16" front wheel question

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tbone1980

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I have a 82 xs650 heritage special that I am looking to swap out the stock 19" wire front wheel for a 16" wire wheel. I see that mikes sells a 16" wheel that has 36 spoke holes. Am I right in saying that means I would have to get a front disc hub from a standard model? Will my current disc work with a standard hub and what years? Where there any years that had a 16" 36 spoke rear wheel? Thanks for your help.
 
The 82 has the 64 front spoke wheel and a 48 spoke, right?
All the hubs from 73 I think use the same bolt pattern and center hole for the brake rotor. So you can get any front wheel or hub from 73 up and lace a 16 wheel to it. Getting the right spokes might be tough. The angle of the spokes will be different so you will need to drill the spoke holes to match the new spoke angles.
I think the 78,79 and 80 Special II's had the 16 inch spoke rear wheels. Be a bit of work fitting to the front though. Drum brake and different axle size as well as no speedo drive, wider and the sprocket.
 
So if I get a 73 hub will it work with the 16" wheel Mikes sells or maybe with a little tweaking of the spoke holes? Then I would be able to keep the front disc and speedo... Am I thinking about this correctly? Instead of buying the rim from Mikes I could find a rear rim from a 78-80 special II and lace it to a 73 hub??
 
yes, that is how I have seen it done before. You can use any year hub 73 and newer, like leo said.
 
That is great news. Now I need to find a 16" wire rim from a non heritage bike and a hub from a 73 or up non heritage bike.... Anyone have either of these for sale!?!? I have a 19" Heritage front rim and hub to trade... Thanks for all of your help guys!
 
Not quite so fast there bucko, Like Leo says you will need to find (fabricate) the correct length spokes. That will be the hard part. Anyone other than Buchanons for this?
 
Right and man are they expensive........ Maybe I will forget about this idea and just turn to running a 18" in the back and front. I was looking for a wider tire look in the front that matched the width of the back.
 
Just get the measurement of a spoke from a front 19" and subtract 1.5 inches. then order a set of spokes in that length. It's not that hard or expensive. Buchannans are the best, but not the only place to buy spokes.
 
jamesgs4 thanks for that information. I think that it would look great with a 16" in the front and back. I think that they would give it a stocky look. I think the hardest part of all of this is going to be locating the rim and hub!!! Anyone have a picture of this sort of combination?
 
http://www.thechopperunderground.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=40746&hl=shinko
index.php

index.php
 
Try measuring the distance of the inside of the forks. This will tell you how much room you have. Mine measure about 135 on the inside. A 130 might just fit.
 
I am in the process of machining an alloy year 16 in wheel to be used on the front of my bobber. I will let you know how it goes. I am a making whatever adapter that will be necessary.
 

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