What are the options for spoke wheels out there? Factory sizes from different models and if so what are they, and just buying brand new from some company if they exist? Interested in a wider rear wheel for example, but don't want to put on a wider than original tire to make it unsafe plus there is still an extent to how wide you can go.
What are the options for wide spoke wheels?
- Thread starter Moto Josh
- Start date
cqyqte
Grumpy retired oldtimer... "eat a Snickers bar"
First off Josh knowing what bike you are asking about helps with our answers. Secondly changing anything from stock will give you different handling and in some cases win you a barrage of criticism from the purists out there. Personally I could give a rats ass about what those that don't like change have to say. As long as your modifications are well thought out from a engineering safety point of view, whatever floats your boat.
Check out Buchannan's for new spoke and rim combinations, they also have a good tech support group if you want to try some truly custom approaches. Get to know some of the guys on the Parts counters at your local dealership, most young ones are quite resourceful for cross model adaptability. But it truly depends on the individual, some are unless. There are also conversion threads and resources on here and other sites to help with what might fit or has similar specs. My one piece of advise is to not rush in, measure many times from all angles, ask a thousand questions, search for those that may have already done something similar, and when you exhaust these avenues take a chance and seek advisewhen you run into a wall.
Check out Buchannan's for new spoke and rim combinations, they also have a good tech support group if you want to try some truly custom approaches. Get to know some of the guys on the Parts counters at your local dealership, most young ones are quite resourceful for cross model adaptability. But it truly depends on the individual, some are unless. There are also conversion threads and resources on here and other sites to help with what might fit or has similar specs. My one piece of advise is to not rush in, measure many times from all angles, ask a thousand questions, search for those that may have already done something similar, and when you exhaust these avenues take a chance and seek advisewhen you run into a wall.
mydlyfkryzis
当有疑问时踢你的敌人在生殖器上，你可以道歉后
I am not a "Purist" but there are combinations that are unsafe, or reduce safe a proper handling.
On most stock bikes, the rim width is the minimum width, or to say it another way, the largest width tire that the rim will accept.
I can give you an example. My CB360, stock, comes with a WM1 (1.60 inch width) front and a WM2 (1.85 inch width)rear. The front has a 3.00x18 tire and the rear a 3.50x18 tire.
If you look at the chart, the 3.00 is the largest tire width recommended for a WM1. On the rear, the 3.50x18 tire is the widest recommended for a WM2.
Whe I restored my CB360, I bought a WM2 rim for the front and a WM3 rim for the rear. I re-laced the wheels with Stanless Spokes from Buchanans.
I am still using stock tire sizes on my bike. With the wider rims and stock tire size, the handling on the bike has actually improved. The sidewalls are less pinched in and hacve stiffer resistance to side force bending.
To go wider, you have to make sure the fork/swingarm have enough clearance.
The problem is most people do not put wider rims on, but just wider tires. Wide tires on under-width rims reduce safety and handling because the tire will deflect more because the sidewalls are pinched in. Even though many say the ride fine with them, to me that means they are unaware of the handling characteristics and don't know what proper handling for the bike feels like. Putting wider rims is the correct way to improve handling and allow safer use of wider tires if desired. In addition, wider tires, even on proper rims, slow handling. It takes more handlebar force to initiate a turn, making the handle like a heavier bike.... Motorcycle with really wide tires need to change rake and trail and chassis geometry to compensate for this.
For an older bike, the stock tire sizes are generally the best size for good handling and ride. Fatter tires reduce the handling, slow the handling down. This is not opinion, it is fact. As long as you know the effects and consequences, you can do whatever you want....
On most stock bikes, the rim width is the minimum width, or to say it another way, the largest width tire that the rim will accept.
I can give you an example. My CB360, stock, comes with a WM1 (1.60 inch width) front and a WM2 (1.85 inch width)rear. The front has a 3.00x18 tire and the rear a 3.50x18 tire.
If you look at the chart, the 3.00 is the largest tire width recommended for a WM1. On the rear, the 3.50x18 tire is the widest recommended for a WM2.
Whe I restored my CB360, I bought a WM2 rim for the front and a WM3 rim for the rear. I re-laced the wheels with Stanless Spokes from Buchanans.
I am still using stock tire sizes on my bike. With the wider rims and stock tire size, the handling on the bike has actually improved. The sidewalls are less pinched in and hacve stiffer resistance to side force bending.
To go wider, you have to make sure the fork/swingarm have enough clearance.
The problem is most people do not put wider rims on, but just wider tires. Wide tires on under-width rims reduce safety and handling because the tire will deflect more because the sidewalls are pinched in. Even though many say the ride fine with them, to me that means they are unaware of the handling characteristics and don't know what proper handling for the bike feels like. Putting wider rims is the correct way to improve handling and allow safer use of wider tires if desired. In addition, wider tires, even on proper rims, slow handling. It takes more handlebar force to initiate a turn, making the handle like a heavier bike.... Motorcycle with really wide tires need to change rake and trail and chassis geometry to compensate for this.
For an older bike, the stock tire sizes are generally the best size for good handling and ride. Fatter tires reduce the handling, slow the handling down. This is not opinion, it is fact. As long as you know the effects and consequences, you can do whatever you want....
Thank you for the input guys.
I definitely don't want to do an unsafe situation. I'm in the auto collision field so I know how to do body work, welding, painting, and so on, but mechanical stuff I've learned through the trade and especially with motorcycles is all on my own experience and from what I learn online lol.
I'm just curious in general what wheel spoke options are out there so have wider wheels (so not to add on unsafe wider tires to compensate). As far as what motorcycle in questions I do have three Honda CB350's, but this addiction of doing custom bikes I'm sure isn't going to end with these three so I want to know what other wheels are wider for others bikes too. I know the swingarm, offset sprocket, etc will need to be modified to compensate. I dig the spoke look, but the solution it seems a lot do these days with retro-mods of cafe racers/etc. is to just put modern wheels which may need to be done if I want wider wheels. *shrug*
I definitely don't want to do an unsafe situation. I'm in the auto collision field so I know how to do body work, welding, painting, and so on, but mechanical stuff I've learned through the trade and especially with motorcycles is all on my own experience and from what I learn online lol.
I'm just curious in general what wheel spoke options are out there so have wider wheels (so not to add on unsafe wider tires to compensate). As far as what motorcycle in questions I do have three Honda CB350's, but this addiction of doing custom bikes I'm sure isn't going to end with these three so I want to know what other wheels are wider for others bikes too. I know the swingarm, offset sprocket, etc will need to be modified to compensate. I dig the spoke look, but the solution it seems a lot do these days with retro-mods of cafe racers/etc. is to just put modern wheels which may need to be done if I want wider wheels. *shrug*
cqyqte
Grumpy retired oldtimer... "eat a Snickers bar"
If you stick with the stock hubs you are limited in the available rims. There are fat spokes, but they require hub drilling to accommodate their diameter. You could consider custom hubs which will give you more options. You must first consider the swingarm width and final gear offset when you research maximum tire/rim widths. Chain clearance is paramount as well as maintaining tire cenerline alignment. What mydlyfkryzis sights is critical but if you are going for looks/safety you need to calculate the widest tire with corresponding rim then determine the number of spokes you want to settle with based on custom hubs.
I have done several custom set ups and used the most prolific components (HD aftermarket), anything is possible but it is important that you follow the recommendation that mydlyfkryzis has provide above. He is correct that changing the stock configurations will change handling characteristics, sometimes improving them other times reducing them. You must determine if this bike is going for show or rideability and if the latter you need to choose the elements to properly support your choice.
I have done several custom set ups and used the most prolific components (HD aftermarket), anything is possible but it is important that you follow the recommendation that mydlyfkryzis has provide above. He is correct that changing the stock configurations will change handling characteristics, sometimes improving them other times reducing them. You must determine if this bike is going for show or rideability and if the latter you need to choose the elements to properly support your choice.
mydlyfkryzis
当有疑问时踢你的敌人在生殖器上，你可以道歉后
Moto Josh said:
You can put smaller rims on with different size spokes. You can talk to Buchanan's and they can assist you in sizing....They are extremely helpful.
However, without knowing what bike, I can tell you some bikes do not have enough clearance stock. Smaller wheels on a, say CB350, will alter the frame and fork geometry. In addition, I can scrape the pegs pretty easily on a CB350. If you lower it more than stock, you cannot ride it as it is made to be ridden. If you are making Hanger Queens (bikes that aren't really ridden at all), then go for it. A functional CB350 is not lowered. Plenty here do it, but even with rear sets, the handling is still compromised. A good rider on a stock CB350 will be able to ride faster and more securely than a rider of equal skill on a lowered bike. Bikes aren't like cars. Lowering bikes and reducing their already meager suspension travel is not improving the ride at all....
A bike modded to reduce handling is like dating a pretty woman with STD's. Nice to look at, but you wouldn't want to ride...IMHO
SASO Racing
Been Around the Block
For a stock cb 350 I would go 90 front 100 or 110 rear. I am running these sizes and as a bonus I am using wider aluminum rims from mikesxs. They look amazing how it spreads out the tires making them look great and perform great!
34-3182 H 2.15x18 36 hole shouldered aluminum rim Black 90.00
34-3182 H 2.15x18 36 hole shouldered aluminum rim Black 90.00
xb33bsa said:
Moto Josh said:
I have those sizes on one of my bikes with a 3.00" front rim and 5.5" rear rim. You have 1.60" and 1.85" rims, without wishing to appear rude, what part of this is not connecting? Funnily enough my first thought was that you must be a troll and then I wondered if you thought it was April Fool's day. The answers you are getting are straight scoop, but I'm not sure the questions have been fully thought through.
teazer said:
You know I have to say there are some really unpleasant damn people here. I ignored xb33bsa's comment completely as it was not informative nor helpful at all, and same for yours. I'm not a troll, and if you noticed I noticed and took the helpful posters advice, but my question was worded in the sense of OTHER spoke wheels available. I don't give a damn about my own stock wheels and tires I grasp that the tire sizes I'm looking for won't work on them.
Thankfully I have tough skin so I don't mind sticking around this forum, and add to the fact a couple members actually messaged me about continuing to help pointing in the right direction of a custom setup of different wheels/fork geometry/swingarms in the search for what I'm looking.
I think there's a bit of a disconnect, as usually people are asking questions specific to a particular bike they're working on.
If I read, and re-read the posts, you're asking in general, what OEM wheels are out there that run modern size, wider tires and are spoked. Not for a particular application (i.e. clearly not for one of your CB350's) but as a general reference so you have something to look for when the time comes.
If I'm right, I'd suggest BMW might be a good manufacturer to look at. They have some pretty interesting spoked wheels on many models. As one obvious example, the brand new R NINE T has 3.5 x 17 and 5.5 x 17 front/rear rims with 120/70 and 180/55 tires.
So there's an answer to your question, assuming I understand the question correctly.
Of course a set of R NINE T wheels would likely be prohibitively expensive, and you're dealing with shaft drive rear, so either you're into some serious machine work to mount a sprocket to the BMW hub, or more likely trying to lace their rim to a different hub, which would be interesting.
Now, if you took some of the advice, you'd be looking at / calling Buchanan up to find out about their rims. They make a WM9 x 17 inch rim. The rim is 4.25" wide, so would take a pretty meaty tire and you can have them drill the spoke holes to match whatever hub you want. They'd have some ideas of minimum hub width I'd think to deal with such a rim, which is why it's best to call the experts.
Bottom line is there are options out there, and nothing terribly hard to find.
If I read, and re-read the posts, you're asking in general, what OEM wheels are out there that run modern size, wider tires and are spoked. Not for a particular application (i.e. clearly not for one of your CB350's) but as a general reference so you have something to look for when the time comes.
If I'm right, I'd suggest BMW might be a good manufacturer to look at. They have some pretty interesting spoked wheels on many models. As one obvious example, the brand new R NINE T has 3.5 x 17 and 5.5 x 17 front/rear rims with 120/70 and 180/55 tires.
So there's an answer to your question, assuming I understand the question correctly.
Of course a set of R NINE T wheels would likely be prohibitively expensive, and you're dealing with shaft drive rear, so either you're into some serious machine work to mount a sprocket to the BMW hub, or more likely trying to lace their rim to a different hub, which would be interesting.
Now, if you took some of the advice, you'd be looking at / calling Buchanan up to find out about their rims. They make a WM9 x 17 inch rim. The rim is 4.25" wide, so would take a pretty meaty tire and you can have them drill the spoke holes to match whatever hub you want. They'd have some ideas of minimum hub width I'd think to deal with such a rim, which is why it's best to call the experts.
Bottom line is there are options out there, and nothing terribly hard to find.
I'd simply start with modern bikes on spoked wheels - Triumph, BMW etc. And don't shy away from the cruisers, many of which have silly fat tires on spoked rims.
The Triumph Thunderbird LT has 3.5 x 16 inch rims, with 150/80 and 180/70 tires front and rear. So they're squeezing a pretty massive 180 tire onto a 3.5 inch rim, and there are lots of easy options for rims in the 3-4 inch wide range.
Again, Buchanan is your best bet for rims especially when you're mating rims and hubs together that are not typically paired. They have specs on every hub out there and will match a rim in the size/width of your choice and make you custom spokes to lace them up with.
The Triumph Thunderbird LT has 3.5 x 16 inch rims, with 150/80 and 180/70 tires front and rear. So they're squeezing a pretty massive 180 tire onto a 3.5 inch rim, and there are lots of easy options for rims in the 3-4 inch wide range.
Again, Buchanan is your best bet for rims especially when you're mating rims and hubs together that are not typically paired. They have specs on every hub out there and will match a rim in the size/width of your choice and make you custom spokes to lace them up with.
