MY PROPANE POWERD WING

[Hydrocarbon Rocket]

Maybe it was mentioned here and I missed it but any idea what kind of legs you have? As in how many miles for the tank? Also is there a cost comparison for MPG verses regular Gas?

I have only roughly checked my MPG 1 time. With me still working on it and making it go WooBow alot, I got almost 28MPG. I had a very nice loaded 1200 aspencade a few years back and i don't think i ever got more than 32mpg out of it. I'm sure thats alot of my riding style, I also never got more than 3k miles on a rear tire.

I'll be making a ride to Bowling Green Kentucky this thursday and I'm gonna act decent and see what it can get.

Even if i only get 28MPG, thats 224 miles per tank. I manage close to 1 million gallons of propane per year. I'm selling to residential for $1.899, so unless your in this industry, your not gonna save much coin. On the other hand if your a tree hugger, I've reduced a carbon foot print of close to 20%. Nearly all alternative or green fuels that i have seen don't save coin, it saves our enviorment. I'm in it for my satisfaction of a cool factor.

Its likely that this trip to Kentucky will be the longest this machine will ever see again. If i ever do make more long trips, they will be planed stops in places that i know i can refuel. I'm gonna make an adapter for a small 1lb cyl (small colman type) and carry it for a small reserve.

[Cookie]

Years ago I managed a fleet of airport bobtails and small tractors, we also had a few Freightliners and such. I had one propane bobtail and on weekends everybody wanted it.
Friday night is a big drop night and everybody ran the gas trucks empty, nobody want to drive a Freightliner at the airport unless you have a huge load, too much hassle to back in.
We would fill the huge tank on that sucker Friday morning and it would cheerfully run all weekend. The guys used to beg for number 18 since it always had fuel.

[guy plain]

now cookie...wouldnt a propane set up be nice with a side car? lol tank in the hack.......long range riding.......

[Cookie]

Dan Cason and I have talked about it, he is the guy who built the wing Dniper combo and later an electric wing. It would be interesting but I have too many projects already.

[MSGT-R]

Rather than one HUGE propane tank that upsets the geometry so much, maybe find two or three long, skinny cylinders and hook them to a common manifold?

Pro Stock Drag Racers don't have a traditional gas tank under the bodywork, but rather have a large frame-spine section that holds about 5 gallons of gas to do the job. Buell uses a frame member as the oil tank... think out of the box a little more, you're on your way!

[robin1731]

Pro Stock Drag Racers don't have a traditional gas tank under the bodywork, but rather have a large frame-spine section that holds about 5 gallons of gas to do the job.

If your talking Pro Stock Motorcycles the tank on those only holds about 1 quart os of gas. I have a similar tank on one of my race bikes. To have enough propane to go any real distance youd be limited to a fairly large tank. Like the OP has on his. The side car rig would be a nice option.

[guy plain]

i do know i do like the throtle respose with propane compared to a normal carb......easyer starting to...claener burning....but trying to make it work on a bike and look good and be legal is a huge job im sure

[MSGT-R]

If your talking Pro Stock Motorcycles the tank on those only holds about 1 quart of gas. I have a similar tank on one of my race bikes. To have enough propane to go any real distance youd be limited to a fairly large tank. Like the OP has on his. The side car rig would be a nice option.

They always looked bigger than that to me.. Okay, a quart it is!

You can't get a couple of skinny tanks that look like small welding tanks and plumb them in parallel?

[Cookie]

I think you have to have pressure certified tanks for propane.
Our CNG buses also have to have the tanks inspected.
Other than carrying the tank I don't think you'd have much trouble adding propane to wing as he has proved. I've converted gas forklifts we bought used in Japan and it was fairly easy. You'd have to make some kind of box as he has. It has been quite a while and the technology has probably advanced but it seems like we just piped it though the stock carb after bolting on an adapter. Dual fuel would be the cheese.
I picked up a new dual fuel bus in LA one time and was buzzing up 5 when this light came on, if I recall it switched back to gasoline all by itself. That was also a while ago and it may have just prompted me to flip a switch, but it was really easy.

[Hydrocarbon Rocket]

I don't want to hide it. I like it. A fully clothed goldwing will hide enough tank in the trunks to go a loooong way. I'm fairly sure if a person has enough money, I could get a tank manufactured to a more suitible look. I can even build my own and no one would know but, I like attention, whether it be good or bad.

As far as the legal part goes, I can't find anything that says im illegal. If I fill out all the paperwork for highway tax, I don't know what they can do. As far as I know, everything I have used is D.O.T. approved, maybe just not manufactured for a motorcycle.

I would be worried if I were manufacturing these things for re-sale but, its just me so I'm gonna see what happens.

[guy plain]

i know in Canada..when i am ...lol i cant use they type of tank your using in my 4x4. it has to be a full time fixture of the vehicle. and has to be inspected and insure as a propane vehicle.....that might be only here in BC tho....lots of dam laws here that kinda dont make sence at times..lol toyta 4x4 trail cruser with 2 30 pounds can go a long way.....but get caught on the highway and you,ll get your pee pee slaped......and if its a fixed tank that dosent have an inspection sticker no one can sell you fuel....but i could see sneeking a couple fork lift tanks hiden in a hack ......bsing my way into getting them filled. lol

[Cookie]

When nou get to the party you can hook your bike up to the gas grill, be sure to include an adapter hose.

[Hydrocarbon Rocket]

Just got back from a 320 mile ride. I was not able to get an exact fill to check my mpg but, another close estimate is at 28mpg. Not as good as I wanted but the cool factor would be worth only 10mpg.

I had folks pulling up beside me at traffic lights in town asking questions. Photos being taken at every stop. I even parked in front of Bumpas Harley Davidson and their people came out crawling all around. (My buddy rides a harley and he had vibrated a screw out so we stoped for a visit.) I stoped at Sloans cycle shop and most all of their folks came out with lots of questions.

As I arrived at the open house I was attending, (at least 100 people outside) I was parking among the rich folks harleys and some old dude said,"look theres a dude on a propane powered motorcycle" and the crowd nearly knocked over the other bikes trying to see mine. One of the administrators created me a parking spot so that others could see better. Only about 6 other bikes at the place so I figured it was the M/C parking area. Coulda been they did'nt want my junk beside theirs.

Sorry to brag so much, I'm just real happy at the moment. It won't take too long for the head swelling to go down.

[Whiskerfish]

Sorry to brag so much, I'm just real happy at the moment. It won't take too long for the head swelling to go down.

DON'T BE!! You have created something very unique and you should have the right to brag about it

[Fred Camper]

Yup, a very interesting thread and a most unique ride. Hope to get to see it sometime.