What’s water proof, crush proof, and will leave other riders scratching their heads? Frank’s storage tube! They say that necessity is the mother of invention and Frank needed a way to keep tent poles and fishing rods protected should he auger his bike into the ground at mach speed. Panniers are bulky and expensive and aren’t big enough to store an adult fishing rod. Frank noticed he had enough room in the left side of his rear wheel well to accommodate some form of storage container. Next stop Home Depot!
He purchased 10 feet of 3 inch black ABS sewer pipe, two end caps, and some nuts and bolts – all for under $20. Back at home he checked to verify the pipe had clearance from the swingarm and rear wheel, then rummaged around and came up with a thin strip of metal to use as a rear hanger and larger pieces to create a bracket for the front. For that bracket Frank cut a circular plate to bolt onto the forward end cap and welded a gusseted bracket to the plate. The only two places the tube is attached to the bike is where the subframe bolts to the main frame in the front and where the rear hanger meets a seat bolt.
The end result is a functional storage container that’s inexpensive, light weight, and durable. On this bike it tucks nicely into the side cover and wheel well. It’s also easily removed when you don’t need to transport your 9 iron or cello bow. And when people inevitably ask what the hell is that thing you can enjoy telling them your bike is a cold fusion prototype and that is the expansion chamber – don’t touch it.
