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Wire Wheel ID

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I recently got a set of wire wheels for my bike, '78GS1000E. It turns out the rear wheel is an 18" instead of 17" wheel. They have alloy rims. Will I be able to use this wheel? If so, the next question is tire sizes. I have been using the Avon Road Rider series tires.
 
The 78 GS1000(C) and 79 GS1000(N) used 18" alloy spoked rear wheels from the factory.
 
Avon won't recommend a tire for that rim. The closest I can come to the tire they recommend (130/90-17 68V) is a 130/80v18 (66V) rear. They recommend a 100/90-19 (57V) universal for the front. Will the 130/80 18 and 100/90 19 work together? Width would be .1 in narrower and .1 in taller on the 130/80.
 
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I couldn't tell you if those sizes will work well together or not.

Have you considered Shinko 230 tires? they do make a 130-90v18.

***edit***
Avon makes a 120/90v-18...
 
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I was looking at those tires, how do they compare to the Road Riders? Avon North America only lists the 130/90's , but the 120/90-18's are real close in size to the 130/90-17's.
 
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I've been running the 120/90 -18 Avon on my wire wheel bike and it's actually a bit wide for the rim, but not terribly so. It makes my chicken strips about 6-8 mm wider

I'm ordering the 4.00-18, which is a bit smaller to see how that works out

Don't go to the 130 width, that's too wide for the rim.

I don't know what chart you're looking at, but the Avon chart lists a 4.00, 120/90, 120/80 to choose from

http://www.avontyres.com/node/129
 
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Go to Avon North America and look it up by bike. All they have listed is the E model and they recommend the 130/90v17. I have been running the 130 on my 17" wheel. I was actually thinking of going 110/90 on the front and 130/90 on the back with the new tires, unless I use a 120/90. It seemed leaning over wasn't a real real smooth transition because of the larger rear tire. I will try the Shinko tires this time around. I had the cracking problem with my first set of Avons, not with the replacements they sent me, but the replacements started cupping. I attribute the cracking to using Meguiars tire shine. Did it on a set of Metzlers and replacements and the original Avons. The replacement Avons didn't crack, didn't use any tire shine. That's three out of four, so There might be a relationship to the tire shine.
 
OldVet66 said:
Go to Avon North America and look it up by bike.
Click to expand...

I don't trust website info input by a 22 year old on stuff older than him. Besides, the E has a wider rim.

The fitment chart I referenced shows the 2.50 rim you have matches the 4.00 and probably the 120/90, which is my experience
 
There was a long post that was attached, but that is all that got through when a storm shut the internet down last night. I had cupping on my current set of Avons and am going to try the Shinko 230's next. I have always run a size up on the rear, since back in the day, and never had a problem that I noticed. I was even considering going one up on the front to see if it would smooth out dropping into a lean on a sweeper, but I would be interested why you say no. The reveal on the tiny lines on the Avons near the bead were perfect on both sides with the 130's, so that size does mount nicely and falls in the acceptable range between minimum and maximum size on the charts for that rim. I'm certainly willing to listen and possibly rethink this and order the 120's though I think they look too skinny. When I first posted about these rims, someone said the alloy rims were the same width as the cast rims. I'll have to measure and find that out for sure.
 
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The rims are not the same size and the size is stamped on the rim itself

The aluminum rim is 18 x 2.5, the cast is either 17 x 2.75 or 3.00. The standard bike's rear tire was 4.00, the E 's was 4.50

As for going up one size on the tire width, this has been discussed many times. It pinches the tire and changes the profile, putting less rubber on the road and changing the handling. That's probably the source of your handling issue

If you've been doing that for a long time, maybe it's time to put stock sizes on and see what happens.
 
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Well that changes a lot of things, I may have to rethink using them. The look and lighter rims is a plus. The front wheel is tapped for twin disks, so maybe these are off another bike? I haven't really looked them over that carefully, was just planning for the next tire change.
 
All the hubs are tapped for twin discs, so you can just swap over your E discs and go.

Or, get two single discs and the Salty Monk kit and get great braking

twinpot001.jpg


It's not like you're going to be giving up traction going to a one size skinnier rim.
 
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The front wheel is bolt on, the rear uses one or two different spacers
 
I found the two Avon tires That fit the 3.25V19 and 4.00V18 Suzuki Speck. How do these thin tires handle compared to the ones that will fit the cast wheels? It's looking like Shinko is out unless I stay with the Wheels I have, and the more I think about it the more attractive the current wheels are looking.
 
OldVet66 said:
I found the two Avon tires That fit the 3.25V19 and 4.00V18 Suzuki Speck. How do these thin tires handle compared to the ones that will fit the cast wheels?
Click to expand...

I've been using 100/90V19 and 120V/18 Avons on mine and, while it seems to handle well (others here can attest to following and/or crashing behind me) the chicken strips don't lie, these Avons are wider than the Pirellis that preceded them.

That's why I'm going back to the stock sizes.

I can't say how they will handle, I haven't bought them as yet. But, skinny tires??? You can drag the pegs and center stand, how much more handling do you want?

IMHO, the wire wheel bikes handle better than the Es with the wider rear tire. The front tires are the same size.
 
Well that clears up a lot of things, according to the Avon data sheet, you are using one size oversize on front and rear. I am going to use the wheels I have with Shinko tires when these wear out, and do the wire wheels the next tire change. It will give me more time to clean them up properly.
 
OldVet66 said:
I found the two Avon tires That fit the 3.25V19 and 4.00V18 Suzuki Speck. How do these thin tires handle compared to the ones that will fit the cast wheels? It's looking like Shinko is out unless I stay with the Wheels I have, and the more I think about it the more attractive the current wheels are looking.
Click to expand...

Hi OldVet66, I run the same size alloy rims you have on my Suzi and they are ex-factory O.E.M. for my Suzi. The thing to remember is these rims were designed for the bike and the geometry of the combined frame/rims/tyres of "old school" skinny tyres is critical to handling. Having said that, I have had to go to the next size up with the rear tyre because 100x80x18 are not available where I live. Right now I use the Pirelli Sport Demon combo of: 100x90x19 and 130x80x18 and it is a very sound set-up, positive feel and feedback, plenty of sporty grip when you want it and the big plus is they love wet roads,cheers.
 
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