Non fat 17" cast wheel rims and tires?

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Hobot

Hobot

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For real life I am sticking to 18-19" WM2 -WM3 rims and V rated 149 mph tires.
For un-real attempts need higher speed rating and only way I know is fit cast 17" wheel for sport bike rubber in front tire widths. If this don't hinder cornering too much, might save money in long run buying up used race tires with center meat.

With emphasis on simple and cheap, what pointers can those gone before me offer on what brand and type wheels to seek, with brakes and stuff on em or adaptable?
i figure 120 width on front 130 on rear if they even made 130 in 17" size.

Please alert me to issues to watch out for too.
 
The secret source of humor itself is not joy but sorrow.
There is no humor in heaven.

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Humor = Tragedy + Time.
 
With vintage roadracers running TZ750s, Z1s, and other fast, heavyweight bikes on Dunlop KR164s and Avon AM23 150/70 rear tires, I'd not lose too much sleep on using these on a Commando. V rated means 150 mph but are you planning to run those speeds sustained on your Commando?

As for trying to find affordable smallish 17" wheels, look for late 80s/early 90s 600 stuff or current gp 125-250 stuff. Not cheap because in demand by roadracers but smaller 17" wheel sizes have been rare on our side of the pond...
 
Ok northern, I can expand my hunt to 250 bikes too, cool. I guess the widths are all in same ball park to fit in forks and swing arm. Ms Peel mass will be similar to 250's so expect about any wheel to hold the mass and impacts.

I'm not afraid to exceed speed rating by a third on modern bike tires, way more if shaved w/o tube inside but for Texas Mile they require tires rated to top end the cycle can attain. Can't really picture sustained 150+ mph but for hand full of seconds, then a turn or end of run way appears. I would have sold off my Scott steering damper as total usless on super stable Ms Peel, but rule book requires one and this kind don't hang of like an after thought and only works in narrow angle.
 
Steve,

there are 18" Z-rated (149+ mph rated, 240+ mph tested) radial tires available in suitable sizes. I used Bridgestone 110/80ZR18 on the front and 120/70ZR18 on the rear with cast wheels (from a Yamaha SRX-6) last time I ran my featherbed racer at Bonneville. The 120 is sold as a front tire, but works fine on the Norton as a rear, with the direction reversed. Other major brands also have comparable Z-rated tires in these sizes. Some also have 130/80ZR18 tires, but they need a wider rim. Dunlop even has a 120/70ZR19 for the V-rod, but it also needs a wider (3.00") rim.

Fred Eiker switched his Norton to 17" rims from a 125GP bike (Yamaha TZ125 or Honda RS125, I don't recall which). If you want to go the 17" direction, you should be able to find plenty of stock cast wheels to choose from on the smaller Japanese bikes.

Ken
 
OH goodie Ken, I didn't know how hi the 18" narrow rim tires were good too. Thanx for the shopping list. I don't want nor like the squat 17" rims for real life and cornering, just to attempt a top end event and meet rule requirement of tire rating. Peel new wheels took me most a year to sort out just the spoke part, so recoil to put new wider rims on.
Seriously I think I'd be easier to fit whole new cast wheels and adapters than face the spokes again , Especially the front one with nonNorton parts.

The worse I can find on fitting a bit too wide tire on a bit too narrowl rim, if ya even can, is more wear and extra heat plus some profile change, not that they just fly off or blow up. My front will be so unloaded even H rated should not heat of fly apart over 160 for a few seconds. But I would be timid to smoke em while leaned. Peel is tub-less so that helps too, but not according to rule books.

I didn't know that even 125 wheels were up to the loads of a Commando, though Peel should equal a moderately lightened 250, when in racer dress.
Off to Texas Mile on Thursday to get lay of the track and what to prep for.
 
Steve,

this is a picture of the bike at Bonneville in 2006, with the 18" Yamaha wheels and Z-rated radial tires. They were pretty easy to fit. I didn't really like the looks of the wheels on the Norton, but they worked great for their purpose. I later switched back to the wires when I restored it to a roadracer again.

Non fat 17" cast wheel rims and tires?


Ken
 
So glad you have stock yard full of photo's of Norton oddities to study. Hm looks like front brakes are not part of land speeding or flat tracking. Fine by me a simpleton constructor. Hm, any of em left over? Wheels not the tires : )

Off to Texas Mile this coming weekend to see what that's like as a bystander.
 
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