Fuel Tank Size 1987 450 ?

Purpleazfrog · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:04 pm

Can anyone tell me how much fuel does a 1987 450 Honda Rebel hold?
Thanks Much!

jack b. · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:49 am

the fuel capacity is 3.2 gallons on the 450. 2.6 on the main and .6 on reserve.

jack b.

Purpleazfrog · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 3:16 pm

Thank You for the information.

chadly187 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:24 pm

I have an 87 450 and today it ran out of gas so I switched to reserve and went to the gas station about 1/2 mile down the road. When I filled up it took 1.99 gallons. Do I have a smaller tank than others? Are you supposed to do smoething special to fill it up or just put gas in it?

MillenniumRebel · **Joined:** Jul 25, 2003

the 250 tank is 2.6 ... 1.9 main and .7 reserve ...

some 450's have had a 250 tank adapted and put on when their original one went south

possible you might have one ???

chadly187 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:15 pm

It is very possible. The bike has 35,000 miles on it, 100 of them were mine. Inside the tank looks brand new, which is very uncommon for a 20 y/o tank. I am guessing it has been replaced with the 250 tank. Thanks for the quick response and for not making fun of me for being such a rookie.

Ron123 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:45 pm

chadly187 wrote:

The bike has 35,000 miles on it, 100 of them were mine. Inside the tank looks brand new, which is very uncommon for a 20 y/o tank. I am guessing it has been replaced with the 250 tank.

chadly,
That looks like the shape and color scheme of the 450 tank you have on your Rebel. The ears on the tank mount tabs do not look altered. The 250 tank is shorter than 450; plus the 250 Classic is 2.8 gallon including .66 gallon reserve.

Take a look at the "vondiesel" Rebel 450 in the garage, tank is stock, same color etc. as your 450.

My tank is brand new looking inside also (after 22 years), although a lot of that time it was in storage. Depends on how well it was looked after, how it stands up over time.
Ron

chadly187 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:19 pm

OK thanks. If the main tank is empty and you have to use reserve can you still hear some fuel slosh around in the tank if you shake it or is that just the reserve? The bike wouldnt start unless the petcock was on reserve. I only went about 0.3 miles on the reserve before I filled up (1.99 gal). I will try to take some more pics if you can tell just by looking at the tank mounted on the bike. I originally thought it looked kinda small but thought it was just the way it came.

Ron123 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:51 pm

It is all one tank. "On" position of petcock valve brings in fuel from a straw sticking up a couple inches from bottom of tank. "Reserve" position brings in fuel to the valve at a point nearer the bottom of the tank.

wheezeburnt · **Posted:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:41 am

Sometimes these tank capacity anomalies are more due to the filling technique of the owner. If you just run the pump til it shuts off, there's still a fair amount of room in there. If you can trickle the fuel in there carefully, you'll find you can get another litre or so in, and still not be risking overflow or vent blockage.
Brent

chadly187 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2007 1:33 pm

Well its been a week and I have filled up 3 times since then. Every time I get about 110 miles on it and have to turn it to reserve and then 1.9-2.1 gallons to fill it up. Guess I have a smaller tank.

MillenniumRebel · **Joined:** Jul 25, 2003

those numbers really sound like a 250 tank to me

AwaDiouf · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:37 pm

chadly187 wrote:

Well its been a week and I have filled up 3 times since then. Every time I get about 110 miles on it and have to turn it to reserve and then 1.9-2.1 gallons to fill it up. Guess I have a smaller tank.

That's about the same as I get, both the miles per tank before hitting reserve and the amount of gas to fill up. I have an 86 450. My tank is original. Is this not the case for other 450 owners?

Allaina

jack b. · **Posted:** Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:45 am

to verify whether your tank is a 450, you can remove it and look at the underside. if it is a 450, there will be a "pocket" protruding out on one side. if it is a 250, the tunnel walls will be straight on both sides.

jack b.

jdbark1952 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:01 pm

chadly187 wrote:

Well its been a week and I have filled up 3 times since then. Every time I get about 110 miles on it and have to turn it to reserve and then 1.9-2.1 gallons to fill it up. Guess I have a smaller tank.

I've studied your and mine side by side and they sure look the same to me.

MillenniumRebel · **Joined:** Jul 25, 2003

maybe the tank volume is LESS because of such protusions(sp) or stuff INSIDE the tank ..

ie: the classic tank ding dents on the rebel tanks ... but maybe bondo'ed and painted = a smaller tanks cause of the internal dents that aren't visible externally ???

just one thought on how a supposed to be bigger tank can 'shrink' in actual volume ???

Sederik · **Joined:** Jul 3, 2009

MillenniumRebel wrote:

maybe the tank volume is LESS because of such protusions(sp) or stuff INSIDE the tank ..

Oh yes, Peter Fonda's legacy :notworthy:

geosnooker2000 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:18 pm

jdbark1952 wrote:

chadly187 wrote:

Well its been a week and I have filled up 3 times since then. Every time I get about 110 miles on it and have to turn it to reserve and then 1.9-2.1 gallons to fill it up. Guess I have a smaller tank.

I've studied your and mine side by side and they sure look the same to me.

No, you guys have the 450 tank. You are not running ALL the reserve fuel out. If you run it BONE DRY, you can get 3 gallons in there. I have found the additional .2 is impossible, probably due to the tank filler neck not being at the dead top of the tank.

Duke · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:44 pm

The additional .2 is a necessary air space that allows for both thermal expansion and normal maneuvering without running everything out the vents.

Fuel Tank Size 1987 450 ?

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