First alittle background.
I recently bough my first bike, a '95 gs500e for $600. The bike ran when I bough it, but has several issues that made it unrideable. The main carb jets are clogged, the gas tank was rusted and had a broken cap. After some research online I decided that I would attempt to de-rust the tank via electrolysis. I went out and bough a box of washing soda and prepared my sacrificial anode, hooked the thing up, and left it to cook. I came back about an hour later to check up on it and decided to check if the anode had collected any rust yet. I bumped the anode into the side of the tank and the whole thing exploded in my face! My best guess is that the neck of the fill port that descends into the tank allowed a pocket of O2 and H to developed inside the tank and the anode touching the side caused that mixture of gas to explode. I survive with only minor injuries (I jumped back into a cinder-block and scraped up my hand), but the tank is a total loss. Its several buckled, with several rips in the metal. (I'll post of photos of it when I get a chance its rather impressive)
I now have my eye on a '05 tank on ebay that I'm almost convinced will fit. There are also '05 rear plastic and a '05 seat I think I can swap onto my '95 as a set to clean up the look.
Does anyone else have experience putting late model tanks on earlier model gs's?
Also any tips for a new rider?
Thanks!
-Alex

the tank will fit on with no problem at all.  The seat is usually the only part that is slightly difficult since the frame hasn't changed.  If you buy the newer tail plastics and seat then i don't think you will have any problems but i haven't read to much about people putting new tail plastics and seats onto an older model bike.

You can make sheet metal grommet carriers out of 14 or 16 guage to get the body fitted on. Then you can use blocks etc to fit the seat.
Its relatively easy.
And you possibly ignited gasoline floating on top with the spark, not h2 and O2. h2 and o2 dont explode, they implode. And h2 is hard to trap too.
Cool.
Buddha.

let me say first that im glad you escaped with the smallest of scratches.

that being said... AWESOMEAWESOMEAWESOME! pics please

in for pics...

Humm my pretty face is worth more then a "GOLD" tank! Be careful OMG you could have seriously hurt yourself. Spend the money on new tank...I am all for DIY but not when it is too dangerous which this process sounds like it is! 

Acid derusting is much safer IMHO FWIW ... YMMV. Dont flame me ... no pun intended.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: Dr.Sparkie on July 09, 2009, 06:48:29 AM
let me say first that im glad you escaped with the smallest of scratches.

that being said... AWESOMEAWESOMEAWESOME! pics please

As requested




I've already bough my new tank on ebay. Still waiting for the guy to ship it though....

doesnt look like anything a little bit of bondo wouldn't fix

Ouch! Glad you are OK after that......yes, the tanks fits right on with no mods, check out my avatar pic, I have an 06 tank on an 89 bike.

Quote from: simoniz on July 18, 2009, 10:37:01 AM
Ouch! Glad you are OK after that......yes, the tanks fits right on with no mods, check out my avatar pic, I have an 06 tank on an 89 bike.

Ah cool, I had been trying to find someone who had done this before. I hadn't been able to find a 90's seat on a 00's tank. Cool now I don't need to worry about ebaying a new seat.

There's a bigger pic in the thread "Post a picture as your bike stands now".

Sorry man, that looks like a accident tank, not a fire tank.
Paint will burn ... you wanna see a nice fire tank, I'll show you one ...
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on July 19, 2009, 07:43:33 AM
Sorry man, that looks like a accident tank, not a fire tank.

There wasn't really a fire, more of a bright flash and a loud boom, followed by a face full of water.