| Author | Message | ||
     Paralegalpete |
I came across another XB forum and someone said that they got a quote to convert to wire wheels back and front 17/19 for 2 grand including the front brake. Has anyone ever heard of this? The obvious reason would be to mount proper dual sport tires. | ||
| Glen |
i would like to see that... my initial thoughts turn to the problems that i deal with on my DRZ wheels. the bike is heavy so spokes go loose and fast compared to the MX bikes ive had. need to run tubes? then youll deal with needing rimlocks to keep the tire from spinning and ripping the valvestem off the tubes. these need to be counterbalanced to keep the bike from hopping down the road. despite those things i would love to see the conversion on a Uly | ||
| Froggy |
It looks something like this.  I wouldn't bother with the 19" front, you will kill handling 90% of the time just to gain something that is used less than 10% of the time. If you are riding more than 10% dirt, you probably would have a dirt squirter anyway. | ||
| Hotredjohn |
I would have to ask why  Spend $2K on wire wheel conversion, I just don't see it. | ||
| Froggy |
$2k would get you a nice used KLR650 or other dirt squirter. | ||
| Jphish |
AMEN Froggy! Lots of low mileage, well farkled KLRs out there for under 3K. I also have an 06 Tiger that takes most the dirt tires commonly used - it still dont make it a dirt bike! Putting knobbies on a Uly is like putting lipstick on an Elephant. Great adventure touring beast, but too heavy & not geared for any serious dirt riding. | ||
| Blasterd |
I have a nearly perfect Honda XL600R that I can't give away for 1000.00 Looks showroom good too, I don't understand it..... | ||
| Eulysses |
Got plates and an electric start Blasterd? That would hook me...and run circles around my DR 650. | ||
| Kellaupat |
Hey Blasterd, awesome profile pic!  I had a XL350R back in 86, boy was that a great bike, The 600 must have been a beast. | ||
| Hotredjohn |
Blasterd  Wouldn't it be nice to have good body painting talent? Dare I say one of the best jobs in the world. Like painting the girls for the SI swimsuit issue  | ||
| Johnboy777 |
""Putting knobbies on a Uly is like putting lipstick on an Elephant. Great adventure touring beast, but too heavy & not geared for any serious dirt riding."" Shhh... some GS1200 Adventure riders might hear you.  . | ||
| Blasterd |
George/ Patrick, got plates but it's kick only...and it will run circles around just about every ds out there. I'ts nasty torque! kinda like Buells! John, some people have the greatest jobs, I would love to do some painting like that, instead I work with the elderly....not much body painting going on with them... | ||
| Paralegalpete |
It's interesting to me that there are tons of tire threads lamenting the unavailabilty of dual sport tires for the Uly, yet when a suggestion is made the could remedy that it dosn't go over very well. What if the cost was less? Is it just the dough? Just curious. (for me, I don't want to house and insure two bikes, insurance is really expensive in Canada) | ||
| Jphish |
Johnboy - In their hearts the GS1200 owners know myth from reality...after they've had to pick up 'reality' a few times...and buy the $1,000 worth of replacement parts. Paralegal - My riding partner is a BMR lover - the 1200GS is for touring...the 800GS for dirty stuff. The 1200, like the Uly, is fine for dirt/gravel roads but not well suited for gnarly stuff. Tires are always a compromise - I've tried the TKCs on the Tiger - good dirt tire, & passable road tire, but not great canyon carving rubber. The question is always - what cha' gonna use it for? | ||
| Froggy |
There is only a handful of people that want true dirt tires. Many of us just want something that will do decent for that 5% of the time we are off road. We aren't looking at ruining the bike by compromising the ride and handling just to gain access to better off road tires. The GS is more dirt aimed to start with, and it gives up its on road handling to get that. Still, a couple hundred cc dirt bike is a better tool for the job if you are going to be riding more dirt. | ||
| Drunk_uncle |
I am the one that posted that thread on buellxb.com. I have an 06 Triumph Sprint ST for canyon carving. I wanted an true adventure bike the Uly actually does quite well off road, even jumping it. The GS also handles quite well offroad. Try keeping up with a German in the hills on a GS. They do insane things with those bikes here. The shop doing the work is Woody's Wheels out of Colorado. Still toying with the idea, but will see how the Scorpion Trails handle a coupel dual sport rides this spring. | ||
| Drunk_uncle |
Oops, I meant to say the GS handles quite well ON road. My bad. |
