Archive for May 2026

BMW G450X Safari Tank

2026-05-27 by Andrew Holmes, tagged as dirt bikes, farkles

Talking of fuel bladders, a friend asked why I don't just get a larger fuel tank for the G450X, that way I wouldn't have to take a fuel bladder along at all. The problem is on the G450X the tank is under the seat, so unless you can get your hands on the rare-as-hens-teeth-no-longer-available Berrt/SpeedBrain 30 litre tank your only option is an add-on Safari Tank out of Australia. They have a front 12 litre tank available which sits in the usual place for a dirt bike, and a rear 8 litre saddle tank that sits behind the rear seat. I've heard two people say that the front tank, while large, slightly messes up the weight distribution. I've no idea how true this is but I do know that you have to remove the tank to service your air filter which would be a hassle. Most people seem to think the rear tank is a better option - the 8 litre capacity combined with the factory 8 litre tank gives plenty of range (~300km +) and makes the rear side panels even which is nice for soft luggage.

Rear safari tank
The rear Safari tank fitted to a G450X. It is available in clear (pictured here) or white.

The problem is a) it's way more expensive than a fuel bladder (roughly $700 delivered which is reasonable, but still more than $150~$200) and b) it's always fitted even when I don't need the extra range (like when I trailer the bike to an off road park). I have thought about grabbing one as it would be nice not to have to stop and fill the tank mid ride but honestly, I'm not sure how often I'll actually need the range on the 450 as that sort of a ride is better done on my KTM 790 Adventure, and for the occasions I do decide to take the enduro I can just throw a fuel bladder or bottle on the back and be done.

So for now I'll flag that option unless one pops up cheap second hand and stick with the fuel bladders.

Fuel Bladders

2026-05-14 by Andrew Holmes, tagged as farkles

Since getting the BMW G450X I've been debating how to carry extra fuel. The bike only has a ~8 litre fuel tank and on open road/gravel road riding the fuel light comes on at ~170km or so. If I'm in the middle of nowhere when this light comes on it would be nice having a bit of a buffer as I only have around 30km left once the low fuel light triggers.

I'm currently carrying one FuelFriend 1.5 litre fuel cannister, stuffed with my tool roll into the left leg of my Giant Loop Mojavi saddle bags. This works fine and gives me another 35km or so on top of the reserve, but there are a few annoyances - weight on one side of the bike, it makes that compartment on my Mojave smell like fuel, and takes up a large chunk of space even when empty. I'd like to have a slightly larger spare capacity, say another 70km in the bag at least, and fuel bladders will solve the issue of taking up space when not needed.

I've basically decided on one of three options:

The ADVWorx bag doesn't seem to be available anywhere currently, not sure if they will resupply or not, but 5 litres is probably more than I need anyway. I do like the brand though (and also like supporting Australian companies when I can't get the same thing from NZ) so if it's in stock when I finally buy something it will be tempting, as they are well built, well priced and you can always just fill them half way if you don't require the full 5L capacity.

The Giant Loop bag is a great size (1 gallon/3.8L) really well made (there are videos of them being run over), and roll up to almost nothing when empty. The quality is really good, things like the spout screw in easily and there are no leaks. This is the one I'm likely to get if I can't get the ADVWorx one despite it being the most expensive.

The Desert Fox option seems popular with some YouTube moto travelers and 3L is really the perfect size. The price is also good, by far the cheapest option here in NZ. Two things put me off slightly though, firstly it doesn't roll up very well when empty (it's designed more to store flat I think?) mean it is a bit harder to stash on the bike and secondly I watched a few reviews where people complain about the spout fixing. The original one pushed into place and this caused leaks, and wile the revised version has a screw on spout It is very fiddly to screw into place, a lot of people don't bother and simply pour straight from the cap. It is cheap and the bladder itself is well made, so may be worth a second look when I decide which one to buy.

Honestly, my biggest problem probably isn't the fuel range but more how long I can stand to sit on that seat! That will be my next problem to tackle, it's terrible!