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Project: $225 Supermoto Wheels

12K views 29 replies 8 participants last post by  Martenmeyer 
#1 ·
Hello everyone. I thought i would make this thread to help out some people who want 17s but dont have $1k to spend on wheels. I have ordered almost all the parts i need, i will update the thread as i put everything together. I have a crf450r so i am using a 32 hole rear rim. You will have to find a different rear rim if you have a different brand bike. Everything was ordered off ebay or found for free on craigslist.

Rear rim - $25
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171971037140?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
32 hole 17x3.5 DID from the Africa Twin

Spokes - $50
http://www.ebay.com/itm/361364915600?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
Bulldog rear spoke kit

Rear Hub - $50
Found a rear wheel that is pretty cracked on craigslist for $50. I cut the spokes and used the hub.

Front Rim - $50
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121936045852?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
36 hole 17x1.85 DID from an old Honda. This is not an ideal size but i think i will be able to mount a 100 or 110 front tire without any problems.

Spokes - $50
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141746105950?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
Same thing as the rear spoke kit

Front Hub - $Free
I had a spare front wheel that has a few cracks in it laying around. I cut the spokes and used that hub. You should be able to find something for cheap on craigslist or from friends.

Front tire - $ Free
To add icing to the cake, i found a michelin pilot power front tire on craigslist for free! Still has about 70% tread. Im planning on doing the same for the rear tire. I just need to find some tubes now.

I will add pictures to this thread as i put everything together and will keep you guys updated with any problems that i might run into. Let me know if you have any questions. I hope i was able to help!
 
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#5 ·
You are correct, the front is 36 hole and the rear rim is 32 hole. I am running a 110 on a 1.85 rim on my other bike right now so i think it will be ok. Ill weigh the rim when i get it. Some people are using sportbike wheels on their bikes so i doubt the weight is going to make much of a difference.
 
#10 ·
These look sweet!!!! Dang it now I want one... maybe two!
 
#11 ·
Sorry to keep you guys waiting, i was out of town. I finished lacing up and truing the wheels today. Everything went pretty well. I had some issues with the rear spokes so i ordered some other ones. They were about $20 more expensive but now everything is working well. I will try to get the tires mounted tomorrow so i can ride this weekend.
 

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#12 ·
i have a 17 x 2.15 which was super cheap, fairly easy to find to because they were used on early XRs and a few other bikes as rear rims. 36 hole. there also also some 17x2.5 floating around from some earlier honda road bikes, more expensive tho.

1.85 is rreeaally thin.. i mean, 2.15 is thin, but my rim was super cheap. 110 will not fit a 1.85. 110 is a stretch on 2.15(unless you have like a 90 sidewall, it won't fit 1.85)

oh, but the transalps rear rim is friggin genious.. i'm kicking myself for not considering finding a cheap 32 hole hub to match instead of looking so hard for something that was 36 hole(in which case i just used a whole assembly, rim/hub together and matched to my bike).
 
#17 ·
I really think you should have held out for a wider front rim. Your rims look good but they would have helped you in the long run going for a wider front rim. Saving money isn't always the best option with up front costs.
 
#18 ·
most of the traction comes out back anyways, maybe at the limits there will be a margin of loss from that narrow section width.

i don't completely disagree. i found a super cheap 2.15 because they were rear rims on 80's XRs. i'm using that on my front, and really a 100 section width would be ideal(or it would create an ideal profile). most 110 tires recommend a 2.5 as their width, some fronts want a 3.0 rim with that section width. Its still pretty narrow to me, the 2.15 i'm using but it was just to cheap($10 for the rim). on a 250 like i had seems like a 2.5 would be perfect up front really.

for a 450, a 3.5 rear will be perfect, most of the traction will be there anyways.

however, i know people say they put a wider tire on a small rim, but, its not ideal in any way, potentially unsafe. i have a 5.20-18 on a 2.15. it has a huge side profile. its probably like a 125/95 or something, maybe a 130/90. It has a large sidewall to make up, but, the profile is still really bowed. it gets weird under high lean, it wants to dive. similar things would happen with running a wide front on that narrow rim. That being said, http://durelleracing.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=31_48 is the only tire i know that is over 100 that says will work with 2.15, but its track only. and what that looks like http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=447981

i think this post http://supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?55362-Post-a-pic-of-your-mini!&p=1608121#post1608121 has a 1.85 front, but with a narrow tire as well

this post http://supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?55362-Post-a-pic-of-your-mini!&p=1622537#post1622537 has wide section width on narrow rims. as an example

not sure if 16" or 17" but similar profile http://supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?2848-Frt-brake-caliper-for-a-CR80&p=22957#post22957

and this is a 110 on a 2.75 front http://supermotojunkie.com/showthre...F-dual-sport-tire-sizes&p=1420602#post1420602

links just for reference and gathering information.
 
#19 ·
for all the time and effort invested ( wasted) , plus I'm thinking you are into this for at least $300 by now, with at least one steel rim and spray can paint job, a proper set of used wheels can be had for about $500 that would be aluminum, not 30 years old, and the right width to hold the right tires, not such a bad deal after all
 
#20 · (Edited)
ssoo salty. nothing is 'wasted' in the name of experimentation and spreading ideas/information. "with at least one steel ~" how many wheels do supermoto's have now? are sidecars the new hip thing?? soooo over-exaggerated, there are only two wheels.. in the least a new rim more than likely wouldn't require new spokes, hardly 'wasted'. $200 dollars is a lot of money, thats a really poor comparison 300 vs 500.

the rear rim doesn't even apply to anything you said though?? the situation in the rear is pretty good.

i mean, i just found this http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCEL-Front...ash=item1a1a2cff7a:g:tDMAAOSwSzdXDPmV&vxp=mtr but including spokes it would be more around $500

---edit
i mean, these are in the UK these probably won't suit a bike bigger than 250cc, but $330 http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUPERMOTO-C...ash=item1eb73d8410:g:By0AAOSweW5VRzRA&vxp=mtr

just rims, no spokes, would be like $300 probably after shipping(again in UK) another $200 for spokes http://www.ebay.com/itm/WRP-Supermo...ash=item211418de89:g:~1UAAOSw71BXQagG&vxp=mtr

would work for rear, would have around $300 after all said and done though(for one) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warp-9-fron...0663723&pid=100009&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=142071094921

$270 after spokes etc(for one) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Husqvarna-B...6b0b58a&pid=100005&rk=5&rkt=6&sd=291733316138

i mean, these are $500, but also seem chinese, and $500 is still a lot of money http://www.ebay.com/itm/CR-125-250-...ash=item419b45ab07:g:28YAAOSwD0lUdTIN&vxp=mtr

for my 'budget' supermoto, it was like $300 total for everything, and $200 dollars is a lot to me. also, i put to good use some things that would have otherwise just ended up as scrap. Also, i realize if i dug around enough, i probably could have adapted some old sport bike rims for cheaper
 
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#24 ·
I dont think i wasted time and effort at all. Im in it about $280 by now with tubes, tires, and the rims all laced up. I am on a tight budget, yes i could have bought some used wheels for $500, however by the time i get tubes and tires for them i will be close to $600. Also the link you posted for the new wheels are from china and don't have the best reputation. I would rather use DID rims from a honda than Chinese rims. Just my opinion, i hope this thread helps some people out.

Got caught up with school, tires get mounted tomorrow will post pics shortly.
:)
 
#23 · (Edited)
considering certain comments here, thats a pretty instigative statement, but its already been covered it.(and yes, i understand the concerns about inertia). so no, its "only an opinion" given THIS, instance.

wider fronts will create oversteer, narrower fronts will understeer or 'push' through corners(oversimplifying i know, but given this threads context). The OP is making a street cruiser.. but it comes down to a lot, why do dirt track racers use wide 19s over anything else(2.5-2.75)? does that mean you can only use wide 19s? no, obviously not, if you are talking about winning championships yeah, its going to matter, for a cheap lightweight bike to cruise around and have fun in? no, its not a huge deal. could you go out to a supermoto or dirt track with anything less than 'ideal' and have fun? yep. you aren't going to be one of the 'cool kids' tho. Thats nearly the entire premise behind the "bigfoot supermoto" thing(just using what you have). most racers are using 16.5" rims anyways, even one team is using 16".

a lot of people are into the 'style' and you have to dress alike everyone else to be 'in' and if you don't then you can't be one of the cool kids. really wide fronts look cooler yeah, but there are diminishing returns on anything.

CRF450 is a relatively light bike, and its not ridiculously powerful. CBR600s are 130hp, 380lbs and use a 120 section front..(with a massive 180 rear). everything is relative, so is physics.
 
#26 ·
So it turns out one of my buddies had some tire irons in his garage so i went over there and we mounted the back wheel. I decided to get a thinner front tire after talking to him about it as well as talking to a local shop. I found a cheap (lol) 100/70/17 online for $30 and will mount that. I think it is better suited for the 1.85 rim. I will update when that gets done.
 

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#28 ·
Thanks man! Sorry i actually completely forgot i had this thread up and forgot to update it. I laid the bike down last week and messed up a bunch of stuff so its like 60% taken apart right now. I found one picture on my computer but you cant really see the wheels too well.

Other than that im really happy with how they turned out, ended up costing about $280. I put a 110 tire on the front and a 140 on the back. The bike handles much better than with the 21,19 wheels. I will definitely take some pics when everything is fixed. Let me know if you have any questions! Happy riding
 

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