Swapping Wheels

Hedge

American Infidel
I'm sure this has been probably asked or already done but can you swap out the new mag wheels onto older bikes like my 2007 that currently has spokes. I was looking at Fullspeed's Black mag wheels on page 37 of "show me" and really like them . . .
I'm to lazy to keep up with spokes :flag:
 

beemerrich

Street Tracker
Yes, but you need to get wheels off a non-canbus bike and it isn't a straight up bolt-on change. The rear is a direct swap/no drama. The front, though, requires work because the mag wheel bonnies are about 1/8" wider between the triple trees than the wire wheel bikes and the speedo drive is on the right.

To make the front work, you need to score the wheel, front rotor, speedo drive, speedo cable, and lower legs. What I did was to take 5 mm off the speedo drive bushing, which allowed the mag wheel assembly to fit between the carb bike triple tree spread. Not a big deal, but you have to press the bushing out of the mag wheel speedo drive and then reinstall after removing the metal. If you don't have one already, you also need a sport fender since the mag wheel bikes don't have bosses to attach the lower fender brace.

Another consideration is that you are going from a 19" wheel to a 17" wheel in front...i.e. you lose an inch of ground clearance. I made this up by fitting F3 fork tubes, which were about .6 inches longer than my thruxton tubes and are 1.3" longer than your bonnie forks.

It's some work/$$s to make this happen, but you are rewarded by wheels that are about 20 lbs. lighter than your steelies and that turn in far better. It really transforms the handling. I sold my setup to a bloke in Oz after I went to F3 wheels. Yeah, there's no going back once you fit 17s w/ quality rubber.

Here's some pics of my machine...sorry, but you have to go to that other forum:

http://www.triumphrat.net/twins-tec...thruxton-vs-mag-wheel-bonnie.html#post2334150

00613.JPG


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Good luck,

--Rich
 
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Hedge

American Infidel
Nice clear-cut write up Rich! Thanks. Now I have to wait and find a basket case with good wheels.
 
Damn good info, Rich.

Hey Hedge - if you're ever moving forward with this and looking to get rid of your spokes, please let me know as I'll buy them off of you if you're willing to sell.
 
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