got GPS, Google Maps, AAA, and Apple Maps.

OK, that last one was a joke. But still, going on a cross-country run with side trips can more likely to lead to emergency situations or just running out of gas. And though it's more common with true adventure (off-road) riding, I made the investment in an extra fuel bottle, canister, and mounting bracket.

Common configuration.

One of the most common mounting configurations for an extra fuel container for a bike with side cases like mine is to locate it on the left side of the bike, between the side case and rear wheel. The set-up is pretty straightforward; all you need is a canister and mounting bracket. However, since we're dealing with motorcycles, parts suppliers know they can charge high prices. So though the solution is straightforward, the expected costs for the parts are outrageous. But I was able to find some shortcuts which kept the costs down. Read on...

MSR Fuel Bottles are the most common solution for carrying extra fuel. I purchased mine on Amazon for $20. Since I'm a Prime member, shipping is quick and free.

Fuel bottle and tube.

The canister was trickier. I also bought it off of Amazon because my usual parts provider would have charged me $14 for shipping for a $15 item. By wrangling with Amazon's search engine I was able to find the canister at the right for $18 ($8.50 for the tube and $10 for non-Prime shipping). Here's the thing about these canisters--I think there's just one company or a few that make them and they get resold by companies with specialized names. Cost savings for me: $11.

DIY--with connections.

The mounting bracket was another cost-savings opportunity. Again, my usual parts supplier had the high price; $25. That's right, $25.

But in really looking at the item on the website, it was a simple bracket sold with bolts, washers, and locking nuts. And then I would have to add in shipping costs. Let's say $14. So I called my buddy Josh, who's a student in the Machinist program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, and asked if he could make the brackets, to which he delivered within a couple days.

The brackets are cut from carbon steel and I had to painted an anti-rust coat on them (which I bought at Home Depot along with 2 bolts, 2 washers, and 2 nuts for a grand total of $6.41).

Make sure your supplier
accepts your currency.

The best part about 'hiring' Josh is that he takes liquid currency.

Josh--I'll bring this over later today.

Once I had all the parts, mounting the canister was easy. I just needed to remove the left side case, loosen two of the existing bolts, mount the canister and bracket, apply a little blue lock to the bolt threads, and tighten everything.

There was only one hitch, and that was ensuring the canister mounting bolt heads didn't interfere with the opening and closing action of the canister. Fortunately, the canister has 3 holes at the top for mounting. Simple to fix.

So what does all this get me?

The bottle and canister in place.

My Tiger averages 220 miles to the tank. The fuel bottle I purchased is 30 ml, so it comes out to about an extra 12 miles, which isn't much on a 6,000 mile ride, but that 12 miles might make the difference between calling AAA and pulling up to a gas station on my own terms.

So getting back to the costs, the extra effort of pulling everything together might not seem like it delivers a lot of pay-off, but in addition to saving money, I also invest in more intellectual capital in my bike, so if something does happen on the road, I have more knowledge on how to fix it.

Total cost for parts:

• Fuel bottle $20
• Canister $18
• Mounting hardware $6.41
• Machinist fees $20 (Jameson Irish Whiskey)

Total cost $64.41.

Projected costs of buying all parts from my usual supplier $88.

Cost savings should equal nearly two full bottles of fuel.