rims and spokes

[GRHebard]

so i need wider rims to fit the tires i want to put on my XS650. right now i have a CL350 front wheel and a CB450 rear wheel (1.60x19 front and 1.85x18 rear) and i want to put on the firestone replicas (4.00x19 front 4.50x18 rear).

so everyone says that i should go the next size up for rim width. so my question is are all rims of a certain size (like all 18" or all 19") going to use the same size spokes? so if i swap the stock rear 18" rim for an 18" WM3 rim from mikesXS, will i need slightly different length spokes or are they the same?

 

[VonYinzer]

It depends on the hub. Not all hubs will easily mount to all rims. Are you sure that those Firestones will fit in between the forks? You certainly wont have room for a front fender if you wanted one. Also, those tires are terrible for handling. Theyre designed for vintage (19405, 50s) American big twins. i.e. cruising at relativly low speed in a straight line. Not hitting corners.

 

[valvesprung]

Yeah I keep going back to just that on my KZ...I know they would look so damn perfect, but am I really ready to write off corner carving completely on my onyl bike...ugh. I really need to find a ratty 440 to bob, then I can go full tilt cafe on the flat framed 400...

 

[GRHebard]

Von, it seems like a hub thats already mounted to an 18" rim, would easily mount to another (similar width) WM-style 18" rim though, or am i missing some info...

im not too worried about cornering, ive got my cafe racer to enjoy the canyons with, and this bike will be for cruising longer distances

 

[teazer]

See if I got this right..

We care about style and looks and if our Cafe Racer is no good going round corners, that's OK because Style is more important.

Is that what I'm reading here?

 

[crazypj]

Sounds like it ;D
Use at least a WM3 front and WM4 rear for those tyre sizes (2.15 & 2.50)

 

[swan]

Use stock size rims and tires unless want to hobble your bike's cornering and handling with wide tires.

 

[Wingspan]

See if I got this right..

We care about style and looks and if our Cafe Racer is no good going round corners, that's OK because Style is more important.

Is that what I'm reading here?

Yep. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[VonYinzer]

Nah guys. He said he has a Cafe bike for the twisties, and is building more of a cruiser. I still dont like the tire choice, but to each their own.

 

[crazypj]

Use stock size rims and tires unless want to hobble your bike's cornering and handling with wide tires.

He doesn't have stock wheels, they are narrower than stock.
Sizes I said are about minimum for tyres he want's to use or even for stock size XS tyres (front is 1.85 stock)
Mikes XS lists a 2.50 rear rim, wont fit 450 hub though (36 hole need 40 hole)

 

[Kong]

All rims of a certain diameter are not interchangeable. The diameter given is at the tire bead surface, not at the center of the rim, and there are various styles of rim that have different center diameters than others of the same seating diameter. Also, holes in rims are drilled at specific angles to match that necessary for the hubs they were designed to work with. So a rim used with a small diameter center hub would have its rim's nipples drilled at different angles than the same rim if used with a large diameter hub.