The Truth Behind Indian Made Gas Tanks
So the word on the street has It that the new Indian gas tanks are great replacement parts for those who are either missing a tank or for those replacing a damaged tank.
I'm sure most of you have probably noticed Indian gas tanks all over eBay or Google images at some point during your parts search.
There is a lot of controversy around these tanks and today I would like to uncover truth behind the new Indian made gas tanks.
Lets get to it...
eBay listing from an Indian gas tank seller located in India
Most Indian gas tank sellers on eBay always seem to put their spammy company or username over the images making them stand out like a sore thumb.
Indian based sellers have just about flooded eBay with there gas tanks and other various replacement parts.
Million dollar question... are the tanks any good?
A couple years back I started to notice a big influx of gas tanks from sellers coming out of India on eBay.
Most photos of the new Indian gas tanks appear to be of quality, just like an original but for half the price of a dented or damaged original tank.
I once contemplated about purchasing a new gas tank for my BSA Lightning, but after reading reviews on forums like www.britbike.com or www.triumphrat.net I quickly came to the conclusion that the Indian made tanks were not of the quality they portrayed to be.
Feedback
Based on feedback and what I read online (and been told by my customers personally) that the new Indian made gas tanks are simply a "lump of coal".
I have heard stories that some Indian tanks that where purchased where an exact reproduction.
The quality was spot on but none of the mounting holes lined up anywhere therefore making the tank useless without serious modification - who wants to put up with that?
I have also been told that not all Indian gas tank manufacturers are the same.
The word has it that not all Indian gas tank manufactures are the same on eBay. However, most of them (despite them being different sellers) get them from one manufacturer based out of the Middle East.
Although no one really knows where these gas tanks are manufactured, many have thrown out the possibility that they could be manufactured in Afghanistan, Pakistan or even Kazakhstan.
Be on the look out
When searching for a used gas tank be on the lookout for these Indian made gas tanks as one can trick you into thinking you were buying an original.
Indian gas tanks are typically sold as new replacement parts but many of them slip under the radar and are sold as original gas tanks when they should not be!
How to spot Indian tanks
You can usually identify an Indian gas tank compared to an original tank by some of the following key details.
Over the years Indian gas tank manufacturers have gotten smart on the way they produce their gas tanks simply because all the negative feedback they have received.
The 3 points as shown below are typical of Indian gas tanks but it's very possible they could have changed there manufacturing process.
#1 Red Gas Tank Liner
Most Indian gas tanks will have a red tank liner sealer that is typically applied on the inside and sometimes the underside of the gas tank.
The sealer is to prevent rust and also line the inside of the tank to stop corrosion from occurring from today's ethanol fuel.
I firmly believe the reason why the sealer is used because there might be small pinholes within the seams of the tank.
#2 Rust - Corrosion
Any new gas tank that would be manufactured today would have some type of coating to preserve and prevent corrosion.
Indian gas tanks have unusually hi levels of rust deposits despite it being a new gas tank. I believe that has to do with the quality control and the way that they preserve the gas tank during storage and shipping.
#3 The Shape
As most people always say there's nothing better than OEM.
Indian made gas tanks when compared to an original tank of the same type you will find that the finish, and the shape will not be consistent as an original gas tank.
Now I understand that it is very difficult to reproduce a gas tank not using the same stampings or molding from the factory. So I do have to give the Indian manufactures some type of credit by creating a gas tank basically from scratch or from an original tank.
"To sum it up..."
To sum it up I wouldn't recommend purchasing an Indian made gas tank to anyone.
As previously stated, I do give the Indian manufacturers some credit for at least trying to make a quality product.
However, most of these gas tanks are not usable therefore its very disappointing because I personally feel like sellers are selling junk and they deliberately know that.
If you purchased or own a new Indian made gas tank, please feel free to leave use a comment below as we would love to hear your personal feedback on it.
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Thanks for reading today!
lloyd elliott
i have purchased an assortment of tanks from india for bsa ariel norton aand even honda 750
they are well made ,paint and chrome finish is excellent and for the price ,great value
i have restored many bikes using indian tanks and mud guards ,NO DRAMAS
i say the chap who says dont buy tanks from india is completley out of order
i pesonally recomend some of the companies in india ,they do a great job ,great service and fast shipping
Greg
Mine arrived today after waiting 2 months for Norton Commando tank & side covers threads in tank mounts 2 are different & 1/4 petcock doesn’t for. Poor paint & dented . Back in transit to India for EBay refund .
Buy Oem or original & have it repaired & painted yourself .
Spend more but get quality.
Phil Auldridge
I couldn’t agree more (Indian tanks are crap). I purchased one supposedly for my year-specific Ariel Square 4. Upon arrival, first, the exterior of the tank looked like it had been pounded into shape by someone sitting on a dirt floor with a kitchen spoon. Nevertheless, I forged ahead with mine. As others have mentioned, there was a dull, rust red coating inside, but after sitting on my shelf for about a year prior to fitment, an amazing amount of rust accumulated inside the tank.. I mean big flakes!
I cleaned as best I could and soaked with Evaporust, but clearly this tank isn’t going to last.
A stock fuel cap would NOT fit the opening on the tank without some judicious use of a file and grinder.
Then, none of the tank mounting holes were correct.. positioning was off by a whopping 2 inches on my stock frame.. And, of course, the threads were standard SAE threads, and NOT British threads as original. The threads for the petcock were rusted upon arrival, and looked like they had been cut with a 10 year old tap that had worn out years ago.
I’m currently using the tank temporarily while my original OEM tank is going through a very expensive process of welding up rust spots, rechroming, then painting and pinstriping. It will probably be a good $1,500 when done, but then I will know I have the genuine article that will last my lifetime. Sadly, I just have to add the cost of the Indian tank to the overall restoration. I couldn’t even in all good conscience sell it on eBay, in spite of the fact that it looks great in the pictures!
Graham Campbell
I have been after a bsa 1970 Royal Star petrol tank for along time and still want one if anyone can help. They keep advertising A50 but they They have either no holes for knee pads or one hole for peardrop large badges which should be two holes.
Plus petrol top which is hinged mine’s push and twist fit I have also held back after hearing bad stories.
Rob
To follow up, having read more of the other comments; Not all UK made parts have been top notch either. I have purchased parts over the years from various well known suppliers & some have been poorly made with little attention to detail; mismatched parts, sloppy welds etc. I have sometimes accepted these as the parts were otherwise unobtanium, or beyond my pocket. (If you saw my bikes you would not think I was a fussy customer!) I just think some pride in the product is needed, even if it is an uninteresting but essential bracket. If Indian tanks are being sold by middlemen/ third parties, they only want the sale, the quick cash. They are likely ignorant of & have no interest in product quality & if the market dries up they move onto another dodgy deal rather than thinking long-term & developing a good relationship with both their customers & the manufacturers. Clearly the experience of some (such as Sluggo), has been that you can get good products from some Indian suppliers; the small number with the right attitude. As an alternative I have bought parts from Eastern Europe & they have been extremely well made, exact copies of rare BSA & other parts but they are not cheap – just reasonably priced when I think of the hours of work involved in me trying to fabricate them in the shed…