Author Topic: Aluminum rims? (Read 4772 times)

TRPLE · « **on:** February 27, 2006, 08:16:28 PM »

Does anyone here have spoked aluminum rims? At this point I have mainly a passing interest in putting them on my 400F. I was just wondering what it was like to find the hoops, get them the right dimensions for correct sized tires and number of spokes, and lace them. And of course also cost.

- Matt

bwaller · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:09:46 AM »

TRPLE,

I always deal with Buchanan's. (buchananspokes.com)There are others. There are different style rims available but I can only show you the shouldered Excel because thats what I have on my 550 &750. I do have polished stainless spokes on a 400 but the chrome rims were perfect so kept those.

They can help with rim sizes to match original so use the tires you like and just let them know year & model, if you'll be using stock hubs and they'll line you up with the right spoke kits. I don't type well enough to explain the lacing/truing process, but I noticed the last time I checked their site they are offering an instruction videotape - get it if you've never done this before.

Now take a seat we're going to talk money! I just bought a WM4 shouldered/dimpled 40 hole Excel rim from Buchanans for $186.00. The last spoke kits I got three years ago were 88.00 rear plus 46.50 polishing and 76.50 front plus the polishing. So this isn't cheap anymore, but I like the results and aluminum rims are lighter.

MRieck · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:37:04 AM »

I have polished Sun rims and stainless nipples/spokes from Buchanans. Nice but not cheap.

Slapguts · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:46:52 PM »

My 750 came with an aluminium on the rear. It's a Sun. Could use a polishing. I'm going with a 16" H-D rim instead, if you'd be interested in a trade.

cd811 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2006, 06:00:06 PM »

bwaller...what a nice clean shop!!!!!!!!!!!

putnaja1 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2006, 06:53:58 PM »

Quote from: bwaller on February 28, 2006, 05:09:46 AM

Now take a seat we're going to talk money! I just bought a WM4 shouldered/dimpled 40 hole Excel rim from Buchanans for $186.00. The last spoke kits I got three years ago were 88.00 rear plus 46.50 polishing and 76.50 front plus the polishing. So this isn't cheap anymore, but I like the results and aluminum rims are lighter.

Hey,

I'm wondering- what does the sholdered mean? What about dimpled? Is the shouldered part the raised section where the spokes meet the rim? Or other?

bwaller · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2006, 07:41:27 PM »

The shouldered rim has a wide outer flange for its strength as opposed to the rolled outer edge of a steel rim. The dimples are the raised areas the spoke nipples recess into, same as an original steel rim. There are several options in replacement rims, I have an aluminum DID that is identical to it's steel counterpart, some others can be dimpleless.

One site to check is buchananspokes.com

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2006, 08:10:47 PM »

I bought these direct from the manufacturer in China as "samples" for under $100.00 for all four. The company rep was hoping that I'd buy a container load, so paid half of the UPS shipping to Australia as well. Supposedly, they sell a lot of them to a big rim and spoke company in the US, I wonder who that would be? Cheers, Terry.

pwright · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2006, 09:57:35 PM »

Terry,

Any chance some of us could call the rep to "potentially buy a container load..."?? What a deal you got! I'm jealous... wish there was a way a bunch of us could get together and do a group buy on some of the stuff we all want... as I just can't justify the cost of those rims at the current going rate.

Later,
-Pat-

theunrulychef · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2006, 07:12:59 AM »

Don't forget that the Goldwing & Hondamatics had DID aluminum rims. You should be able to find them pretty cheap on ebay. I paid around $50 for a whole GW front wheel - rotors and all, but paid $80 for an Akront 16 x 3.5 - just the rim. Admittedly, the Akront was already polished & pretty much NOS, but still, money's money. If you get one of the old DID rims, they were anodized, so it takes a bit of work to get them back to full polish.

-Jay in Philly

crazypj · « **Reply #10 on:** April 15, 2006, 07:15:55 AM »

Cooo, they look just like the ones B****** **sell for $150+ each.
For a 400f, check out the original Honda price for the offroad bikes, may well be cheaper than you think, spoke sets are about $20~$30 cheaper than Buchannans (XL/XR250/350/400/500/600/650 or the CR motocross bikes, they use 19" rears)
PJ

Barrett99 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2006, 03:46:20 PM »

I replaced my rims with shoulderless alloy rims and stainless spokes/nipples. Spoke kit was from Buchanan and the rims were from
Central Wheel in the UK. Could not find the stock size 1.60x18 front rim in the U.S., Buchanan gave me the name of the company in the UK. www.central-wheel.co.uk If you try a 1.85 on the front it will probably be to wide and not clear the fender. This was 18 months ago, maybe Buchanan or another wheel specialist in North America now stocks a 1.60x18. Recall a conversation with a Buchanan rep who said not much demand for that size.

Bodi · « **Reply #12 on:** April 15, 2006, 07:28:55 PM »

A 1.85 will clear the fender stays with miles to spare. You could put a WM3 on the front easily.
Aluminum rims are lots lighter but much weaker, hitting a board or rock that the steel rim would laugh off can bend an aluminum rim badly. Mounting a tire using tire irons/screwdrivers/sweat/cursing easily marks and gouges an aluminum rim.
The flanged rims look great though...

putnaja1 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 16, 2006, 09:22:48 PM »

Quote from: Bodi on April 15, 2006, 07:28:55 PM

A 1.85 will clear the fender stays with miles to spare. You could put a WM3 on the front easily.
Aluminum rims are lots lighter but much weaker, hitting a board or rock that the steel rim would laugh off can bend an aluminum rim badly. Mounting a tire using tire irons/screwdrivers/sweat/cursing easily marks and gouges an aluminum rim.
The flanged rims look great though...

This is what I was wondering.. If I make up some fancy rims, how am I gonna get tires on there without butchering the new rims?

Also, if I want to run these wheels:
Front: 19 X 2.15"
Rear: 17 X 2.50"

How do I figure out what size tires are optimum fit- for example, if I want to run Pirelli Sport Demons? I've been digging around previous posts, and others have run these rims successfully. But, I don't know what tires will fit.

caferacer550 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 17, 2006, 12:53:39 AM »

On a side note.

How noticeable are the weight savings by switching to aluminum rims?
How much weight is saved?

Just wondering.

Bodi · « **Reply #15 on:** April 17, 2006, 01:11:07 PM »

I haven't figured out how to mount a tire without some rim damage. Shops have machines to do it that only touch the inside of the rim flange, but I had a shop break a spoke some years ago using one of these machines. Maybe there's a different and better machine, but theirs held the wheel via a dog against the spoke while an arm dealy with a hook thing rolled the bead over the flange; this is fine with a cast or comstar wheel but apparently not with my spoked wheel.
So the gouges and scrapes on the rim are just trophies... "I faced the beast and won".
I just installed new tires. The bruises should be gone in a few days, I can patch up the hole in the wall from when the tire iron catapulted out of the works.

cd811 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 17, 2006, 07:44:31 PM »

I got a set(3) of rim savers that help a lot....moon shaped, plastic,clipy things,,,I got them when I got my tire mounting irons

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #17 on:** April 17, 2006, 07:56:14 PM »

Quote

So the gouges and scrapes on the rim are just trophies... "I faced the beast and won".
I just installed new tires. The bruises should be gone in a few days, I can patch up the hole in the wall from when the tire iron catapulted out of the works.

Boy, this all has such a familiar ring to it.

putnaja1 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 18, 2006, 10:40:44 AM »

Still curious on this one guys.. Am I missing something really obvious? Everything I've read tells me that the tire size width number (example, the 110 in the tire size 110/90H19) is for the optimal surface or some such idea. So, apparently it's not for the entire tire width. I wish tires were sized with rim sizes, that would make sense if a 2.50 wheel ran 2.50 tires..

Quote from: putnaja1 on April 17, 2006, 12:53:39 AM

Also, if I want to run these wheels:
Front: 19 X 2.15"
Rear: 17 X 2.50"

How do I figure out what size tires are optimum fit- for example, if I want to run Pirelli Sport Demons? I've been digging around previous posts, and others have run these rims successfully. But, I don't know what tires will fit.

Just wondering.

dusterdude · « **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2006, 12:06:07 PM »

naw,thats too easy.

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Author Topic: Aluminum rims? (Read 4772 times)

cd811

theunrulychef

Barrett99

caferacer550

cd811