| Author | Message | ||
     Sweetsteve |
Hey fellas. This being my first post let me start by thanking you all for all the truly invaluable info through the years. You've saved me money, marriage and missing fingers. Again thank you. I was curious as to anyone mounting solid cast wheels on a cyclone or any tuber for that matter. Specifically later fatboy wheels. What would it take? Chain? Narrow belt/pulley? | ||
| S1owner |
That's a lot of added rotating mass to add. I would think you would need custom Axles, spacers brake mounts possibly custom pulley. But why add that much rotational weight that is a huge handling issue I would think. | ||
| Dannybuell |
my pm wheels will tug at me in a crosswind. the solid wheels would have to be way worse. I have heard tales of able riders riding on solid wheels being tossed about with a strong crosswind. turn it into an end table. | ||
| Sweetsteve |
I currently have pm wheels on it. I can't say I've ever experienced handling issues due to cross wind. Though ive no doubt it's a concern im just too simple to tell the difference. These would be strictly aesthetic. I know the pm's are 5.5 wide and can handle a 190. The fattys are 6.25 and can certainly handle the same. I think both have a 25mm axle but my concern is pulley and rotor positioning. | ||
| Jolly |
I have an 03 fatboy, ridden it half way across the country... I've heard people comment about the wind effect on the solid wheels. Never noticed it. I think the opposite would be true, that HEAVY rotating mass would be like a gyro against the wind. My guess is only new or inexperienced riders on their first big bike and surprised what a cross wind or wind blast can do to a bike and rider, so they blame it on the wheels. But Would do everything counter to what a sport bike was built to do, your bike though, build it how you want, there's the technology and capability here to help you achieve your end state goal, just keep the parts so you can go back.. | ||
| Hootowl |
Your torso sticking up in the wind is all the surface area the wind needs to push you around. I don't think the wheels matter a bit. | ||
| Dannybuell |
good luck. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Solid wheel drift is a myth. You AND your motorcycle, if it's a fat boy, weigh about 800 lbs combined. There's simply not enough inertia (staying power, otherwise known as "weight") versus surface area (what the wind pushes on) to resist a gust of wind, regardless of wheel choice. On a Buell? Same surface area, half the inertia (weight). I have ridden - for this very reason - two fat boys back to back on a windy day, years ago. One, disc wheels. One, aftermarket spoked wheels. ZERO difference with regard to buffeting. Don't believe me? Go demo a pair of bikes. To the OP - I have no idea what it would take to make it work...but in my opinion you'd have a better looking ride if you put on a pair of PMs that are designed to fit. | ||
| Sweetsteve |
I appreciate all the feedback. I'm not one for putting my knee down in every turn. Not that the Cyclone doesn't love curves like a lonely sailor at last call. As far as get up is concerned, she's got plenty. I'd skip lunch on the daily if i wanted to save weight. And THAT is not happening. Like I said, strictly for visual appeal. If it sucks I'll put the PM's back on. Ain't no thang. | ||
| Harleyelf |
Might become a thang. Buells were designed with three guiding principles: Centralize mass, lower the center of gravity, and reduce unsprung weight, especially rotational. You are thinking of taking one of those away. Your axles, springs, steering neck, and support arms are all designed for a lighter wheel assembly. I'm with Ratbuell on crosswind resistance. Never noticed any myself and I did set-ups and test rides of hundreds of bikes with all the stock wheels the factory offered during the time I was working at the shop. The CHP bikes were the most fun. They got a special test ride. | ||
| Akbuell |
Certainly possible, given enough effort. Find a late model Fatboy, and measure the width of the front tire from sidewall to sidewall. Measure the heigth of the front tire. Do the same at the rear, and measure the extra width for the belt and its clearance. Measure the distance between the fork tubes. If not enough clearance, new (custom)triple trees are necessary. If the Fatboy wheel/tire is taller than the stock unit, care will be needed to insure the Fatboy unit will will not contact hard parts on the front of the engine at full fork compression. At the rear, will the drive (chain or belt) actually clear the frame at the swing arm pivot. And how much extra stress will be put on the output shaft if the engine pulley is shimmed outward. And given the way things are built at the engine pulley area, just how far outboard can the pulley be moved? Just some things to check/ponder. | ||
| S1owner |
I would think a chain conversion would be in the plans also to give more clearance I say go for it its your bike there is not anything that cant be built   | ||
| Phelan |
Just so we're clear, you are literally going to double the weight of the wheels. Solid rear wheel weighs in around 40# with tire, rotor, and pulley. | ||
| Ebutch |
This is something to shoot for.  | ||
| Sweetsteve |
Thanks for the input guys. | ||
| 89rs1200 |
Concerning cross wind and PM wheels. Have S3 Buells with and without PM wheels. Live in wide open Nevada. PM wheels are definitely pushed more by cross-wind that the stock rims! Our 30-50 MPH cross winds do indeed push the wheels sideways out from under the motor!! Very uncomfortable to have the wind push the wheels out from under you. Ten years ago, traveled from Las Vegas to Salt Lake city, and for 50 miles in a full lean just to maintain a straight line. I do not tour in my S3 with PM wheels for this reason alone. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I'm willing to bet if you ride both bikes back to back on the same windy day, on the same windy road...you'll get the exact same effect on both bikes. | ||
| Dannybuell |
Stepping back a bit from these opinions on crosswinds; perhaps there is another question that may give a clue to what is going on. In a crosswind situation, how much muscle grip do you have on your bars? Are there two kinds of riders? less grip and grippers? I keep my body position forward enough to keep my elbows bent guiding the bike with a thumb and finger around the grip. the remaining fingers are over the controls. what is your grip style? | ||
| Ratbuell |
Floating. The "death grip" translates into every single body movement changing the course of the motorcycle, whether it's supposed to or not. A valid point/question. | ||
| 89rs1200 |
Morning DannyBuell, That is how I have ridden for years. Less grip is better. Agree with Ratbuell in that "death grip" is always bad. Equate it to riding a horse. The motor "feels" that "death grip" and will not maneuver properly nor where you want to go. I live in Nevada. High cross-winds is the norm here. so yes, I have ridden both S3s in the same conditions and notice the greater 'push' on the PM rims. Side wind pushes the whole motor and rider, agreed. Wheels that catch more of that side wind causes those wheels to move sideways more that the rider and motor, much like the tires are loosing traction, just for a moment. An uncomfortable situation even if it is just a little more. Have talked to Harley riders with solid rims who complain of the same side wind push problem. Please note I am not a new rider: Bought my first S3 in 1997. Now own five and my wife rides the S3 trike. Over 130,000 miles on S3 Buells with over 300,000 miles total. Taken the rider safety course four times over the years, because it is worth it. Raced for a time with AFM in Northern California after discovering I was riding way to fast for conditions on Skyline Drive. (Message edited by 89rs1200 on August 01, 2016) | ||
| Dannybuell |
I have a very light grip and when crosswinds hit I firm up by arm and shoulder muscles a bit. Maybe the death grip guys don't notice so much? | ||
| Upthemaiden |
As far as information swapping wheels, my best advice would be to check out customfighters.com, and let them know what you're planning on doing. There's a ton of info over there on swapping wheels. I feel like I see 50% of the bikes being built there getting the wheels swapped for something else. Obviously the main things are the axle, wheel alignment, and lining up the belt and brake caliper. It can all be done with some custom spacers, maybe some new bearings to fix the axle, and possibly a spaced out rotor if needed. I doubt anyone here will have the specific information you were hoping for, as far as actually measurements, but if you look through some of the wheel swaps on the forum I posted you'll definitely see what needs done to find the measurements yourself. Good luck! |
