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Message started by kevinphan on 04/28/11 at 05:07:13

Title: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by kevinphan on 04/28/11 at 05:07:13

I tried searching but didn't come across anything solid. Does anyone know what rear wheel is swappable with the stock one? I don't want a mag, looking for a spoke wheel. I'm looking to swap to an 18, and swapping out the front to a 21 probably from a dirtbike. Any help is appreciated.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by sbaugz on 04/28/11 at 07:23:01

dont know about a direct swap but you could always have the stock hub relaced to an 18" rear (similar to the RYCA CS-1). There are usually places around that will lace them for you for reasonable prices. Check with any local motorcycle shop and they can probably refer you to someone.
Check with motobuddha- he had it done himself and can tell you the costs of doing this. I think he had the front decreased to 18" and the rear increased to 18". Probably a couple hundred bucks would be my guess. Probably cheaper than a new wheel anyways.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by MotoBuddha on 04/28/11 at 07:59:00

If you want a wire spoke wheel, get the rim sizes of your choice and have it laced up to the stock hubs. You can find used rims cheap on eBay. Then all you need are the correct spokes.

You can go with an 18 on the rear, but you need to be careful with tire choice or it will interfere with the swingarm cross bar. However, you can notch the cross bar for clearance. Here's an 18 laced to the stock rear hub:

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/9304f69b.png

A 17 might be a better choice, because then your tire options are huge. Sportbikes, tourers and motards use 17s. It will be harder to find a cheap 17" wire spoke rim, though, because all the motard guys want them. They can be expensive new. But if you go that way, you'll be looking for front rims and tires, because the rears would be too wide.

Things are less complicated on the front, assuming you're not using a fender. A 21 will fit fine, but check tire options first. I haven't needed to look for 21" street tires (rather than knobbies). You really want to stick with the stock front hub, otherwise you open a can of worms with the rotor and caliper.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by verslagen1 on 04/28/11 at 08:17:59

17" is a better choice, you might have to go with a low profile tire though.

Not all of the GS bikes are mags, but that's where I would start.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by wesley on 04/28/11 at 08:59:19

Great info!!

I guess thats what i can do if i really want whitewalls since they dont make them for stock size anymore..

what else do i need to know when re-lacing to a bigger rear wheel?
what are the specs?... width and spoke wise?

Thanks

Wes

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by MotoBuddha on 04/28/11 at 09:14:53

3E353220322424570 wrote:

what else do i need to know when re-lacing to a bigger rear wheel?
what are the specs?... width and spoke wise?

I took the wimpy way out when I had my front hub laced to an 18" rim. I just sent them to a pro who figured out what length and gauge spokes I needed. He even put new bearings in the hub. It wasn't cheap, but when I figure the time and energy I would have spent, the mistakes I would have made, and the inferior results I would have gotten, paying to have it done was worth it.

Oh, and make sure the rims have the same number of holes as the hubs -- 36.

Another "Oh": the maximum diameter for the rear tire, without notching the cross bar, is 26 inches. So you might want to start this whole process with first finding a tire the right size, whether it's a 17 or 18 or even a 16. You don't want to be stuck with a nice rim and no tires that work.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by verslagen1 on 04/28/11 at 13:31:07

Here's one that might work... would need to check rim dim's

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1978-SUZUKI-GS425-REAR-WHEEL-RIM-TIRE-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3f0803b56bQQitemZ270717400427QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by BurnPgh on 04/28/11 at 20:00:56

PLEASE dont notch the cross bar on the swingarm unless you plan on doing so to add strength. The swingarm is flimsy enough as it is.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by kevinphan on 04/28/11 at 22:50:37

Clearance for the bigger wheel shouldn't be a huge issue because I have a hard tail frame now. Thanks for the help so far, I'm probably gonna just try some Suzuki wheels out first and see if any is compatible if not then gonna go with a new rim and lace to the stock hub.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by verslagen1 on 04/28/11 at 23:46:55

tire size for this should be 3.5x18

594A5D5C434E484A411E2F0 wrote:

these should be 4x18
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-Suzuki-GT750-GT-750-LeMans-rear-wheel-tire-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3cb74d5375QQitemZ260773335925QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

and another one...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-GT550-GT-550-750-Rear-Wheel-Assembly-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem35b1a5cfabQQitemZ230613700523QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by MotoBuddha on 04/29/11 at 05:25:57

26283B24233D252C234D0 wrote:

The correct way would be to box in the notch with a nice thick piece of steel.

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by kevinphan on 04/29/11 at 08:29:14

The rear half of my bike isn't stock anymore, so again this has nothing to do with clearances.

This is what the frame looks like:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/kevin_phan/D70s/D70/Tigs5.jpg

Title: Re: Bigger Rear Wheel?
Post by MotoBuddha on 04/29/11 at 11:14:30

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/9772c484.png

Looks like you have plenty of room, but you might want to check the clearance at the yellow arrow jut to be sure. Then, as far as tire width goes, your limit is drive belt (or chain) clearance.