All the "21 inch front wheel" swap/info in one place

Stone

Just Livin
Messages
321
Reaction score
9
Points
16
Location
Michigan
So after searching and doing some more searching and finding some threads here and there I thought putting it all in the same spot would hopefully help others looking for similar info.

Before I forget here are some links to other threads:
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5481
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5475
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6043
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5552
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2571

Hopefully this will help others find some info a little easier also for those who are running a 21' front wheel maybe post up a picture and where you got your rim, so people know what works from what bike, with out a shit ton of modifying.
(this would actually really help me out because mikes is outta stock and I need one!)

enjoy
 
Ill add this..... I'm running a 21" up front. Now for granted, I am not running the stock forks, but this setup was mounted on the factory front end.

What I did was use the stock front hub, Excel front dirt bike rim, and Buchanan stainless spokes and nipples. My front axle is actually the stock axle. The way I went about it was my axle is cut flush on both ends of the forks.... drilled, and now bolted from both sides so they both look the same.

IMG_0911.jpg
 
From what I remember, I got the last 21" Mikes had awhile back because someone posted that they went to buy it one day it was in stock. I placed my order and then it was gone the next. :-D So I have a Mikes 21" with his spokes. I haven't mounted yet, but rest assured I will!

View attachment 6735
 
Front is a skinny wm1 21" rim that I laced to a harley sporty/fx big drum, using vintage NOS spokes(should have bought them all when they were selling them on ebay)with an avon speedmaster. Sporty/fx axle is 17mm, so I only needed to make spacers and a stay bracket to make it work. Pretty simple really, no machining needed.
1301525657.jpg
 
Last edited:
@AussiHard. Lemme know how it goes getting the Harley 60 spoke to work with your stock XS forks. I am trying to figure out what way to go. To buy a stock wheel off of eBay then a 21" rim and spokes from Mikes I am looking at almost $250 piecing it together. However I can get a Harley 21" rim and hub for $120, but not sure how to get it to work with the stock forks with axle diameter differences. Any thoughts?

For instance a 2004 DYNA WIDEGLIDE has a 1" axle, much bigger than a XS650. Help!
 
@Aussie. Here is an issue in my head. A HD 3/4" front wheel is almost a millimeter smaller than stock, 3/4" is 19.05mm and stock is 20mm. How do you account for that issue?

Also, what about braking? Do you use a stock caliper? If so does it align with the HD disc?
 
@Aussie. Here is an issue in my head. A HD 3/4" front wheel is almost a millimeter smaller than stock, 3/4" is 19.05mm and stock is 20mm. How do you account for that issue?

Also, what about braking? Do you use a stock caliper? If so does it align with the HD disc?

Don't know about the size variation, I guess Yamaha is metric so 20mm, Harley is imperial so ¾" not exactly the same. I got my bikes today so I guess I will start finding out.

Need to convert to Harley brakes.
 
I measured my inner bearing dia @ 19.05mm for my aftermarket harley 21"
Thinking the bearing case will be hardened and machine ground, so easier option would be a ¾ axle to suit and put brass bushes in the forks to fill the gap.
 
i've been considering just buying a sporty 35mm front end, or at least tubes and lower legs and using my stock triple trees to make the conversion to use a HD 21" easier. anybody done this? results? how simple is it?
 
i've been considering just buying a sporty 35mm front end, or at least tubes and lower legs and using my stock triple trees to make the conversion to use a HD 21" easier. anybody done this? results? how simple is it?

Yes it can be done, I read about someone doing it most likely on here. There were some considerations other than just sliding them into the trees, some thing about the fork end caps and how they work. Might be the top tree on HD is also part of the capping mechanism.

You can put a whole HD front end on the XS. Quite common. And the neck cups for them bearings are sold in a few places.

Hope this helps some and others might be prompted with memories to point you in the right direction.
 
From what I remember, I got the last 21" Mikes had awhile back because someone posted that they went to buy it one day it was in stock. I placed my order and then it was gone the next. :-D So I have a Mikes 21" with his spokes. I haven't mounted yet, but rest assured I will!

View attachment 6735

I've got a 21" also still working on lacing.

Anybody know where to get a 21" whitewall??? :shrug:
 
Not sure how old this thread is .. but a suzuki RM250 is almost a direct swap for a 21inch front same axle dia. .. with your choice or drum or disk depending on year
 
Back
Top