Step one: remove the fuel lines from the petcock.
I doubt these were stock, but my petcock had tiny metal clamps holding down the fuel lines. My little CB200 I worked on two summers ago didn’t have clamps. Later tonight I’ll look through the manual to see if these are supposed to be there. So…. I just loosened the clamps and pulled the hoses. Obviously the petcock was set to off so no fuel spewed from the tank after I pulled these. However, I little bit of gasoline spilled out of one of the fuel lines when I tilted it a little too low.
I wrapped the hose ends with a plastic bag and a rubber band to make sure nothing got in the fuel lines.
Petcock with no fuel lines.
Next I just lifted the tank from the rubber tank mount and set aside careful not to harm the petcock. I dig the faded tank color. Its almost a perfect gradient from green to brown. I assume it must have a combination of heat and vapors that gave it that patina. Its going to break my heart when I have to paint the tank.
Bike with no tank. :(
Overhead shot.
I’m gonna be honest, this whole process looks like trouble. Big, hardcore, messy up the garage for years type of trouble. Yet somehow I am inexplicably drawn to it. I’d be really interested to see the timeline from beginning to end once this whole thing is finished.
As long as the rubber fuel lines are fresh (not dry rotted and cracked) and are of the right size there is no need for hose clamps. The flare at the end of each nipple of the petcock is enough to secure the hose. The carburators are gravity fed (that is why the tank is on top on no fuel pump is necessary) and the fuel in the line is not pressurized.