Rims and Spokes

[Luugo86]

I'm looking to put new rims/spokes on the hubs for my '81 CM200T and was wondering if anyone knows or uses the services of a place I can send off the hubs to be relaced and sent back to me? I havent been able to find anything like that outside of european shops. Thanks in advance.

 

[Tim]

Buchanan Spokes but it will be expensive. They will sell you spokes for about $100 per wheel for custom stainless spokes and nipples. Then find a local shop to lace and true them for you.

I’ve bought probably 10 sets of spokes from Buchanans over the years.

Local bicycle shops might be willing to do it or know someone. Where are you located?

 

[Tim]

Also I’ve bought rims from MikesXS in the past. I’m mobile now - how many spokes on the CM200T?

 

[Luugo86]

Also I’ve bought rims from MikesXS in the past. I’m mobile now - how many spokes on the CM200T?

Hey Tim, thank you for the info man.. I will get a spoke count tomorrow when I am at my shop as well as the rim measurements. If it comes down to it I can get the tools and just teach myself to lace the wheels, just need to source the rims. Looking to use rims similar to stock, just a little bit larger. I will get that info tomorrow and I will check out Buchanan's.

 

[adventurco]

eBay. Thailand vendors make affordable spokes. They’re plated and not stainless, but I’ve used them a couple times and the quality is good. I priced Buchanans for the Guzzi and it was absurdly expensive.

Lacing and truing is pretty simple, I use the harbor freight truing stand and a twenty dollar Amazon dial gauge. Plenty of YouTube videos out there


Sent from my iPhone using DO THE TON

 

[Rider52]

CMSNL lists CM200T rims and spokes in stock. Guessing the rims are 36 spoke it looks like you can do each wheel for about $200 each. Stock cad plated spokes and DID steel chromed rims. Both very likely made by one of Honda's plants in Indonesia. Actually a pretty decent price. Our local Honda shop which went out of business this month charged $5.00 per spoke in 2002!

 

[Tim]

Yep - looks like the CM200T has 36 spokes which is great. Some Hondas (most/all the CB's) have 40 spoke rims which make finding replacements hard.

Now, the bike seems to have 16/17 inch rims rear and front. When you say a bit larger, do you mean diameter or width?

I'd imagine you could bump up to 18/18 front and rear. I ran that on my XS650 cafe racer using aftermarket rims from MikesXS. I had to use a rear 18" rim on my front wheel as I was running a Suzuki 4LS drum brake hub which is large. The angle of the spoke holes in the rims are different based on the diameter of the hub. So a large rear drum brake hub has different angles on the spokes than a front wheel with a small hub / disc brake setup.

So from MikesXS you can get your pick of 36 hole rims in different sizes. You could go 18 rear 19 front which is the most typical size on a larger vintage bike like all the Honda CB's etc.

Then call up Buchanan and tell them you're lacing an 18" rim to a CM200T rear hub and they'll sell you the right set of spokes for that combo.

https://www.mikesxs.net/wheel-rim-wm-multiple-sizes-36-spoke-aluminum-universal-silver.html

While you're at it, get the hubs vapour honed and replace the bearings.

 

[teazer]

What size are the rims and hubs? I have tons of zinc plated spokes from CB160s, CB77s and a few CL/SL 175s that were re-finished and piles of rims, but I would need to know the dimensions of your spokes to see if they match. I can also build them.

I have purchased 1.60 rims for about 100 bucks a piece for a CB160 I build a few years back. But it all comes down to what size rims and hubs are on it now and do you plan on going to a larger diameter or staying stock sized.

 

[Rider52]

I had a thought that maybe 250 Nighthawk wheels would fit the 200 but the axle diameter is different. Buchanan's will do the entire wheel using your hubs. It is expensive.

 

[Luugo86]

Thank you all for taking the time to look up stuff about my bike and reply. I really appreciate it.
@Tim Thank you for letting me know about Buchanan. I've added them to my bag of parts suppliers. and yep you nailed it on the wheels 17F/16R and I want to try an 18/18 setup; I was even thinking a possible 19/19 setup, but I believe I would have to lengthen the swing-arm or replace the stock unit with one that would accommodate the larger rear wheel.

@adventurco I have a mid-70s Honda XR75 that I am rebuilding for my nephews after this CM200, I will let that little bike be my first attempt at lacing and truing my own wheels, will give me some time to save for the proper equipment

@teazer the front wheel is 17, 1.60, 36spoke. The rear is 16, 1.85, 36spoke-- Those are stock. I would like to keep the same wheel width on both but go to an 18inch wheel on both. I do not have the stock spoke length or the stock brake-hub diameters at the moment but I will get those measurements for you. If you happen to have wheels and spokes for what I am looking to do with these wheels I would much rather work with you to do them than a big company. Just let me know what information you would need and what you are asking for the parts and time. Thanks Teazer.

I have brake rebuild kits for the front and rear as well as replacement wheel bearings. Thanks again for the replies and advice guys.

 

[crazypj]

If your doing new rims and spokes, get one size wider as the stock size is the absolute minimum width for the tyres used (often actually slightly undersize)
Going one size wider will improve the handling totally out of proportion .
1.60 is internal width between flanges in inches, you may find it isn't actually 1.60".
Are the axle sizes 15mm and 20mm?
If so, that's same as CB350/360/400F