Rim width recommendations? (Front vs Rear sizing)

I prefer wider rims. And the work involved in refurbing a stock rim makes it a pretty easy choice.
Motorcycle tire wheel technology has advanced a bit in 50 years relatively wide, squat tires do improve how the XS handles.
I'd be looking at a 3.00 x 18 rim and 120/80/18 tire
Yes getting good tires on Norton 19 rear rims is not easy, not much to pick from.
 
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gggGary said:
I prefer wider rims. And the work involved in refurbing a stock rim makes it a pretty easy choice.
Motorcycle tire wheel technology has advanced a bit in 50 years relatively wide, squat tires do improve how the XS handles.
I'd be looking at a 3.00 x 18 rim and 120/80/18 tire
Yes getting good tires on Norton 19 rear rims is not easy, not much to pick from.
Click to expand...
But if I go with an affordable (Mike's XS), aftermarket rear rim in 18", won't I still have spoke angle issues? BTW, their widest is 2.5"
 
46th Georgia said:
But if I go with an affordable (Mike's XS), aftermarket rear rim in 18", won't I still have spoke angle issues? BTW, their widest is 2.5"
Click to expand...
Should be good with an 18 rear I've used mikes rims. their 18's are (seem) designed for rear hub angles.
I get my 3x18s from a supplier in Italy, they sometime advertise and sell on the Ebay USA site.
I'll see about getting some spoke/rim close up pics.
 
grizld1 said:
The High Priest of Speed got, uh, uncertain about our location on the Ozarks Rally one year when his and everyone ele's GPS went down. I had the only paper maps. Luddites will inherit the roads.

Okefenokee, eh? Say Hey to Pogo, Porky, and Miz Beaver for me. Tell that crew I miss 'em.
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Living near the swamp gives you lots of "disposal" options. Gators will eat anything.
 
Worked with a young fella a few years ago had a pit bull that ate tires, I would give him my motorcycle take offs and the dog would shred them. As I understand it ate a steel belted radial once, only once, never ate another one
 
RC4MAN said:
Worked with a young fella a few years ago had a pit bull that ate tires, I would give him my motorcycle take offs and the dog would shred them. As I understand it ate a steel belted radial once, only once, never ate another one
Click to expand...
Some dogs, like some people, are just too stupid to live.
 
What's that, Georgia? Are you hinting that Pogo and the crew haven't been around 'cause Albert ate his neighbors in a moment of weakness? Say it ain't so!
 
Front
KIMG0580.JPG


and rear
KIMG0583.JPG

I made some circles where you can see the original hole at a different angle also compare where the spoke comes out of the dimple to the angle the spoke is at. There can be issues in BOTH dimensions. ie hub width varies a bunch on various machines. This rear wheel is mated to a Suzuki disk brake rear hub, flange to flange distance is rather narrow. For the best results, a wheel builder like Buchanons.....
Getting to be time for Madness' spring cleaning..............
 
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Just to be clear, I'm going to lace 18"x2.5 inch rims from Mikes XS, or at least that's the plan, onto stock 81 Yamaha 650 hubs. You don't think I'll have spoke angle issues, but if I lace up 19"s I will? I really need to do my own labor in order to keep the budget under control. I'm a vintage auto restorer (paint and body) so I'm not without skills, plus one of my best friends has restored many m/c wheels if I get into trouble. I know I'm a bit long winded, but I also know how planning can save a lot of headaches. Thanks for taking time to walk me through this.
 
In general the 18's" will be a decent fit on the rear but will have somewhat wrong angles for front use. But at the greater distance hub to front rim the issues aren't as big.
There's a reason the great majority stick with 19 front 18 rear.............
 
If you purchase from Buchannan and speak with them, tell them what you have as a hub and what you want to do they will drill a rim to match the correct spoke angles.
I mounted a stock rear Yam hoop on a front hub and had no problem. Of course that was 40 years ago, I may have "massaged" the spoke holes with a drill to eliminate any unwanted bend in the spoke
 
gggGary said:
In general the 18's" will be a decent fit on the rear but will have somewhat wrong angles for front use. But at the greater distance hub to front rim the issues aren't as big.
There's a reason the great majority stick with 19 front 18 rear.............
Click to expand...
Did you just elongate the nipple holes to change the angle? If so, Dremel tool or small rat tail?
 
CAD plating is what most stock spokes came as. Buchannans offers Stainless which don't dull, corrode or rust over time but cost more. All CAD plating is not created equal however but I can't comment on the quality of the stuff Mike's sells, though I have to admit that I have purchased some from them though haven't laced them yet. If kept inside, cleaned as necessary and cared for they should hold up fine
 

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