(Noob) Shinko tire look on front wheel?

[ryno]

Hi guys, I'm really new to this, so please use dummy terms. hah I also searched for this but didn't come up with much.
Anyways. I came across some bikes that I had imagined what my tire/wheel combination I wanted mine to look like.
I definitely wanted to use the Shinko Classic 240 as my rear, then realized that it's only offered for the 16" rear wheel (which is fine because thats what I have). Until I saw some of these bikes. Could anyone explain what they did here? It looks like the rear rim is an 18" and not 16".. Am I wrong or just dumb?
I see now that they are not Shinko's but actually Firestone Coker's. Which would explain, if these rears are in fact 18" how they got away with the Shinko look front and rear lol.

Also any guys with 16" Shinkos on their spoke wheels would help my mind at ease maybe?

Thanks guys.

 

[TeeCat]

ryno, welcome!

I have no experience with bobbers, choppers, or brats, but it appears to me that both rims on each of the bikes pictured are 18s; I think the hardtail introduces an optical illusion of sorts.

Might you just use Cokers? I'd think the handling characteristics are much the same as the Shinkos as they both have an early-style linear tread.

TC

 

[ryno]

Thanks TC.

Apparently I can't use the search button correctly the first time around.

I did some research and found out that the earlier xs650s came with an 18" rear wheel, why they switched to a 16" in later models is beyond me.

So I guess heres some more rookie questions. 1)Where can I find an complete 18" rear wheel 2)If I go the 18" rear route.. Do I have to run an 18" front or can/should I run my stock 19" front?

If I do go with the 18" rear the Coker's will do just fine, I just wanted the Shinko look (didn't think anyone else made one similar)

 

[5twins]

I see you're in Phoenix and I know they have motorcycle junk yards out there. You should be able to find one there easy enough. Any rear 18" 650 wheel up to '79 will swap right in. All rear wheels after '79 were 16". No problem running with a 19" front.

 

[blackbetty]

The bobber pictured above has a 18" rear and a 19" front, 4.5" firestone rear, 4" front. Those two bikes are one in the same hahaha. The first pic was mid build and he was sporting a king sportster tank.

If you look through that guys flickr, he has captions below his build specs. I believe that bike had mags on it when he got it. It's an 83.

Funny how that dude's bike is constantly getting posted; probably because it's the first one to pop up when you search "xs650 bobber" on google.

 

[ryno]

I see you're in Phoenix and I know they have motorcycle junk yards out there. You should be able to find one there easy enough. Any rear 18" 650 wheel up to '79 will swap right in. All rear wheels after '79 were 16". No problem running with a 19" front.

Ya, I actually just moved here from NY.
I know of one place, I was planning on going to today, called Bob's Cycle, I heard they kinda bend you over there sigh.
So if I get a 18" rear, running a 19" front will be okay? Just making sure.

 

[ryno]

The bobber pictured above has a 18" rear and a 19" front, 4.5" firestone rear, 4" front. Those two bikes are one in the same hahaha. The first pic was mid build and he was sporting a king sportster tank.

If you look through that guys flickr, he has captions below his build specs. I believe that bike had mags on it when he got it. It's an 83.

Funny how that dude's bike is constantly getting posted; probably because it's the first one to pop up when you search "xs650 bobber" on google.

Thanks BB. Very helpful.

Haha, yah I noticed that. I couldn't or didn't have the patience to search another bike with Coker's front and rear 18".

It's a well built bike.

 

[blackbetty]

It's a well built bike.

Agreed 150%. In fact, I jacked the mids/foot clutch setup he has

 

[XSLeo]

The early bikes used a 19 front , 18 rear. On the later bikes Yamaha was giving the bike a more cruiser look. To copy the Harley's of that time. Harley used a 16 inch rear so the XS650 got a 16 inch rear.
Leo

 

[pyrocentric]

Yeah I was disappointed that the shinko 240 only came in 16" too. They do make replica firestones, but they're expensive.