Billet hubs from MikesXS

JesseeS

JesseeS

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So I've purchased from Mike's in the past and have found the products to be about 50/50 alright and trash. I saw they offered billet spoked hubs. I'm interested in purchasing as I'd love to get rid of my mag wheels. That said, I've seen a lot of places offer "billet", only to find when it cracks its actually cast (not necessarily xs650 world, but other hobbies as well). They're not super expensive, but not so cheap that I'm really suspicious. Does anybody have any experience with these?
 
Based on the pics they sure look like billet.

unless they cast it and then came back and machined every surface which is a lot of what your trying to avoid when casting a part I’d bet they were billet.

you can tell real quick when you physically see them.
 
I'm with you that "billet" is motorcycle advertisings most mis-used words.
You also see lots of pressed to shape extrusions being called billet.
But billet has no conotation of the grade of aluminum used even if it started out as ingot. Cast from old storm window frames and beer cans? LOL
Always something to consider when product is imported from a country with low or non existent quality standards.
They give no hint of where they are made but just spit balling; warp or one of the big wheel makers makes them under contract? The machine tool investment to crank out a part like that would be quite large. Machine time a larger part of the cost than the raw aluminum.
Dunno kinda like the looks without the notched flange...
https://cognitomoto.com/products/xs650-rear-hub-disc-brake-conversion?variant=21382173377

upload_2021-9-2_11-17-44.jpeg
 
Thanks guys. I saw the cognito moto ones and thought they were pricey, which I why I even looked at Mike's but seeing the price difference I think it's fair to say which one will be worth it in the end
 
650Skull said:
650Direct, Canada. https://xs650direct.com/products?category=167
$175 front factory look alike repo.........$ 359 rear made for Disk brake

These are advertised for 72-83

MikesXS............Kinda a weird looking one with serrated edge/rim where the spoke head goes
$162 front and $248 rear made for disk.
https://www.mikesxs.net/motorcycles/yamaha/xs650/tires-and-wheels/wheel.html

These are advertised as for 78-83....??????
Click to expand...

The ones from xs650 direct look a bit more proper.
 
I reached out to Mike's to get more info on the hubs. I asked what grade aluminum was used, if they were produced in-house, and if not where were they produced. I got back
" Jesse,

Thanks for reaching out.
The hubs are made of 6061 billet aluminum.

Thank you for your inquiry,
Sam"

So safe to say the other questions won't be answered. Will order from cognito when the time comes
 
Those MikesXS hubs just look awful, while the Cognito Moto looks great. And the 650Direct has a cush drive, but I suppose also drum brake.
I just saw a Suzuki GS750 rear hub for sale locally, and those are cush drive and rear disc brake. Maybe not directly plug&play, but should be possible to use on an XS with some extra machine work/ bearing swap/ custom spacers.
 
I bought a pair of complete wheels from XS650 Direct and am very pleased with them. My guess though is that they are cast from billet quality aluminium, not machined from same.
 

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