Author Topic: Why are rims so stupid expensive  (Read 1487 times)

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Offline Bankerdanny

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Why are rims so stupid expensive
« on: May 02, 2018, 08:43:44 AM »
As I am working on my CB750F project I have been considering the wheels. I would Ideally like to run an alloy tubeless cast wheel like the Lesters on my 550, but the F model rear Lester is nearly impossible to find. I could change out to the Comstars from the F2/3, but they are 17" in the back and I would rather have an 18". There is a Henry Abe on Ebay right now, but it is a 16", even worse than the 17" on a "sport" bike in my opinion.

A less appealing option is to find a Goldwing or 750F front, which is aluminum and bolts right up, then just buy a separate 18" aluminum rear and lace it on to the existing hub. I was over at Buchanan's and just a plain rim, no spokes or anything is between $160 and $250. WTH? Not even polished, just a few dollars of aluminum sheet formed into a hoop and welded together with some holes drilled in it. The production cost per unit can't be more than $20-$25.

There's a guy at the Facebook CB750 parts group selling a set of F2/3 wheels for $130 (including the front rotors). Even though I would rather have the 18" rear and the Comstars aren't particularly light, I still think they look good and they are a very cost effective way to get the tubeless wheels I want.
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Offline calj737

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2018, 09:20:34 AM »
I was over at Buchanan's and just a plain rim, no spokes or anything is between $160 and $250. WTH? Not even polished, just a few dollars of aluminum sheet formed into a hoop and welded together with some holes drilled in it. The production cost per unit can't be more than $20-$25.
Yeah, that’s all. $20. Anyone can do it.  ::)
You obviously don’t understand the process, tooling, or material cost to make a piece of flat stock into a fully formed, perfectly round shape. Then drill it 40 times within a tolerance. Any meat lover with a freaky and a woodshed can do it- So why don’t you?

Aluminum stock alone is more than $25, thank you very little.
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Offline Duke McDukiedook

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2018, 09:47:15 AM »
Like cal said Danny, ya gotta pay to play if you want quality.
Wheels and tires are not places you want to skimp on a bike.
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Offline slikwilli420

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2018, 11:20:01 AM »
I used a different distributor than Buchanans and got Borrani rims shipped direct from Italy for like $500. Thats a steal in any corner of the globe. Add spokes and you are near what a set of Lesters will cost you. You could adapt wheels from another bike like a KZ, which were copies of the Morris 7 spoke design. The cheapest route is to go with GL front and rear aluminum hoops and some nice SS spokes. But I would personally spend the money and get 18" front and back in slightly wider sizes to accommodate more modern rubber.
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Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2018, 03:47:04 PM »
Danny, F2/3 comstars rears are 18".  The front comstar will not work on your F forks without swapping the whole F2/3 frontend.  Many people do not agree that early Comstars are safe to run tubeless.  Personally, I don't know, I always chose safe over sorry and ran a tube.  A 130/90/17 on a Goldwing rim is very close to the same overall diameter as a 4.00x18.
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Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2018, 03:57:47 PM »
Including both triple trees?
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Offline J-Rod10

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2018, 04:38:22 PM »
That was a wee bit of an oversimplification on how those are made.

But, to those of us that build things, a sentiment that's all too familiar from those who don't/can't.

Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2018, 05:20:25 PM »
Including both triple trees?
that? I don't know
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Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2018, 05:32:09 PM »
Sent an e-mail to the shop selling the pair of Shelby Dowd Daytona wheels. They're in Canada and asking $270 or best +shipping each. Steep, but probably not more than I would pay for a set of Lesters with the correct 750F rear wheel, and they are very good looking wheels. I am trying to get them for $500 shipped. If they won't come down much I might opt for the rear only and run a Lester on the front until I can find another SD in the US for a more reasonable price.

The rear was a proprietary disk setup, smaller bolt patter, thinner disk, but I think I can have a machine shop make me an adapter that would allow me to use the stock disk and caliper.
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Offline 754

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2018, 05:51:17 PM »
I have a Shelby Dowd I think18 inch for a disc,  have to dig it out,,, be like 200 shipped.
 It's painted red on the inside where the air goes, needs retainers and bearings, and spacer.
Do you have a machinist buddy ?
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Offline bwaller

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2018, 07:01:10 PM »
Oh sure they don't fall out of rim trees but I find prices ridiculous, spokes included.

I hope Matt has better luck than I because I also bought a Boranni directly from the source in Italy. I've never seen a worse rim, the thing is very poorly made. Besides, it has such a heavy spot, it'll take crazy weight to balance.

I may not even use this new $500+ wheel.

Offline scottly

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2018, 07:56:47 PM »
Including both triple trees?
No, the F2/3 forks will fit right into K/F0-F1 triples. A big bonus with the later F forks are the caliper mounting points, which allow the use of the 82-85? twin piston calipers. Technically, the Comstar will bolt onto the early F forks, but the brake rotors won't work with the early F/late K calipers. The Comstars use a smaller diameter rotor, maybe close to a 550 rotor, but are thinner and have a five bolt pattern, rather than six.
I'm currently running late F forks with a single 32mm twin piston caliper and 320mm Ducati rotor, with a stock K7 master cylinder. The aluminum adapter was required because of the much larger rotor.
On the rear Morris rim, I made an adapter to mount a Kawasaki rotor with the odd 7 bolt pattern to the Morris 6 bolt pattern.
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Offline goldarrow

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2018, 08:28:05 PM »
Morris has 19 front 18 rear disc bolt on for 75-76 750F bikes, but I think also as rare as Lester if not more
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Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2018, 08:29:00 PM »
I have a Shelby Dowd I think18 inch for a disc,  have to dig it out,,, be like 200 shipped.
 It's painted red on the inside where the air goes, needs retainers and bearings, and spacer.
Do you have a machinist buddy ?


No, but Chicago is a big city I should be able to track one down and I think I could do the tech drawings and find a local college student to convert to a CAD file.
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Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2018, 08:30:08 PM »
Now that I think about it, I do know someone, but he's in his 80's and I don't know if he still has his equipment
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Offline slikwilli420

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #15 on: May 03, 2018, 05:49:04 AM »
Those SD wheels are a good price if thats the look you want. Morris wheels will be more expensive than Lesters and are more sought after due to lighter weight. They had model specific bearing adapters for the rotors but if you find a nice set, theoretically you could set them up however you wanted. I was able to find a pair at Mid Ohio last year for the 750 and I paid $500 with everything, and I thought that was a hella good deal. Plan on spending a good chunk on any wheel, especially if they need any refurbishment.
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Offline DurangoCB

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #16 on: May 03, 2018, 07:28:40 AM »
Bicycles are the same way. A $5,000 mountain bike is going to have a $1,800 wheelset on it.

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Offline BomberMann650

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #17 on: May 03, 2018, 10:08:47 AM »
I have a hypothesis that could explain the phenom!

The closer each part is to the ground, the more expensive they become!

Offline spotty

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #18 on: May 04, 2018, 02:01:55 AM »
I have a hypothesis that could explain the phenom!

The closer each part is to the ground, the more expensive they become!
.
Shouldn't a 6 foot sissybar be free then ?
i blame Terry

Offline 754

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #19 on: May 04, 2018, 11:08:00 AM »
Danny send your email to me I got more pics and measurements.
 One side of rimm has a lot of nicks, show Inc good side.
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Offline dave500

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Re: Why are rims so stupid expensive
« Reply #20 on: May 04, 2018, 03:14:48 PM »
ages ago I bought new alloy sun rims and had the hubs blasted/painted and all assembled with new zinc spokes and had my tyres refitted on them,that was $920 fair dickum aussie dollars!