17" supermoto wheels

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Arvis

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Hi guys,

I am about to start a cafe racer project of my own. Would like to go with, upside down forks and 17" inch laced supermoto wheels (ktm) with 150 wide rear tire and wider swingarm from GSX 750 E. Because I have some of those parts and because I simply like slightly more modern look (smth in direction of new Norton commando).

Found a few comments strongly advicing against that. Could not find a thread where somebody would have actually done something like this.


-
Arvis
 
anything can be done w/ enough skill/money. it all depends on how much custom work you're willing to do and how many friends you have with machining skills! :-D
 
I agree with the post above. How much cash and patience ya got? You'll get some truly great tire choices like that, for sure! Do it, and be a pioneer!
 
Not an XS650, but there's a ton of dudes building supermoto type machines out of SR500s.

Lots of examples w 17's and inverted forks.
 
I'm working on one with modern wheels and suspension, not done though. I think thr are lots of builds out there with new suspension but not many with the 150 rear. Look up richard pollock at mule motorcycles and check out his xs650s.

There's actually not much custom work in what you're talking about. Just some custom wheel spacers and spacers to get the brake discs where you want them. You'll probably need to offset the sprockets a small amount and the only off the shelf part for that is designed for fat wheel choppers so it has more offset than you need and costs a ton. Bummer there isn't a better part available like there is for CBs. Main money sinks are the wheels and the rear suspension. At the front you have a sea of used modern forks on eBay but there are no matching twin shock rears out there. You'll be shocked what a performance set costs.

One of the bigger issues is the rear hub. The XS uses an unusually small rear sprocket and dirtbikes use very large ones. The sprocket mounting bolt circle on mx & supermoto wheels is too large to even mount a sprocket size that works well with the XS gearing. And you can't get around this by simply throwing a big sprocket on the front because they didn't leave any room to fit one between the countershaft and the shift shaft. You can go up one tooth. Having to use an unusual hub here takes away the possibility of buyig used wheels or a cheap pre made set like the warp9 ones so your wheels get more expensive.
 
The biggest problem you find with most back wheels from other makes is you can't get a small enough sprocket on them, xs's need a small back sprocket, even the standard 34 ( US spec ) rear sprocket is a bit too big, Europe got 33 as standard, even then alot of people are going either smaller than that or putting an 18 tooth sprocket on the front,
 
Yup rear sprocket is a stumbling block.
This bike in Madison WI started out as a 79 Special II
It's on the road but top end limited by the gearing, those are early KTM Bohr wheels.
That low gearing make's it a hoot around town though. Feels much quicker, than it is I guess.

stevedale.jpg
 
Thanks a lot everyone. I will try to post my progress here.

I am not too worried about gearing issue. I am looking at it more as a project. This bike is only ment for sunny sundays trip to old town.
Also custom rear sprocket for KTM wheels can be made here for ~$80.

GreasyC- for rear shocks I am going to use either used set of ohlins from xjr, or maybe some custom set of YSS (because I can get them cheaper). Perhaps there is something more that I dont know about suspension difficulties.
 
Get a firm answer on what's the lowest tooth count sprocket you can have made for whatever hub you're using because the problem isn't finding places that make custom sprockets, the problem is the sprocket you want is physically too small to be mounted on most hubs. You can't custom drill mounting bolt holes through the teeth and chain of the sprocket.

On the shocks if you've got the bucks for piggyback ohlins you've got no difficulties. Those should work great assuming the length is good for the swingarm you're working with. I was just saying most XS owners are surprised to see good rear shocks are in the $600 to $1600 bracket. That's more than some of them spent on their entire bike.
 
17's front and rear
Steve Dale built the bike.
Custom built exhaust is mild steel that he oils when it's hot. Craftsman who built the pipe does not want his name known. (was pulling his hair out getting it right) Spark exhaust technology made the can. Rear shocks are off a 90's Honda 1000. Bike handles and brakes very well.

Pic below is from Motowheels site aftermarket duc guys.
F45622835.gif
 
The exhaust looks like well worn/used Ti. I was holding out hope it would be. I wonder how expensive Wiggins clamps would actually be.

Great tip with the oiling of mild steel, almost a park finish.

That is indescribably impressive
 
Arvis,
Where in Lithuania are you? I have found myself living in klaipeda and it would be cool if you were near me :) I've got an 83 that I will finally get to start working on again as I've found a place for her now.
Cheers
 
I've been dreaming about some supermoto type wheels for some time now. It's like everyone pretty much said, it's all about how much time and money you have, or skill if you want to do the work yourself. I went through a LOT, to get this CBR600 front end on my bike, and then some more to get the Honda Ascot wheels to fit. I had to make bushings and spacers to get the axle to fit, then I had to make special rotor adapters to fit the brake rotors onto the Ascot wheels. I only used those wheels because it was what I had (for free). Total pain in the butt. I still want to change to some nice spoke wheels at some point.
 

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I have a 4.25 warp 9 wheel assembley from a XR650 honda. It will take a 160. So I plan on a 160/70/17 rear tire. Im using a aluminum swingarm from a suzuki PE250. I cut the pivot off and made a new one that will use the XS650 swingarm bearings/bushings. The xs650 uses a 17-34 rear sprocket. I can buy a 39 tooth rear for the wheel and a 18 for the front which gives a 2.16 drive verses the 2.0 for stock.not alot of differance, but with the 160/70 tire being just a tad bigger than the stock 130 xs tires I should be pretty close..The rear hub I have is narrower than the stock hub so if the first Idea won't work I'll just machine an adapter to use a smaller rear sprocket. I have room to work with and I'll make an offset front sprocket also if need be
 
my buddy's bike on 17's, motalanna swingarm and I think it is a gsxr front end

1374445403.jpg

1374446737.jpg
 
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