revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Any of you lot tried them?

I know Wrat has had a set on his ten for hundreds of years and speaks highly of the handling benefits,but I don't know many others who have splashed the cash on wheels.

I've always balked at the cost,three big ones on an accessory is a hefty outlay for most folk.

So,have you,or even would you?

BST carbon wheels
https://www.bikehps.com/bst/?gclid=CjwK ... T0QAvD_BwE

Oz wheels.
https://www.biketorqueracing.co.uk/part ... heels-.htm

If I wanted a competitive edge on track, maybe.

For the road, maybe not.

I put lighter wheels on my race air cooled RD250... I put a YPVS front wheel on it, was half the weight of the original.

I've fitted lightweight forged aluminium Oz wheels to my Aprilia Falco (came off an RSV Factory), and the difference in the way the bike changes direction is immediately noticeable. It flicks beautifully and the wheels really come into their own on S-bends at speed. I couldn't go back to the standard wheels now.

Probably because I've sold them...

You can just drill your standard wheels à la early FireBlade fairings.

Or grind some metal away from the inside with a grinder.

Hi
My 2012 Speed Triple R came with PVM wheels and if I’m honest I couldn’t tell the difference over other bikes I’ve had with “normal” wheels
Cheers
Steve

I’d have the carbonium ones with a green weave if I could get them past SWMBO. I don’t think “it’s not new I just polished them” would work

Harry wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:01 pm Not 'fancy' lightweight wheels but I do have lighter wheels on my LC and it makes it much more responsive, but doesn't feel as planted.

Did you make any suspension changes after fitting the lighter wheels?

I know whay you are saying,a big old heavy bike can sometimes be less flighty than sportsbikes on bumpy roads,I used to put this to good use on my ZZR1100.

Then I watch the local heroes on tuned sportsbikes with all the trick stuff and they have those things set up so well.

I have Dymags on my GSXR11 that were originally from a BSB ZXR750, they're quite old now and I don't really trust them, but they did make a hell of a difference although I suspect something like a new GSXR1000 wheel would be lighter again.

Harry wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:40 am

Skub wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 8:26 pm
Did you make any suspension changes after fitting the lighter wheels?

I didn't feel I needed to, the wheels are unsprung weight and that's what changed, the sprung weight is still the same.
I guess if I was a better rider and riding competitively then I might need to change suspension because now the bike handling characteristics have changed but on my LC it wasn't that dramatic, I could definitely feel the weight had gone, acceleration and braking was noticeable, but I don't think it made me any faster.

A more pleasurable feeling would be what draws me in,I love bikes which handle effortlessly. At my age faster don't mean diddly.

The unsprung weight does have an effect on suspension settings but how many people have had their suspension setup properly for their weight (including springs), alot of people have a ride in/ride out setup at a suspension shop and never touch it again, let alone service it every 2 years properly.

I run Lightweight alloy wheels on my R1, my non standard R1 weighs 176kg with fuel and oil, the saving from the wheels was circa 2kg per wheel when I weighed them!

SSR Suspension wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:52 pm The unsprung weight does have an effect on suspension settings but how many people have had their suspension setup properly for their weight (including springs), alot of people have a ride in/ride out setup at a suspension shop and never touch it again, let alone service it every 2 years properly.

I run Lightweight alloy wheels on my R1, my non standard R1 weighs 176kg with fuel and oil, the saving from the wheels was circa 2kg per wheel when I weighed them!

That sounds fun! I'd be interested to know all you had to do to get the bike weight down to 176kgs.

Alot of work, its a track bike as well. Current rwhp (not that it matters) is just shy of 160hp, not quite 1hp per kg yet, but not bad for a 1999 4xv.

Have a set of BST wheels on my R1 and it has made a noticeable difference, very much when I put the standard wheels back in when I shagged the tyres and the standard wheels had a new set on them, could wait to get the BSTs' back on.

rossm wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:01 pm Have a set of BST wheels on my R1 and it has made a noticeable difference, very much when I put the standard wheels back in when I shagged the tyres and the standard wheels had a new set on them, could wait to get the BSTs' back on.

Sweet looking bike man.

Do you use the R1 mostly for road or track too? I'm just trying to understand if lighter wheels make a difference on the road,or does it take track use to appreciate the advantages?

I've got a set of Marchesini wheels on my Ducati 900SS project. Compared to the standard 3 spoke wheels they save a ridiculous amount of weight at each end.

Standard wheels



5 Spoke Marchesini wheels (got them from Rich at Louigi Moto, only been used for practice laps on their TT2 Ducati)



Some day I'll ride the fucking thing, but having ridden Dukes with these different rims, I'm sold that they turn / flick so much more easily than the standard rims.

Lovely jubbly GP.

Skub wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:29 pm Lovely jubbly GP.

Nowhere near the difference Carbon wheels make apparently, but at least they probably won't shatter on the first pothole they meet

G.P wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:53 pm

Skub wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:29 pm Lovely jubbly GP.

Nowhere near the difference Carbon wheels make apparently, but at least they probably won't shatter on the first pothole they meet

That's also a concern. A mate has the latest Beemer HP4 thingy and it's already had a rear wheel replaced after what looked suspiciously like a hairline crack. BMW says no,merely a mark in the lacquer....but they replaced it anyway.

I vividly remember the rear Marvic collapsing on Robert Dunlop's bike at the TT,then more cracks were found in other wheels after riders became interesting in checking.

In fairness I think tech has moved on greatly since then and for the price of the gear,you'd like to think durability is no longer a factor.

rossm wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:01 pm Have a set of BST wheels on my R1 and it has made a noticeable difference, very much when I put the standard wheels back in when I shagged the tyres and the standard wheels had a new set on them, could wait to get the BSTs' back on.

Have you got a photo without the bike so I can see the 944?

As I understand it you can have lighter springs with lighter wheels making for a softer ride.
With heavy wheels you need stronger springs to get the rebound fast enough so the wheels arent skipping over dips and keep in contact with the road.

With changes to the damping rates needed as well.

Loads about this in John Robinsons Chassis Tuning book.