| Author | Message | ||
     Syscrush |
Hey gang - I've been searching and reading on here for a while looking for info, and it looks like an awesome site. I don't have a Buell (although I think it's inevitable at some point that I will), but I want very much to graft an XB front end onto my SV650. Something that would be a nice break from the usual GSX-R conversions. Where it gets tricky is that I've also got my heart set on swapping to laced wheels. Of course, the main draw for me on the XB front end is that cool inverted brake / ZTL setup. The only bike I've seen with the ZTL and laced wheels is the XBRR Chronos, a very expensive one-off special:  I don't expect it to turn out cheap, but I am hoping that with some time, care, and resourcefulness I might be able to do this front end swap and change the front and rear wheels to laced for not more than what I paid for the bike itself... Any info, advice, or insight MUCH appreciated. Thanks, Phil. | ||
| Puddlepirate |
I hope you're willing to spend some coin. I think the laced look is awesome on an XB, but they're a little more than I want to spend, and on the flipside of that, I wouldn't feel comfortable welding some rotor mounts onto a rim to make one myself. Good luck, I hope you can accomplish this. If you do, be sure to post a full writeup of how it is done.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
If you can weld aluminum, it should be doable. Weld on bosses at the appropriate locations, machine the bosses square with the axle to the correct depth, and retrofit an XB rotor and mounting hardware. | ||
| Syscrush |
Thanks very much for the replies. I was thinking along the lines of welding on the bosses. I don't have the means to do that or the machining myself - if anyone has any pointers on a wheel shop that might be willing to take on such a project, I'd love to hear it. Thinking further, I've also seen some Ghezzi & Brian Guzzi specials with the rim brake and laced wheels - maybe I can get more info from them, although I seriously doubt my wallet could stand the battering it would get from G&B! | ||
| Court |
Where did the one on that bike in the photo come from? I see it's a 2008 motor, looks like a recent build. Can that rim be bought. How trick would it be to do a Ulysses with laced wheels? If you have a source for the wheels or the folks who built that bike, lemme know. Drats. . .if they just had heated grips!  | ||
| Id073897 |
http://www.alpinaraggi.it/ | ||
| Syscrush |
I dug a bit more and found the web home for Hillbilly motors, the company that made the bike shown above. They also made this bike (a bit more tasteful, IMO):  The thing is, I can't find an email address or phone number for them anywhere on the site! I'll keep hunting. Here's the website for those who are interested. In the meantime, I've emailed Ghezzi & Brian, and East Coast Wheels. I'll let you know what I come up with. East Coast wheels just replied - here's what they had to say:
Details to follow as I continue my epic quest for cool wheels. | ||
| Reepicheep |
That white 9s is beautiful! | ||
| Djkaplan |
I don't have a beef with a ZTL brake on a laced wheel, but the lacing pattern used in this application doesn't take advantage what the ZTL was developed for and has to offer. I'm thinking at least 30% of the overall weight of those spokes could have been eliminated using a simpler lacing pattern and shorter spokes. Don't think spokes are very heavy? Lace a wheel one time and find out! | ||
| Syscrush |
That would look so awesome. And make wheelies easier. | ||
| Bombardier |
I dont think I would weld the bosses on. A hole through the rim with the boss held on by bolts sounds a little more secure. You are able to check the security of the bosses without the worry of inferior welds. | ||
| Id073897 |
I can't find an email address or phone number for them anywhere on the site Phone:+49-7424-9313899 Mail: info@fat-cat.eu | ||
| Court |
That white 9s is beautiful! | ||
| Big_koch |
Working on converting my 2000 M2 to laced wire wheels. Just have the front done as of now. Yet to see any road time due to other concurrent mods.  2000 Buell M2 3-spoke cast wheel bearings are a 6204 (20mm x 47mm x 14mm)  2001 Sportster/ narrow Dyna 40-spoke front wheel bearings are 3/4" bore x 52mm OD x 21mm W   Closest swap I could find were 5304-2RS bearings at 20mm bore x 52mm OD x 22.5mm W   Don't be too quick to judge the final product yet... I don't have a shot of the lowered rear, nor have I finished w/ the 3* raked bearing cups, nor 75% of everything else that's getting chopped, ground, welded, sprayed, sanded, bolted, replaced, upgraded, improved, etc. over the past month and into the next. Want to eventually install a perimeter brake but I want to keep the 19" front wheel and haven't found a rotor for that size. Can't afford to have one custom made right now. Aside from cost of the rotor, and ensuring the caliper mounts remain in perfect alignment throughout the welding process, it shouldn't be too difficult. More time than money here... | ||
| Bombardier |
Looks great! Love the finish on the tank! | ||
| Syscrush |
Nice work - I'll be interested to see how you make out with putting the perimeter brake on. | ||
| Buellfart |
I had laced wheels made for my M3 by a really good local shop-A&A Racing in san carlos,ca. I love these wheels.They had to make a special aluminum disc to hold the front disc brake other than that they used the their in house,Mert Lawill hubs with a spacer for the rear,about $2200. at the time.No complaints so far,2yrs. | ||
| Foximus |
I wont lie.... the front lowered down on the forks, with the larger diameter 19" lace looks absolutely SIIICk. | ||
| Bernhardgrave |
Sorry to start a new thread, but I thought I'd answer 2 slightly related questions here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/384 2/675082.html?1333889289 | ||
| Syscrush |
Digging this one up after a long dormant period... My SV is long-gone, but I still haven't stopped daydreaming about the ZTL brake on a laced wheel. Following Bernhardgrave's lead, I contacted JC at http://www.jcpakbikes.com to ask about the Alpinas, and apparently Alpina offers a bolt-on wheel for the XB. I don't know if the bosses are welded to the rim or somehow cast/pressed/forged as part of the manufacturing process. Others interested in this might want to get in touch with JC for more info. | ||
| Pikeben08 |
I looked into this as a future mod for my X1 but it looked like most solutions were in the $1500-$2000 range for the set. Too rich for my blood so I scrapped the idea. | ||
| Bernhardgrave |
Syscrush, Believe it or not, the bosses for the brake mountings are bolted on. They pass TUV, so I am comfortable with that... here they are on my 1125GT: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/706195.html?1362234698 and I have a picture of them on my lightning if you go to my profile. My moto motto mantra is always spend your money on bike parts before you have to waste it on bills. |
