titanium spokes for motorcycles? Do they exist?

[mojomoto]

Just wondering if anybody has heard of Ti spokes.
Im sure they woud cost dearly but id be putting them on a CB750 that is in my permanent collection.
Just imagine.....aluminum hub...Titanium spokes......aluminum nipples......and carbon fiber rims (OK aluminum. I was dreaming. Give me a break.) Now that would be one feather lite and rigid wheel.

Any help finding Ti spokes would be appreciated.

 

[Basement rat]

Titanium isn't "that" light. Titanium is more recognized for its strength in extreme heats. Its not as light as an equal volume of mild but definitely heavier than the same of aluminum. It is VERY hard to work with meaning if you try to bend a sheet to say 90* if you don't have your edges 100% debured it will probably crack. Cutting titanium on a lathe is no different that aluminum or steel except at the end when your trying to sand and file down your rough edges its not nearly as east a dragging the file over it..

 

[DrJ]

Haha, you'd end up with $500+ worth of spokes on a 500+ lbs bike. Seriously, there are more cost effective ways to reduce weight on a 750 but that bike is a pig to start with so you're fighting an uphill battle. Wanna lose 20 lbs? Ditch the boat anchor frame and get something made. But is it worth the $$$? Not if it was my bike.

 

[Rocan]

as an avid cyclist as well as bmx'er, i have used all kinds of spokes. Ti is light, indeed, but not worth the extra cost IMHO. plus ive snapped more titanium spokes then anything. your best off just using a lighter guage steel spoke then titanium. Personally i build all my wheels with a nice thick spoke as strongly as possible unless if its a set of racing wheels for my road bikes... then they get the whole light treatment. strong is way better then light. plus why the hell would you want super light wheels on a street bike? hell, even the racers run heavy wheels!

 

[bunnyman]

You really, really don't want Ti spokes!!!! I don't think there is any manufacturer foolish enough to make Ti spokes for motorcycles, as most bicycle enthusiasts abandoned Ti spokes over fifteen years ago. Carbon fibre is an even worse candidate for spokes unless the spoke is like 3" wide (like a cast tri-spoke aluminium wheel). Yes, someone tried to make carbon fibre spokes for road bicycles, as well. I think that guy got beaten soundly for being so stupid...

Like some applications for bolts, Ti is so brittle that it snaps when made into small parts. Spokes are definitely a small part. Stainless steel is STILL king for spokes and bolts.

If anyone offers you Ti spokes for a motorcycle, beat them soundly about the head- don't let them sucker you!!!!

I have a horrific, first-hand account as to why I HATE Ti spokes I may tell later...

 

[sharperdill]

I agree with DrJ, and this is just my opinion. There are more economical areas on the bike to shave the weight. Relace would be costly in materials and labor, and is to big of a pain for the gains, although aluminium rims are nice. Reducing rotating mass does help with handling, and the reduction in unsprung weight would be a bonus for suspension improvement. The weight could be saved other places lower profile tires (less steel and rubber also helps handling because of rotating mass and flex in the tire) or getting your rotors drilled professionally are examples. Suspension improvements can be obtained with better rear shocks and tuning the forks with the correct QUALITY fork oil. There are 2000 more economical areas to reduce weight and improve handling than spokes. Think how the traditional rockers back in the late 40s and 50s would have done it.


Food for thought
Back in my MX days I rode with a guy that would look for every advantage he could on his mx bike. He would gun-drill bolts, brackets that served no structural integrity would be drilled or "thinned", and a few other tricks. We had very similar bikes. His was 1 year older same make and model. We would swap bikes and needless to say you could tell his was way way way better handling. Its amazing that 5 pounds reduction in the right spots and a well tuned suspension will improve a bikes handling significantly.