Fuel range
How far the bike goes between fuel stops, and what you do when the next one is closed.
The question to answer first: Is the tank the reason you turn back?
Stage 1 — Before your next ride
Cheap, reversible, mostly hand tools. Do all of these before spending on anything in stage 2; several of them are free.
Auxiliary fuel cans or bladder
$40–$200 · ~1 h to fitA 5–10 litre bladder or approved can, mounted low and carried only on the legs that need it.
One tenth the price of a big tank, carried only when the next fuel is 400 km away, and the bike handles normally the rest of the year.
Check before you order
- — Mount it low and never on the pillion seat if you can avoid it
- — Bladders must be an approved fuel type and protected from abrasion
- — Airline and ferry rules on carrying empty fuel containers
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Stage 2 — The money upgrades
Where the bike actually changes character. Bigger spend, still a home-garage job on most bikes.
Taller gearing for cruising
$70–$220 · ~2 h to fitOne or two teeth more on the countershaft sprocket, or fewer on the rear, with a chain to match.
Drops highway revs on a bike geared for the trail, which is worth real fuel economy, less vibration and a longer engine life on a big single.
Trade-off: Loses low-speed tractability and clutch life in technical riding.
Check before you order
- — Chain length and adjuster range — a bigger front sprocket may need a longer chain
- — Clearance between a bigger countershaft sprocket and the case or chain guide
- — Speedometer error where the sensor reads the front sprocket or gearbox
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Stage 3 — Specialist
Workshop work, custom parts or irreversible modification. Worth it only once stages 1 and 2 are done and the bike is still the limit.
Larger fuel tank
$350–$1.2k · ~3 h to fitA replacement tank in plastic or alloy, or an auxiliary tank plumbed to the main one.
The upgrade that changes where you can go rather than how the bike feels. A 250 km bike becomes a 450 km bike and whole regions open up.
Trade-off: Weight high and forward when full, which is felt hardest exactly where you wanted range: rough ground.
Check before you order
- — Availability for your exact model year — this is the upgrade most likely to be unavailable for an out-of-production bike
- — Fuel pump, sender and breather routing: fuel-injected bikes need the in-tank pump transplanted
- — Whether the shrouds, seat and bar-mounted kit still fit
Search for parts:Amazon