Running the bike with the tank off

[Bixxer Bob]

I'm posting this on behalf of Kuzzin Kenny as a way of running the bike with the tank off if you, like he, don't have room to stand the tank next to the bike as most of us do.

Some guys use a table at the side of the bike but I ain't got the space so the last time I had the tank off (radiator replace) I put a board of 12mm ply (50cm X 65cm) on the top of the frame, it sits against the upright brackets for the side panels and almost touches the rear grab rail, I bored a hole about 4cm in from the edge of the narrower part of the board and put a 8mm X 60mm bolt, 2 washers and nut. the idea being with the tank off you can put it on the board but its facing the rear of the bike, the bolt/stud is to stop the tank sliding off, the bolt faces up and the rear tank mounting hole locates on it, I put a short piece of rubber tubing in the bolt to stop it marking the tank. I put a bungee from the rear footpeg mount over the board to the other peg mount then bungeed the tank so it wouldn't slid off. I hope you can make sense of this and it might help someone. I should have taken pics as I went along but i never thought of it at the time.

Anyway, it allowed me to run the bike with the tank off after the rad replace and keep checkin' for air in the system and bleed it out easily

[metalguru]

Also by turning the tank around, the single fuel lines and std power cables all reach without having to buy/make the extensions.

[blacktiger]

Also by turning the tank around, the single fuel lines and std power cables all reach without having to buy/make the extensions.

Indeed. I just put a "workmate" next to the bike and sit the tank on that. Everything reaches just fine.

[Bixxer Bob]

Yup, I do that, but to rewind to the beginning, Kenny doesn't have room for that in his shed so came up with this.

[shooter33]

I know this is an old post, but this sounds great!  Very clever!  Would've loved to have done this as I stumbled my way through my very first motorcycle coolant flush....off & on, off & on, off & on...  If he has a snapshot of his bike like this, I'd love a peek.  I'm one of those read the instructions, look at the picture as I work on it myself types.  Hope I remember this post next time I need to get the tank off and run it again.

[ArchRider]

I just found this as my 01 needs a coolant change again, as well as the fitting of my temperature sensor appears to be leaking.  My Tiger has the two hose fuel system and even when the tank is fitted right way round, the hoses seem as though they just barely reach the connections.  I don't see how turning the tank around makes it easier.  However, I would love to be able to do it this way as taking the tank and battery off and on after draining, refilling with water, running, draining again, refilling with coolant, running, and topping off  is a real pain and a ridiculous amount of time.
If anyone knows of how to best do this on an 01, I would truly appreciate it.

[Timbox2]

I just found this as my 01 needs a coolant change again, as well as the fitting of my temperature sensor appears to be leaking.  My Tiger has the two hose fuel system and even when the tank is fitted right way round, the hoses seem as though they just barely reach the connections.  I don't see how turning the tank around makes it easier.  However, I would love to be able to do it this way as taking the tank and battery off and on after draining, refilling with water, running, draining again, refilling with coolant, running, and topping off  is a real pain and a ridiculous amount of time.
If anyone knows of how to best do this on an 01, I would truly appreciate it.

Ive just done a coolant change on mine after reverse flushing the rad. All I do is put the tank back on without any bolts and rest the battery in the hole where the battery box would be and pad it out with some rags. You can then run it up to temp and have the tank back off in minutes if need be. I have actually got a set of extension hoses for the fuel lines I made up last year, but getting something for the tank to sit on safely at the right height next to the bike is just as fiddly so I dont tend to bother and only ever use them when Im balancing the throttle bodies. I know some get issues with air locks refilling the coolant, Ive never had that,  the key is filling as slowly as possible.

[ArchRider]

Ive just done a coolant change on mine after reverse flushing the rad. All I do is put the tank back on without any bolts and rest the battery in the hole where the battery box would be and pad it out with some rags. You can then run it up to temp and have the tank back off in minutes if need be. I have actually got a set of extension hoses for the fuel lines I made up last year, but getting something for the tank to sit on safely at the right height next to the bike is just as fiddly so I dont tend to bother and only ever use them when Im balancing the throttle bodies. I know some get issues with air locks refilling the coolant, Ive never had that,  the key is filling as slowly as possible.

I'll definitely keep the "slow pour" in mind.  It's a recurring theme here.  And thanks for the suggestion.  I just hate popping those lines on and off each time.