1st Gen. Tecate tank swaps

[DixiePlowboy]

Has anyone tried any other (dirt bike/3 wheeler) tanks on a Tecate?

I'm looking for something smaller, no radiator scoops, unless it's for a single radiator dirt bike with a right hand radiator. I'm needing more steering radius than what my shimmed back stocker is giving me.

Making mounting brackets would be no big deal.

[Billy Golightly]

I vaguely, very vaguely, remember a discussion about 5 years ago that I believe Jeb (One of our oldschool Tecate gurus) was taking part in where the use of a certain year KX80 tank came up in place of the normal KXT tank. This was for sure on the old board though and I'm sure theres no way to locate the thread. Maybe someone else can remember part of that or know exactly what it was.

[oldskool83]

maybe you could try:

KX500 84-03
KX250 85-89
KX125 85-89
KX100 94-97
KX80 86-97

[BigGreenMachine]

It was a KDX tank but I'm not sure on year. I have an early KX500 tank downstairs but its useless for the 85 Tecate. I always liked the look of the early 81/82 250R gas tank. Sure it would fit easy enough. Like the 83/85 200X tank as well.

[oldskool83]

KDX200 tanks from 83-88 are about the same, they kinda look like a tecate tank anyway. kdx175 tanks may work, i had a clarke over sized tank on my 1980 kdx 175 2 years ago. 80-82 for a kdx175 tank, also you got kdx420 may work but hard to find.

[DixiePlowboy]

It seems like I remember the discussion you're talking about Billy, as I was a member of the old board too.

I've thought about older R and 200X tanks, the X especially after reading that article on Franks' racer, but I'd rather use a plastic tank. I'll look into some of the older Kawasaki dirt bike tanks, especially an air cooled bike tank if I'm going to go ahead and get a smaller one right now.

It would work out good to get one off a smaller bike with a radiator scoop on the right side as I plan to use a KX 85 radiator mounted to the frame one day. I'm not really set to do the radiator relocation at the moment, so I may just use what I have or an air cooled bike's for the time being, or put a bike tank/scoop on it when I move the radiator down in a couple months.

Thanks ya'll.

I'm off to find tanks or pics of tanks.


-Plow

[cr480r]

KDX200 tanks from 83-88 are about the same, they kinda look like a tecate tank anyway. kdx175 tanks may work, i had a clarke over sized tank on my 1980 kdx 175 2 years ago. 80-82 for a kdx175 tank, also you got kdx420 may work but hard to find.

The trouble with all these tanks is that the fuel petcock and/or sump is on the left side... right in the way of the '84-85 Tecate pipe. I am still considering swapping to a newer engine and pipe on mine so I can use a '86 KDX 200 tank. It looks really sweet and would provide a ton of steering clearance. I have considered buying a Clarke 1365x 2.7 gallon universal tank for a KDX175...It has provisions for the fuel petcock on either side... But its a little bit out of my budget for now though...It sure would be nice and green ...

[250rulzes]

84 kx 250?

[edog]

Pm sent...........

[DixiePlowboy]

250rulzes,

I really like how that tank looks on that machine, but I'm unsure of how it would work with my pipe on the left side.....and since that one doesn't have a pipe on it, there's no way for me to tell well enough to order one and maybe not be able to use it.

I guess I'll have to either get some input from someone who's done it, or go to a salvage yard and try on different ones till I find one that comes close.


OR (second thought)....use one just like that and only mount a right side radiator, using the right side scoop, and trimming the left scoop enough for pipe clearance.

[nd4speed]

I saw that same Frank's T3 with the KX250 Tank/shrouds/ and Rads on it.

I parted out an 84 KX250 and put the motor in my 84 T3. I held up the radiators and tank to see if it would work like the Franks trike which looks like it has 83-84 KX250 parts on it.

In my opinion it was very doable with little modification. The steering was not affected either (unless maybe the stops are removed). Another member had the same idea and bought the parts off me for a T3 FT conversion.

My Keihin carb has gas on the left side.

[cr480r]

My Keihin carb has gas on the left side.

On a '84 Kx250 what side is the fuel petcock on? Does it clear the Tecate pipe?

[nd4speed]

the left

I didn't have the pipe on though.

I looked at it quickly as an idea from the picture I saw. Hopefully that other member goes through with it.

[BigGreenMachine]

The 88 KX80 tank has the petcock on the right hand side to clear the pipe and holds half the gas the 85 Tecate tank holds. Theres a rad shroud on the right hand side and room for a small rad should you choose to add one.

I like this tank the best and think it would be pretty easy to swap. The hardest part would be getting the seat to match the tank.

[DixiePlowboy]

BGM,

It seems like that may be the way to go for me since I plan to move the radiator off the forks and put one that size on the right side. I'm going to do this in a couple of months, so I'll update the results with some pics at that point.

I had thought of putting an '86 front end on afterwards......but it probably wouldn't be worth the extra cost since it's just going to be flattracked anyway, and I already have an 8" wide front tire on it. As long as the wider front end and fender doesn't significantly impede airflow to the radiator, or the fork tube contact the radiator shroud, I'll be okay with it.

As long as the seat sits on it and the tank's strapped down, I'm not too worried about how the two match up as far as looks go.

Thanks for the pics/heads up, man!

[BigGreenMachine]

Keep us posted!

The KX80 tank holds about 1.5 galons I think, like 7 litres which is half the KXT tankful.
I went riding Sunday and thought about the KX60 tank. In 10 minutes I'd burn though the KX60 tank I think. LOL

The 86 forks would really be overkill for flattrack and the fat tire front slides better.

ATCWRENCH once said that he'd like 85 forks machined (or custom forks) to accept 86 fork tubes so you still keep the fat tire but get the beefy forks. I really like the idea of this.

James

[ATCWRENCH]

ATCWRENCH once said that he'd like 85 forks machined (or custom forks) to accept 86 fork tubes so you still keep the fat tire but get the beefy forks. I really like the idea of this.

James

I got the forks from Dammit! if I remember correctly and I still havent done anything with them since my band takes all of my cash. But before i joined the band I was doing a lot of mock up for the 86 forks on the 85 frame. Now since I went and had a custom radiator mounted to the frame, to make the 86 forks work I need a set of custom triples made as the factory triples dont have enough material on them to be machined out to allow the 86 forks to fit AND be strong enough to hold them with out breaking. Since the 86 forks are significantly bigger than the 85's, the custom triples will have to be machined so the forks are pushed forward maybe 3/8" of an inch and maybe not even that much, but just enough so the forks cant be turned and bashed into the radiator, the stock forks are about a nats ass away from the rad as it is at full lock.

If you are only flat tracking this Tecate look up the Jimmy White replica manual on the main page and set you forks up that way. In my opinion, racing is a big platform for machine development, BUT when someone else has tried and figured out how to set machines up for certain types of racing, it's a lot easier to copy a big setup and then fine tune from there than it is to start from scratch.

[BigGreenMachine]

In truth if you needed the upgrade you'd go for the USD MX bike forks with custom trees. Most riders will never need the USD's and will be fine with the stock forks.

I don't think I'll ever need to upgrade from the stock Tecate forks.

[DixiePlowboy]

I've already lowered my forks to the "short track"(lowest) setting, as well as spaced my tank back and ground the stops. My eye's tell me that I need more steering lock than that gave me, so I've going to swap the tank primarily to get the increased side to side lock.

If a side mount radiator interferes with that goal, the radiator will stay on the forks.


I just don't need a 3 gallon tank that limits steering angle on a short track machine.

[ATCWRENCH]

Before I had the radiator mounted I installed the tank spacers as well and then ground down the stops. When I took my tecate to the radiator shop I told them to make sure and measure for the forks being turned to full lock so I wouldnt bash my radiator. The radiator isnt fully exposed, it has a decent guard infront of it to protect tires and what not, it just needs a screen installed to stop all the dirt and rocks from pelting it to death.

Here's a link my T3 thread

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=48922&highlight=t3+dismemberment

[DixiePlowboy]

Yeah, that was one of two threads I'd found while contemplating the radiator move. Did you ever complete that Tecate? If so, I'd like to see an updated pic if you have one.

I'd wondered how well that radiator would work and if it was too exposed to damage, that's what made me think on a KX 80 or KX 85 radiator. I know that yours would definitely cool better than the smaller KX though. With a little fabricating, .... a frame mounted aluminum radiator shroud or something, it should stand up pretty well in a crash.

My goals are to get the radiator lower to aid handling and lighten up the steering, and get as much steering lock as possible at the same time.....more than I can get with the stock tank spaced back.

I'll probably pick up a KX 80 tank and shroud and mount it even if I run the stock radiator on the triples for a month or two..


Thanks for the input/ideas!

[BigGreenMachine]

Dixie, how about doubling up the KX80 rad? One in front of the other I mean.

[ATCWRENCH]

Yeah, that was one of two threads I'd found while contemplating the radiator move. Did you ever complete that Tecate? If so, I'd like to see an updated pic if you have one.

I'd wondered how well that radiator would work and if it was too exposed to damage, that's what made me think on a KX 80 or KX 85 radiator. I know that yours would definitely cool better than the smaller KX though. With a little fabricating, .... a frame mounted aluminum radiator shroud or something, it should stand up pretty well in a crash.

My goals are to get the radiator lower to aid handling and lighten up the steering, and get as much steering lock as possible at the same time.....more than I can get with the stock tank spaced back.

I'll probably pick up a KX 80 tank and shroud and mount it even if I run the stock radiator on the triples for a month or two..


Thanks for the input/ideas!

No it's not complete yet and it's driving me nuts that it's not done. All my money that was going toward my tecate got transfered to band funds which may be over soon. I did mount up the front fender that i plan on using and it really didnt block the radiator at all, I even had the front fender race cut with a breather vent cut in on the radiator side of the fender. The radiator doesnt stick more than two or three inches at most past the one fork, which isnt bad when compared to the 86-7 tecates shrouds. If you decide to use the KX80 tank, shroud, radiator, you might try and get two radiators to use. If the tank can come back far enough, you might be able to get away with stacking them offset from each on the same side of the frame, ie. one high/one low or one behind the other.

[DixiePlowboy]

Cool ideas there guys!

I'm thinking from the photos of the KX 80 tank and shroud that I'm going to have a good bit of room ahead of the tank when mounted as far rearward as the stocker.

[90nerd]

There are some pics in the old mags where Jimmy White had a kx tank on it. Stock seat too. Always wanted to do that

[Tecate250]

Does anyone have a rad relocator kit for the tecate? I have a pic on my other computer. I hope to upload them. As far as the tanks go are you guys just mad at the fading?

[DixiePlowboy]

No, my tank's been painted and looks pretty good, it's just the size of the tank doesn't lend itself to fork tube/triple clamp clearance when you start modifying the steering stops for increased lock angle.