W650 Cafe Racer – removing your fuel tank

What have I done!

One job I have had to perform a few times during my W650 Cafe Racer project is the removal of the W650’s fuel tank. What seems like a pretty daunting task is actually a pretty straight forward job and the process is pretty similar for a lot of bikes (naked bikes).

Start by locating the fuel line which is attached to the fuel switch unit under your seat. Use a pair of pliers to loosen the clip and slide it back down the pipe. Holding the pipe in one hand and a flat head screwdriver in the other pry the pipe off the nossle. Ensure that the fuel unit is switched to on. Fuel will not leak from the tank while the dial is set to on as it requires a suction to get fuel from the tank in the on setting. Located just above the fuel line is another smaller hose (the vacum hose), remove this using the same technique.


Unlock and remove the seat from the bike. You will see 2 bolts at the back of the tank. Remove these and lift the tank slightly to loosen it. Now move to the other side of the bike (ie the one opposite to the fuel switch) and look under the back of the tank as you lift it slightly with one hand. You will see 2 tubes leading from the tank down through the engine area. Take note of the path these pipes take then feed them both out from inside the bike.

Now you’re ready to remove the tank. It’s held in place by a couple of brackets that are cliped over 2 rubber blocks. Put one hand at the from lip of the tank and the other at the very back. Lift the back up to about 30 degress and then start pulling back. You will find that it may help to wiggle the tank sideways slightly as you do this. Once the tank come free from the rubber blocks it will be completely loose from the bike so make sure you have a good grip on it.

You will now have a pretty amusing looking machine sitting in front of you and will have full access to the bikes electrics.

When you want to replace the tank you will find it can be a bit difficult to get the brackets back over the rubber blocks. Make sure the tank is sitting in the right position and none of your electrics are being caught by the tank before pushing it in to place. Then just perform the whole process in reverse.