Does anyone know if an RC8 tank fit onto a Superduke frame and round the airbox etc? It doesn't have to match up to the OE Superduke seat or anything else, just fit onto the frame and not hit the throttle bodies or other vital parts.

There are potentially a few answers to this I think.
1. It fits on pretty much as a straight swap.
2. It would fit but needs a lot of fiddling with the hinge points and mountings etc. But could be made to because the frame geometry and width is very similar. (Is it???)
3. It would fit but the pump and associated electrics would be a bastard to get working with the SD wiring loom.
4. No it doesn't fit at all and could never be made to do so.

The reason I ask is because I'm toying with the idea of completely re-evaluating my SD, dumping the high bars, tank fairings, seat etc. and rebuilding it as a pseudo-retro cafe racer with clip-ons and small single seat. Along the lines of what Spirit of the Seventies is doing with their bikes. I've found someone making aluminium tanks for racing RC8s. This would be a good starting point as I know I'd want to junk the SD tank to fit low clip ons and get any chance of steering lock.

Here's some bikes with a treatment similar to what I'm considering.

Very nice concepts.
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I love what the guys at Spirit of the Seventies have rendered. Expressed my interest in a kit if they get the green light on that first project. In answer to your question though, I wonder if an altogether different tank might be more suitable, like an old Yamaha tank. Getting something pretty cheap would allow you to experiment with little risk.

Yes, thinking of searching for a big ally tank and getting it modified - this was just a thought though as an easy, (if expensive) way to get that bit sorted. Trouble is all the old tank styles do not really accommodate the airbox set up on modern FI engines.

The above bikes are not actually Spirit of the Seventies. They are from the Bike Shed site which was co-founded by a guy called Dutch who used to be a big contributer on Superduke.net. He had an SDR but decided to sell up and move over into the retro/custom/cafe-racer scene. He runs a modified Ducati sports classic now along with a street-brat Kawasaki Z900. It's a great scene here in the UK. It's really, really tempting me away from the straight naked SD thing.

Which is why I'm considering all these mods.
Check out the site here. http://thebikeshed.cc/

I guess the tank can be made to fit but the way it fits on the frame is a bit different on the back, nothing a grinder and some alu welding can't fix.
In my opinion the elctrical bit will be the easiest. Most fuel pumps are similar on bikes an I haven't checked it the RC8 one will probably be the same or de same connector.
2 wires only anyway and 2 for the fuel light.
Good luck with the project!

mounting points for each tank are totally different. SD mounts bolt in through the side, rc8 from the top.

I don't mind having to mess about with the mounting points and brackets. What matters is that the tank is more or less the same width as the top frame rails, the angle of the frame is more or less the same and the underneath cavity in the tank will accept the motobox/air filter that sticks up above the frame.

I like this...

When I went to Donnington to see Viking racing there was aguy with a superduke fitted with a triumph 675 engine. That bike had a Harley Davidson tank on it. I think it may have been modified to take more fuel.

Here's a pic lifted off one of Gordon's posts.


Are you looking at a cafe conversion? If it was me I'd be looking at making a custom alloy tank. "DO the ton" is another website full of avid builders.

Could Mr Williams make one up http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-c ... tank1.html