Oil containers are just a short term solution and will degrade over time exposed to gasoline. The plastic used for water has a better resistance to gasoline. On the rare occasions when I've carried extra fuel the readily available 6 liter water bottles work great, after 100 miles pour the fuel in your tank and toss the bottle. For long term fuel storage in plastic, the plastic has to undergo a special Fluorine treatment.
If you plan any off road, I would avoid bungees like the plague. Those damn things always end up wrapped in the rear wheel.
depends on the bike, I have a can 1 1/2 gallons, similar to rotopak, just more square. I bungee it to the sub frame easy, Just get short enough bungees and dont go circumfrential to the frame just hook them onto the frame so the wheel dosent contact them.
tried the bungees and red gas can method, it falls off. eventually. bladders like the MSR dromedary or the wine box I think are the best because they roll up and store well when not needed. my second favorite is the Javex bottle. just toss it when you are done. works pretty well!.
Got a really excellent present from a ladyfriend recently - an old Soviet Army fuel canister: What looks like a landmine is in fact a nearly-gallon capacity flatside canister. No idea what it was primarily intended for nor does my friend know ( said it had been laying idle in her garage for decades ) but it fits ideally into the small compartment of my rackbag:
We used Rotopax attached to the panniers on our trip up to the Yukon and Alaska last year. Cost $$$$ :eek1 But works extremely well. I carry water in mine... extra fuel not really needed on the GSA. We actually had ambitious plans to travel the Nahanni Range Road in the Yukon/NWT but we ran out of time. It was something like 450 miles roundtrip w/o fuel to Watson Lake, YT
I like this idea for makeshift single use. But how do you pour the gas into them at a station? What the correct way to fill it? How do you make sure no wine residu gets into your fuel? My versys only runs on red wine and more bags I see are for white
N00B question---Planning for ride to Arctic Ocean. Probably solo. Working on extra fuel issue. So how much do I need? I see a post where a guy carried 4 gallons and I see a post where a guy said he only needed an extra MSR bottle. I've heard gas stations have quit (EPA and leaking tanks). What's the longest distance between gas stops I'm likely to hit?
You are headed to Prudhoe Bay? I am also planning this trip and I am told the longest stretch is 240 miles w/o fuel.
Thanks guys and it looks about the same on the Dempster --- Dawson to Eagle Plains 254 mi, Eagle Plains to Inuvik 227 mi. I think I'll expand my current extra 2 liters to something more ('cause this is my year to practice prudence at least once). Original plan is Prudhoe Bay with no schedule. Now I have reservations in Dawson and am thinking I gotta spend some time on the Dempster.
Rotopax is an amazing, ingenious system but so far I just haven't had the need that would justify the outrageous price. The only time in Baja I knew I would exceed my range, I brought along a dry 1L water bottle, topped the tank all the way up, filled the water bottle, went about 30 miles and dumped it in the tank. It was enough to get me where I needed to go.
You can easily carry fuel in old oil chanisters straped to your bike. You will get them for free even in Congo and after your use you can easy get rid of them again: http://afrikamotorrad.de/?report=en_westkueste
what did you mount to? The frame or the bars? To the bars. In fact there are lots of mounting opportunities, did so just because generally tend not to drill into the bike itself whenever have choice. Have been working lately on completing the tubes' front ends with an extra pair of fog lights, will post pictures once have them mounted.
I always preferred the mega sized tool tubes with a 2l soda bottle. Pepsi bottles are about 1mm narrower in diameter than coke bottles and they fit inside perfectly, so perfectly that the bottle slowly lowers into the tool tube as the air escapes. 2 2l soda bottles is just over 1 gallon.
http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/PN-070-0573/Touratech-3-Liter-Fuel-Canister http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/PN-070-0580/Touratech-2-Liter-Spare-Fuel-Canister
Most 1 litre aluminium camping flasks or 1 litre PET water bottles fit v. well and so do standard .75 cl wine bottles. What concerns other types of fuel, a common half-litre vodka bottle is a little too longish in the neck and thin but also alright once wrapped before packing: