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WHEEL SIZE 16-17 FRONT?

 
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Cheeze it 1400



Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 2
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:02 am    Post subject: WHEEL SIZE 16-17 FRONT? Reply with quote

Hey everyone. I have been emailing Bill last year. Great help.
Just getting into gear to start new sidecar GSX1400. The bike will look different, cafe racer, hence the following tyre type choice.
Am wanting to set the bike up with a wide bike tyre on the front, centre hub, purely for that JUDGE DREDD look, and not sure of size whether to go 16 or 17.
Have run the poor old FJ1100 with STD 120/60x17 for a number of years and do understand how a bike tyre wears and works.
Want a wide car wheel 5.5 or 6" but run maybe a 160 or 170/60. Wider rim narrower tyre will flatten out but still have the fat rounded motorcycle look.
May change it to a car tyre later.
Side car wheel at this stage is a TOYO 185/60x13 old school mag, GENRAL LEE-DUKES OF HAZARD STYLE. This will change when new cassis made but that aint gunna happen for a couple of years at this stage.

Advantages and disadvantages of a 16 or 17 ????

Cheers guys and great site. There are some amazing looking rigs out there.
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Polar Bear



Joined: 24 Oct 2008
Posts: 110
Location: Denia Spain Ex Birmingham UK

PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi There Cheeze,

Not sure if this info is of any use or not .. but I offer it as an indication of what can very successfully be done.

My Rig .. A 2008 Honda CB1300 with Leading Links and an EZS (one off) single adult Chair runs on THREE 15" Alloy (Sports Car) EZS Wheels and THREE Toyo 195 / 45 Tyres. Shocked

I specified this particular 'Hummer Truck Look' Cool when the Rig was being designed and built at the EZS Workshops in Holland.

At Motorway (Freeway) Speeds it runs as straight as it ever could
Big Grin I've had it up around the 145 MPH marks (without my wife of course Rolling Eyes )

On the slower twisty bits we get around as fast as I ever want to go Smile .

On Bad Lumpy Bumpy surfaces the front end needs some firm
'directional input' from me Surprised) .. but I often just hold the bars very loosely and let it all sort itself out.

One Year on and 6.000 fun filled miles on some very mixed Spanish tracks and European roads, we have had no problems at all .. so far.

Photos available via email if required. Wink

Good Luck with your Rig .. Stay Safe .. Polar Bear.
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Paul



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 182
Location: Utah

PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you saying you want to run a motorcycle tyre on a car rim?

If so - won't work. They are actually different sizes. You might get it mounted - but it will be horribly dangerous to ride on.
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Cheeze it 1400



Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 2
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:22 am    Post subject: Re: WHEEL SIZE 16-17 FRONT? Reply with quote

Thanks for the input Paul. That blows that look for the new rig.

I presume you cant put a car tyre on the 6" rim on the back of the Suzuki without changing the rim to a car rim??

Any idea on size of wheels ie: why so many 15 inch wheels. Would like the bigger wheels. Again its looks for the bike.
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Paul



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 182
Location: Utah

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Correct, you would need a car rim for the back as well. The profile of the bead on a car rim is different from a motorbike rim. If you put a car tyre on there, it can just pop off when you go round a corner.

Most sidecar conversions use 15 inch wheels because they fit the best. You need a tyre that will fit into the swingarm - so generally something in the 180mm range - and for cars, those sizes are only available on small wheels.

On the front, if you're making your own front suspension, you could use any wheel/tyre you want - but most people want the front to match the back.
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arbalest



Joined: 01 Feb 2005
Posts: 93
Location: Windham

PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:06 am    Post subject: car tire/mc rim & vice versa Reply with quote

Kosman Specialties can do this. They put automotive beads on mc wheels for drag racers. They can widen wheels, change dia. up by one inch. Do a web search, send an email. Their website leaves a lot to be desired, but they will answer your email.

Mike Lydon
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zentime



Joined: 22 Jan 2005
Posts: 837
Location: Massachusetts USA

PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I couldn't agree more with what Paul said.

Not only are the rim diameters different but the bead seat profiles for a car wheel and a motorcycle wheel are dramatically different. Although 16" car wheels are close in dia to mc wheels. People use car tires on 16" MC wheels but I personally wouldn't do it.

Here's some pictures of something we did. It's for an off road sidecar rig. They don't run perfectly true but will probably be ok. It'll be interesting to see how they hold up. We just did it for a friend this one time and except no responsibility for the results nor for anyone out there that would like to give it a try. Just thought given this discussion, people might find it interesting. We're working on the front wheel now. They are 6" X 15" aftermarket rim hoops made for building custom car wheels.

We heated the rim and shrunk fit it to the center section after we machined it. I can weld aluminum but not this well so I took it to the best certified welder I know and had him stick them together.

Good discussion going here BTW.




















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Doug



Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 41
Location: Tallahassee, FL

PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:26 pm    Post subject: Tire mounted on wheel modified by Bill Reply with quote

I thought you all might like to see a picture of the wheel Bill modified for me with the tire mounted and installed on the bike. The tire is a rally car gravel tire in a 185/70/15 size. I just received the front wheel that was also modified by Bill and it will use the same size tire as the rear. The tire on the sidecar wheel will be a little narrower at 175/70/15. The tires are a little taller than the stock ones but, believe it or not, are actually just a little wider than the stock 180/55/17. Although the rear tire fit between the swing arm with no clearance issues, I am sure it is going to be a challenge building a leading link front fork that will accommodate the wide front tire considering the triple clamps are narrower than the tire. You probably can tell from the picture that the bike for this dual sport project is a Yamaha FZ1. Being a water cooled 1000cc four cylinder, it should be a bit faster than the F650GS / Ural rig we previously had been playing off road with. The sidecar to be built will be a stand up tubular frame type with no body but will have a seat to rest on between dirt sections. For the sidecar suspension, I picked up a Honda VFR single sided rear swing arm. It is kind of neat because being aluminum it doesn't weigh a bunch and it already has a disk brake, caliper, pro link suspension and a four bolt wheel pattern that with a spacer will allow me to mount a car wheel. I am really anxious to get working one this project but it will have to wait for a while. I will be leaving May 1st on the Hayabusa RDS rig for a six week trip from Florida to California then north to Seattle Washington then to Chicago Illinois and finely back home to Florida. When back I will try to submit pictures of the off road project but don't expect too much. Although I am determined, I am not anywhere near the fabricator that Bill Ballou, Bill McSheehy or many of you are.








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David



Joined: 18 May 2006
Posts: 109
Location: Chelsea Michigan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:07 am    Post subject: Tire mounted on wheel modified by Bill Reply with quote

Yes Doug, Bill did a fantastic job on those wheels. Really looks like a neat project you have doing. Will be waiting to see the finished product.

Sounds like you are off to a great trip. Take lots of pictures, have fun, be safe.

Are you going to make Maggie Valley?
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docmike



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 630
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doug, Patti,

Sounds like a grand adventure, keep us posted.

Hope Maggie Valley is in the plans

Mike
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93 BMW K1100RS / EML Speed 2000
89 Honda GB 500 (6,700 miles, all original except tires)
67 Triumph 650 chopper
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