Rapide tank not central

[danno]

Hi
The Oil filler cap on my series C Rapide tends to catch on the tank and causes wear when removing.
The clearance around the filler stem is uneven with 6mm gap to the left and about 2mm on the right.
I have slackened all tank securing bolts so the tank is loose but it seems to the front LH bolt that pulls the tank
down left.

I did remove the tank a while ago to re-tap the front tank bolt threads but not sure whether the tank was central
prior to removal.
Not really a big problem but a bit annoying none the less as it's causing wear to tank.
Any help appreciated.
Dan

 

[Big Sid]

The oil tank neck off center position problem is usually improved with fresh softer front and rear tank rubbers , old fronts get very hard and add to this problem . But be wary , the threads in the front are easily stripped , was common to find this had occurred . Sid .

 

[bmetcalf]

I wrap the oil tank filler neck and the 198 nuts on the upper link with duct tape to protect the tank when removing. Like Sid says new tank rubbers are good and much easier to insert. Silicone spray on them helps insert them and causes less pushing on the tank while inserting.

 

[danno]

Thanks for the replies.
Sounds like it's a common problem then. The bike was renovated mid 90's so would have had new rubber mounts then but
the bike has been standing for a few years. Maybe time to replace them.

 

[Hugo Myatt]

Hi
The Oil filler cap on my series C Rapide tends to catch on the tank and causes wear when removing.
The clearance around the filler stem is uneven with 6mm gap to the left and about 2mm on the right.
I have slackened all tank securing bolts so the tank is loose but it seems to the front LH bolt that pulls the tank
down left.

I did remove the tank a while ago to re-tap the front tank bolt threads but not sure whether the tank was central
prior to removal.
Not really a big problem but a bit annoying none the less as it's causing wear to tank.
Any help appreciated.
Dan

It seems to be down to variations in the way the tanks were built, i.e. the positioning of the front mounting lugs vis a vis the oil filler hole. I have had two tanks with this problem. No amount of jiggling with the rubbers made any difference nor did swapping them to different bikes.

 

[Big Sid]

On the fuel tank oil tank neck centering . I've never had one that was perfectly centered ! The tank is meant to move about a bit somewhere NEAR centered . You might be able to reshape the left front rubber , carve it a bit , to acheve better placement .
PERFECTION in every detail is a dream mostly out of our reach , Vincent s were nearer human than Hondas , like their owners in fact . Accept it , love it like a beautiful girl with a mole somewhere . Make love dont complain and spoil things . Sid .

 

[Big Sid]

On the squeal . The O rings in the fin grooves is a great idea . I did this on a noisy clutch drum to quieten it . Worked too . Sid .

 

[Big Sid]

More on our peculiar motorcycles , Vincents . Not perfect in many little details , these giving scope for the owner to improve them and in the doing of it somehow be made closer to it . With each problem addressed the rider gains confidence in his ability to tackle anything that might need doing . At home or out far away from home . The bike ceases to be a machine but becomes his close companion as together they cover great distances , year after year , decade after decade . Nothing ever built does this in quite the same way . Share in the experiance , a marrage of sorts .
When they are doing everything as designed nothing is their equal at giving you that special joy , the feeling that "it don't get no better than this ," This is the real reason many owners part with them only in passing , their throttle hand falls cold from the grip .
Sid .

 

[riptragle1953]

How far off is it? I have a vague recollection of shimming the rear mount and making front inserts with off center holes... one hole up one hole down..... but for the life of me I can not remember what material I used. It was soft enough
and worked fine.

 

[Big Sid]

On the use of O rings between fins to dampen out noise . My drag bike used this idea to reduce noise from its clutch , it used only a portion of the clutch dome so made a racket . This trick helped a great deal to stop the drum from ringing . Sid .