will a 1981 16" rear fit a 72' stock swingarm

picker

XS650 Enthusiast
Messages
76
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Location
los angeles
I have tried different searches and cant find an answer. I`m looking for temporary wheels while I re spoke my 18" rear and 19" front. but not sure the swingarm is wide enough. I`m pretty sure the front will work with a mag but I do not have any to try.
Thanks for any help.
 
If you still have the 72 front end the disk brake and hub are 72-73 only other years will not work. On the rear the wheel will fit, I think you need your 72 spacers, not sure on tire clearance though, sorry.
 
I was afraid the front would be that way. I`m not real fond of the front brake system they used on the 72' I suppose that went into 73' as well. If I remember right the front fork tubes were larger in 74' so in order to use the wheel I want I would have to change out the whole front, triple trees and all.
Thanks for the info.
 
Rotor was free floating from the hub on it's own bearing 72 73, Forks went from 34mm to 35mm in 77, 78 up are the best forks BUT the neck on the 72 frame is shorter so there are issues fitting a later fork.
 
i was under the impression that all forks swapped with any year.... i have a 72 but haven't tried a set of forks for a different year... though i have a pair from a later year i didn't check fitment yet.... this is rather upsetting... :(

:banghead:
 
This isn't my post but AFAIK it's right.,
"70~73 have a 170mm steering stem, while the 74~83 have a 188mm steering stem"
You can swap stems. You gotta grind the weld beat the stem out of the lower triple swap and weld in the new stem. I have done it before.
 
well luckily i have both stems so i can do that....

http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Yamaha_XS650#External_link

this site makes it seem any worked with any...

mid-'77 the front forks had a major redesign, fork tube diameter increased from 34 to 35 mm, brake totally different, internals upgraded. The entire fork will swap either way but fork parts are not equivalent.

o well's once i start my build i will worry more about this.... thanks for the info gary
 
OK...Thanks , So if I get this right a mag will work if I get a 74-76 lowers, or just use the fork tubes and all but lowers are what I need. The rear may or may not clear chain or swingarm for now. Man! I wish I had stuff like this laying around. It would make it so much easier.
Thanks.
 
Well the gotchas continue, the upper triples on the 72 73 are different but you MIGHT be able to use everything from the 74-76 EXCEPT the lower. I might go out and do some measuring because I have most or all the parts mentioned on one bike or another.
 
Might be a difference in the steering stem to fork tube offset from the 72-73 to 74-76 forks. The good news is I think the 16"rear tire will clear your swing arm.
 
Thanks for the information Gary. That was a big help to me but I think if temporary wheels are going to be that difficult I`ll just have to do without wheels while I re lace my old ones. I was thinking I would run a set of mags for awhile and maybe the look would grow on me saving my new laced rims from the elements.
Appreciate it.
 
Gary, Are you saying the 72-73 top triple clamps are different than the 74-76 even though they are both for 34mm forks? Different offset? I was interested in some of the billet clamps being offered by members but now I'm afraid they won't fit.

BTW my '73 does not have the free floating front hub.
Thanks and sorry for the hijack.
 
Yeah I am not sure on the offset but the early units look deeper to me I don't have both types off a bike to compare. Also (and I need to confirm this) the early top triple is tapered and the tube is too. the top nut holds the tube rigid to the triple, the later units have clamping bolts on the side that secure the tubes to the top triple. The year range is usually called 72-73 and then different for 74 but the brake rotor change might have occurred sometime during the 73 run..... And it's always possible the forks were replaced earlier in the bike's life. Most of the billet clamps are for later 35mm tubes, are there some for the 34s?
 
On my '73, the top triple clamp has a pinch bolt and straight bore for stem that you describe as the later front ends. My guess then is that the front brake and triple clamp change might have been a mid-73' model year change. Mine shows a Jan. 1973 production date.
 
Back
Top