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If you’re going to be out riding your dirt bike for any more than a few hours it’s probably a good idea to bring some extra fuel with you. There are a number of different ways you can transport fuel but it is something that can be pretty dangerous. That’s why you want to make sure the fuel is extra secure and not going to spill out. In this post, I’m going to be talking about the three best ways to carry extra fuel on your dirt bike.
Here are the three best ways to carry extra fuel on your dirt bike:
- Put the fuel bottle in a saddle bag.
- Put the fuel bottle in a bottle holster.
- Get an auxiliary tank or a larger fuel tank.
The first thing you’re going to need is a high-quality fuel bottle. There are tons of cheap ones out there but this is something I wouldn’t cheap out on because it could cause a major issue.
I’ve seen people use a regular Gatorade bottle or a plastic water bottle to hold their fuel and then just toss it in their backpack. I wouldn’t recommend doing this and you’ll way better off getting yourself a real fuel bottle. The one I use is made by MSR but there are also other good ones out there as well.
Let’s dive into each option I’ll talk about the one that I recommend.
Option 1: Use A Saddle Bag
Our first option is to put a fuel bottle into a saddlebag. This is a bag that can be zipped up and attached to the top of the fuel tank or on the back of the seat. It’s probably the most convenient option and the one I’ve been using most of the time. That being said, it’s probably not the safest option but as long as you have a good saddlebag and a good fuel bottle you shouldn’t have any issues.
The reason I like this option is that these saddlebags normally come with two pouches and I can have one for the gas and then the other one can be used to hold drinks or other snacks. There are lots of different options to choose from but I’d recommend you get one it’s made from strong material and also isn’t going to stick out super far.
Some bags are available for only around $20 and then there were others that were a couple of hundred dollars. I probably wouldn’t recommend the ones for $20 and the ones for a couple of hundred dollars are probably a bit much and that’s why I would recommend getting something in the middle.
I also prefer having a bag that goes over my fuel tank just because it’s easier to keep an eye on in case anything were to go wrong. Here are the ones I got from Amazon.
Option 2: Use A Fuel Bottle Holster
The next option is to use a special fuel bottle holster. This is the cheapest option on the list and is the one I see most often. This is a holster that your fuel bottle can sit in and then you can attach it to your fork or handlebars.
It’s not going to be as convenient as the saddlebags because you don’t have that extra space to put food and drinks but it is a simple thing to do and is better than caring in your backpack. It doesn’t really matter what brand you get because most of them are the same and most of them will fit the majority of the sizes.
You can pick them up from pretty much anywhere for under $20 but some of them don’t have a strap that will work so you’ll have to zip tie them on or something like that.
Option 3: Get An Auxiliary Or Larger Fuel Tank
The third and best option if you’ll be on a long ride is to get yourself an auxiliary gas tank or put a larger fuel tank on your bike. Most dirt bikes come with a 2-gallon gas tank and that is fairly small. You can either add an additional gas tank and have two or you can remove the old fuel tank and get a 4-gallon gas tank.
If you’re going to get an auxiliary gas tank the only downside is that they generally attach to the front of the bike just in front of the handlebars. It isn’t always the prettiest thing to look at and it’s somewhat out in the open if you are to run into something.
The better option would probably be to get a 4-gallon gas tank because it will last you twice as long. You can then use that as well as one or two fuel bottles and then you’ll be good to go for pretty much the entire day. The most popular fuel tank seems to be Acerbis and you can click here to see their store on Amazon.
How Far Can A Dirt Bike Go On A Tank Of Gas?
The amount of miles you’re going to get on your dirt bike is going to depend on where you’re riding and also how hard you’re riding. If you’re just riding through the trails you’re going to get way better mileage than if you were riding in sand or on the track.
As a general rule and kind of what I’ve seen through my experience, you can expect to get anywhere from 40 to 60 miles on a tank. Again, it’s all going to depend on how you ride the bike but this is what I’ve seen from my time on the trails. Dirt bikes also come with a reserve option so you can use that to save a little bit of fuel if you are running low.
Some Additional Tips
I just wanted to throw out some additional safety tips to keep in mind when you are bringing extra fuel with you:
- I’d highly recommend you not transport fuel in a backpack. If something is to go wrong and the fuel bottle is to catch fire, you want that to be as far away from you as possible.
- Only carry the amount of fuel you’re going to need for the day and don’t leave fuel in the bottle for next time because it can go bad.
- I did mention this earlier but don’t store gas in something that isn’t designed to store gas such as a Gatorade bottle or water bottle.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
Looking to get some new dirt bike gear? Click here to check out our recommended gear page to see the stuff we’re actually using and the cheapest place to get them.