I was thinking about getting a paint job. My original 1988 paint looks OK as long as you're not looking too close. But, I have the square-ish one piece tank. Is it fairly easy to switch out to a more modern tourer tank on my bike and still have the fuel guage? Will a newer style tank bolt on to the older frame or is there lots of voodoo dancing that must be done?

 

with enough time and money you can do anything but, the tank fits your wiring for the gauge and the style of your bike. Your 88 has basecoat clearcoat paint. Have you evr though about just buffing the clear to a nice shine again?

 

Going off an '89 I had for 20 years, the tank simply mounts at the front with 2 ears each side of the frame and a tab under the seat to attach the rear to the frame. Only other connection is the fuel line, tank vent line and gauge wire.

So basically you are asking if a newer rounded tank will bolt up to the 3 bolt holes in your frame? Maybe.....

 

Yea, I've pulled the tank off a number of times. I have it down to a science by now. Next time I get to a big swap meet I'm gonna take my tape measure and see if the newer tanks are close and how much fab work I'll have to do. I dont mind the square tank, it's just dated.. Like platform shoes, double knit polyester and big collars..

 

I would think the distance between the front tabs is critical, width and depth of the tunnel is critical, and distance front tab to back hole is critical. I think the frame is pretty much unchanged until the current touring frame so you may find it is the same for any single tank application with the older frame. I do know my new Limited has a higher backbone than my '03 creating more tank clearance between the front rocker box and bottom of the tank. I think that frame started in '08 or '09

 

BTW this is my '03 frame, does it look familiar?

 

Yes, my frame looks like that.. Thanks.

 

There was also a frame change beginning in '97. Don't know if it affected tank mounting.

 

You could browse through the ronnies harley microfiche and check part numbers. I tried and it looks like they changed looking at primed fuel tank with the dash at the end for model range. Also fuel injected vs. carb will also have an effect.

 

Put a modern tank on the 83 I am building...front mount bolts right up...the front mount is wider than the frame so it needs a couple of spacers...no biggie. The rear needs a hole drilled in the frame and install a rivet-nut. The tank I used was off a fuel injected bike so I needed an adapter for the petcock...tons of them on ebay. I have not dealt with the fuel gauge yet, but that will be no big deal..if the sender in the tank is not compatible with the gauge I am using...I will just mount one in there that will work.