Im in the middle of a bobber build and Im looking at switching up wheels again. Has anyone tried to fit up a sportster rear wheel? I have never swapped wheels on a bike before so this is new territory for me. is it as simple as axle, bearing, and hub size?

Quote:


I can't think of anything special about a sportster wheel that would make trying to put one on a Savage worth the trouble anyway.

what it comes down to is the bike has to go to chain drive and im trying to update the brake system to hydraulic with a rotor.

No disrepect man but I was just putting some feelers out there to see if anyone had atempted the swap and maybe some positive advise. However, it seems the purist here don't seem to support someone new thinking outside the box.

Looking at your build thread......it appears you have abilities that are beyond what most folks new to this site have.  The wheel change and rear disc brake ideas generally are asked by Noobs that have no idea the work that is involved, no welder, no lathe, no milling machine and no ability to make any of the needed changes.  With the Voodoo hardtail work you are doing - it is possible that you could have the ability.  Adding a disc not only involves getting the disc on the wheel - you need to add a caliper mount and then figure out how to adapt a brake pedal, master cylinder and plumbing.  And when all that is done you could end up with a brake system that doesn't brake well as the pedal effort may be too soft or too strong to have smooth braking.

I have only seen a couple of examples of disc brake wheels being installed on a Savage - and both of those were full custom bikes that may actually not be ridden.  One had the disc brake mounted on the countershaft, and the other one had gone to a monoshock rear suspension by grafting on a sport bike rear end complete with wheel and braking system.

I am kinda weird in that I would want both front and rear wheels to match.  If I was using a Sportster rear wheel I would want the matching front wheel.  For me the easiest way to switch wheels is to use the stock hubs and respoke the hubs to use whatever size wheels I want to use.  From what I understand the Voodoo hardtail gets a bit too low when using the 15" Savage rear wheel, and it is better to get a taller wheel to get the frame up off the ground a bit.

Heck, cut it up and make it work... Realistically, unless you find a fan of them, the Savage/S40 is a throwaway bike.

My 98 got wrecked hard back in 2005, stepson had a 35mph layover. Pouring rain, oiled road... Holed the gas tank, pretzeled the rear fender, shattered a bunch of lights...

So, I took it back and have been tinkering with it since the electrical system crapped out in 2010.

Stock is boring, the bike has zero collector potential, in stock trim it is uncomfortable...





I do belong to another international motorcycle forum. For some reason, people in Australia, New Zealand and Europe seem fascinated by my project bike. They've been stedily blowing up my PM box for the last couple years wanting to buy it...

I like the big FL bars on the project so much that yesterday I added a set to the 2003 I've owned for a week and a half.

Not purist; like Dave was saying; all depends on skill level and available tools.  I get lots of ideas going through my head but I don't have the skills or tools to do stuff like Dave and others with similar skill sets.  Sure wish I  could though.
We LOVE to see finely crafted machines, so if you can do it...then have at it man !