information on motorcycle wheels.

94suzuki500 · October 17, 2006, 03:57:59 PM

I am doing a speech on the progression of motorcycle wheels and was needing some info on aluminum rims. Does anyone have a link that I could follow to get alittle information on the rims. I basically just need something to cite as I am just comparing a spoked rim to an aluminum rim and it is pretty obvious. Thanks for the help.

ducati_nolan · October 17, 2006, 04:16:30 PM

The GS wheels aren't all that advanced, they're aluminum but nothing high tech. To get into the progression of wheels you should mention magnesium and the fancy new carbon fiber ones. Super light and manuverable, also super spendy and super easy to screw up

94suzuki500 · October 17, 2006, 04:52:44 PM

well yes I know but the aluminum mags is what basically all motorcycles come with now, sportbikes at least. And I have a gazillion of them in my garage that I can take for my visual aid so i was gonna use the info that I got from an article with my visual aid. I was also going to mention the magnesium and carbon fiber wheels too, just thought it might be easier to find info on the aluminum wheels as they are very common. Thanks for the reply though, Ill let yall know how it goes.

makenzie71 · October 17, 2006, 05:08:40 PM

Actually if you want to do a propper progression of modern motorcycle wheels you need to start with the old school spoked steel wheels. Then go on the stamped steel. Then aluminum. The magnesium.

Aluminum comes on most every bike now...much like in the 60's most bikes had spokers. It's progression, like your paper is about. Magnesium, and other lightweight alloys, are replacing aluminum, though. The newer alloys are cheaper to produce, and the magnesium is lighter...you'll find most european bikes either came stock or had magnesium wheels as an option...since the early 90's even. Honda's offered mags on various bikes for nearly 30 years (my CB900 SS had magnesium wheels). A variety of the SSSA equiped line has also had the option in other markets.

ducati_nolan · October 17, 2006, 05:23:33 PM

I'm not sure what kind of info you're looking for but some are cast, like the GS I think, and some are forged which I think are lighter and stronger. Some of the expensive custom ones are "billet" which is just a bling word that means it was carved/machined from a big chunk of alluminum. I'm not sure if there is any performance benifit to the billet, or if it's just a way to make short production runs and have them look cool.

Some bikes have an aluminum rim and are spoked, I believe for the performance of the alluminum and the old school look of the old wire spoked wheels. The Ducati sport classics and some other retro bikes have these.

94suzuki500 · October 17, 2006, 06:21:35 PM

Quote from: makenzie71 on October 17, 2006, 05:08:40 PM
Actually if you want to do a propper progression of modern motorcycle wheels you need to start with the old school spoked steel wheels. Then go on the stamped steel. Then aluminum. The magnesium.

Aluminum comes on most every bike now...much like in the 60's most bikes had spokers. It's progression, like your paper is about. Magnesium, and other lightweight alloys, are replacing aluminum, though. The newer alloys are cheaper to produce, and the magnesium is lighter...you'll find most european bikes either came stock or had magnesium wheels as an option...since the early 90's even. Honda's offered mags on various bikes for nearly 30 years (my CB900 SS had magnesium wheels). A variety of the SSSA equiped line has also had the option in other markets.

Right right, I was gonna take my dirtbike rim to compare.

The Buddha · October 17, 2006, 06:37:46 PM

Oh yea ... the spagthorpes had wooden wheels, and hence they cant wheelie ...
Of course shaft drive also cant wheelie and harley rider cant wave.
So if you have a wooden shaft drive harley ... its pretty much impossible to wheelie or wave.
Cool.
Srinath.

94suzuki500 · October 17, 2006, 07:04:52 PM

Quote from: seshadri_srinath on October 17, 2006, 06:37:46 PM
Oh yea ... the spagthorpes had wooden wheels, and hence they cant wheelie ...
Of course shaft drive also cant wheelie and harley rider cant wave.
So if you have a wooden shaft drive harley ... its pretty much impossible to wheelie or wave.
Cool.
Srinath.

True, I had the special edition gs with wooden wheels and a shaft, it sucked for wheelies!! No but really check this out, most people think they need something awesome to wheelie, like a gsxr or the like but not this man.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-x4U5GcNNw

I guess this means I thread jacked my own thread...oh well.

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information on motorcycle wheels.