Front wheel size
- Thread starter bobhobly
- Start date
nixon
Active Member
ive just spent alot of time looking into this exact scenario - my 79 xl250 has a 23" i wanted to reduce to 19"
the first question is - do you want to keep your stock forks , brakes etc? if so - just re spoke your hub to a smaller new rim.
if you want to alter the front end - you need to find compatible triple set etc or whats involved in modifying your frame.. theres some great pages somwehere with this..but you still will have a 30 year old wheel..
for me respoking a new excel rim was the easiest way to go , Buchanan's can custom make spokes for your hub to the smaller rim
the first question is - do you want to keep your stock forks , brakes etc? if so - just re spoke your hub to a smaller new rim.
if you want to alter the front end - you need to find compatible triple set etc or whats involved in modifying your frame.. theres some great pages somwehere with this..but you still will have a 30 year old wheel..
for me respoking a new excel rim was the easiest way to go , Buchanan's can custom make spokes for your hub to the smaller rim
midlyfcrisis
Been Around the Block
thinking about going from 19 to 18 because i hear the rubber choice is better,only concern is change in rake and weight shhift to front end.im a little worried because they say the cb gets twichy with small changes up front.then again that was said about the drz 400 i had that i put 17 inch wheels on and it was more fun to ride
Bert Jan
Holy Modification Batman
18" rubber is more common indeed. Done a lot on CB550/500. You'll need a 18" rim and 190mm spokes. And NO, an old cb rear rim will not fit. Do not try it, others have done that for you.... 
read the spoke angle part to find out why.
Easiest way to swap rim size is to respoke the wheel (believe me, it is), or get it done by a shop. They will charge you 100 for rim, between 50 and 100 dollar for one spokeset for one wheel, lacing and truing will be about the same, so 300 total max, depending on your skills. You have to bring in the axle and spacers aswell, so they can determine hub center and such.
If you want to put in a completely other front wheel, some machining is necessary for spacers and such. You'll have to find the right axle diameter OR bearings with right dimensions. Disk mounting/spacing can be a challenge as well. There is a list of axle diameters on scandalon. Google it. But again, relacing a new rim on old hub is simplest. I did well over 10 that way, front and rears. You can even lace it yourself, using youtube and some common sence. every bikeshop can true it for you, saving in the costs and ante-upping the diy factor on it.
When you go out yourself for a rim though (instead of buying a new one $$$), check the number of spokes on hub and rim (32/36/40) and make sure its the same. Spoke angle is a good thing to check as well. angle of spoke to rim that is. Larger hub will need bigger angle, so find a donorwheel with about the same hubflange diameter as the one you want to spoke into it. you can re-use a rim without any problem, check for wiggle and cracks but thats kinda obvious. You can NOT make a bent rim straight again by lacing one spoke tighter than another (like with bicycles). Motorcycle rims are WAY to strong for that.
So, let a shop do it for you OR find a rim with the right inch-size, number of spokes, spoke angle/hub size and preferably the same looks as the the rear rim. A combination of both will save $$ and kudos for you. you will need new spokes so it is a job between 100 and 300 if you want it simple. Stainless spokes and takagaso rim will add up to the list pretty fast.
i've done 17" instead of 18" on a cb200 front and rear
18" on a front cb500
18" on a front cb550 (same wheel)
16" front and rear on cb550
Rear rim on front hub of XL500 82' - buy an extra rear wheel (for rim and spokes) and no extra spokes are needed. Not that i'm a fan of re-using spokes, but desperate times.....
countless moped wheels
respoked countless of cb wheels for customers. New powdercoated rims and hubs with stainless spokes look killer
Take your time and don't rush it. When you're lacing the wheel yourself, pay attention to innies and outies. The inner spokes (on the inside of the hub flange) have a smaller head-angle. The outties have a larger angle, because they need to travel around the flange back to the center of the rim.
first time will be long and tedious but you'll learn while doing. Oh, do not consume alcohol while doing it. It's your FRONT WHEEL.
read the spoke angle part to find out why.
Easiest way to swap rim size is to respoke the wheel (believe me, it is), or get it done by a shop. They will charge you 100 for rim, between 50 and 100 dollar for one spokeset for one wheel, lacing and truing will be about the same, so 300 total max, depending on your skills. You have to bring in the axle and spacers aswell, so they can determine hub center and such.
If you want to put in a completely other front wheel, some machining is necessary for spacers and such. You'll have to find the right axle diameter OR bearings with right dimensions. Disk mounting/spacing can be a challenge as well. There is a list of axle diameters on scandalon. Google it. But again, relacing a new rim on old hub is simplest. I did well over 10 that way, front and rears. You can even lace it yourself, using youtube and some common sence. every bikeshop can true it for you, saving in the costs and ante-upping the diy factor on it.
When you go out yourself for a rim though (instead of buying a new one $$$), check the number of spokes on hub and rim (32/36/40) and make sure its the same. Spoke angle is a good thing to check as well. angle of spoke to rim that is. Larger hub will need bigger angle, so find a donorwheel with about the same hubflange diameter as the one you want to spoke into it. you can re-use a rim without any problem, check for wiggle and cracks but thats kinda obvious. You can NOT make a bent rim straight again by lacing one spoke tighter than another (like with bicycles). Motorcycle rims are WAY to strong for that.
So, let a shop do it for you OR find a rim with the right inch-size, number of spokes, spoke angle/hub size and preferably the same looks as the the rear rim. A combination of both will save $$ and kudos for you. you will need new spokes so it is a job between 100 and 300 if you want it simple. Stainless spokes and takagaso rim will add up to the list pretty fast.
i've done 17" instead of 18" on a cb200 front and rear
18" on a front cb500
18" on a front cb550 (same wheel)
16" front and rear on cb550
Rear rim on front hub of XL500 82' - buy an extra rear wheel (for rim and spokes) and no extra spokes are needed. Not that i'm a fan of re-using spokes, but desperate times.....
countless moped wheels
respoked countless of cb wheels for customers. New powdercoated rims and hubs with stainless spokes look killer
Take your time and don't rush it. When you're lacing the wheel yourself, pay attention to innies and outies. The inner spokes (on the inside of the hub flange) have a smaller head-angle. The outties have a larger angle, because they need to travel around the flange back to the center of the rim.
first time will be long and tedious but you'll learn while doing. Oh, do not consume alcohol while doing it. It's your FRONT WHEEL.
midlyfcrisis
Been Around the Block
i kinda figured the wheel change wouldnt amount to much in the handling department.
nixon
Active Member
if you do choose to change your forks - http://www.allballsracing.com/index.php/forkconversion
it gives all matches for your bike BUT " This front-end conversion search is based on bearing inner and outer dimensions ONLY! Stem length may vary from machine to machine making some combinations unworkable. "
i could only find a 79 klx250...
it gives all matches for your bike BUT " This front-end conversion search is based on bearing inner and outer dimensions ONLY! Stem length may vary from machine to machine making some combinations unworkable. "
i could only find a 79 klx250...
