Motorcycle Repair: 1983 Honda CM250 gas tank, honda cm250, rebel tank

Question
My gas tank looks like a strainer on the bottom. I would like to exchange it for another of the same or one from another model that would fit. Larger if possible. I am handy so I can make some alterations if necessary. As I stripped the paint off more and more holes appeared. Do you know of any other model, of any make that would be useable. I get the feeling that this model is prone to this problem because I found a couple at different wreckers that had the same problem.

Answer
Rob, the CM250s were only sold for two years, as you probably know. The predessor was the CM185-200 Twinstar and the models following are the CMX250 Rebels, all built along the same lines using a similar powerplant.

If your tank has just small tiny pinholes, then you may try a large soldering iron/gun and some lead solder to patch them up. There are epoxy materials for sealing up gas tanks on cars, available at auto parts houses. If you get the small holes patched up, you can then pour in a can of tank sealer (POR-15 or similar), which should pretty well solve the problem with your existing tank. If there is extensive rot on the bottoms, then toss it and find another one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Gas-Tank-for-Honda-CM250-Twinstar_W0QQcmdZViewIte...  is for the CM200, not a 250 as stated, however.

Check the fit of a Rebel tank on your machine. There should be a LOT of those floating around.

Bill Silver