Re chrome v alloy wheels

I have been running alloy rims on my Norton since 1980 ($90 each at the time Akront rims) I will never go back to chrome rims on any of my bikes, not even SS rims, the alloy rims look great, polish them up and they look like chrome, never rust out, lighter and laced with SS spokes they look great and they do make a big differance in handling you wouldn't think so but they do, I am glad my 2013 Thruxton came with alloy rims, another thing to remember chrome weakens metal.
I have had my orginal chrome rims rust out or the chrome lifing with only a year on the road and the same thing happened when I brought my 1981 Triumph Thunderbird the chrome lifed before the warranty ran out so they replace them I would have replaced them with the Akront rims but the price of them at the time had doubled after a year from getting my Norton rims and I was poor at the time.
The first full time job I had after leaving school was working at a chrome plating plant, very dangours job, lots of unsafe chemicals and health and safety wasn't around in them days, I was glad to get out of there after 11 months working there.
The reason most Chroming plants are closing is the expensance in running cost as well as envormental concerns as well as health issures to their workers, a lot of cancer causing chemicals are used in the process.
Alloy forever.

Ashley

Scout63 said:

RoadScholar - where do you source stainless rims? I am definitely sending my hubs to Buchanans for lacing and would like to purchase rims from them. I'd like to get the stock look and know the wheels are good for my (hopefully rather long) lifetime. Polished non-shouldered Excel rims ( thanks Fullauto) are also in the running.

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Nobody does a shouldered rim in 2.5 inch by 19. So, it's the standard look or incorrect rim size. Sorry.

Not a problem. Thanks.

The only thing I would add is that shouldered Ally rims are not that practical for an all weather bike. I had them they are great but are v awkward to clean regularly. English winter!

peter12 said:

The only thing I would add is that shouldered Ally rims are not that practical for an all weather bike. I had them they are great but are v awkward to clean regularly. English winter!

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Amen.
I have them on a '73 Japanese 750 paralell twin. Time consuming to keep looking good.

Scout63 said:

RoadScholar - where do you source stainless rims? I am definitely sending my hubs to Buchanans for lacing and would like to purchase rims from them. I'd like to get the stock look and know the wheels are good for my (hopefully rather long) lifetime. Polished non-shouldered Excel rims ( thanks Fullauto) are also in the running.

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I got stainless rims and spokes from SRM Engineering in England for my '73 750 and for a '79 T140E, but they do not appear to stock them any more. I did find another company in England, Devon Rim Company, www.devonrimcompany.com, but I have no experience with them, perhaps someone who has done business with them can provide a reference?

If you Google the subject you will have quite a bit of information to sift through.

My Commando had Borrani alloy rims, very much a in period upgrade. I think that you can still find them, but they may not be made in Italy any more.

Charles

chasbmw said:

My Commando had Borrani alloy rims, very much a in period upgrade. I think that you can still find them, but they may not be made in Italy any more.

Charles

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Made in China, checked in Italy is what I was told by the old wheel builder here in Auckland. He wont sell them anymore after he could not get past the high reject rate for them.

I think I would have a little more faith in what Buchanan's has to say about that.
http://www.buchananspokes.com/categories/rims_borrani.asp

http://teambenzina.blogspot.co.uk/2013/ ... rrani.html

http://www.ducaticlassics.com/News/34/

Ok, maybe with a grain of salt or two. Regardless of where they started life, the two I laced up this last year and got from Buchanan's are really nice.

Yeah, this is what I heard from Tom, "In order to keep costs at a minimum a moulded rim is imported into Italy from China, with of course a sound quality control. All of the further processing is done at the Borrani factory in Milan; the dimples are made, it is drilled, stamped on the original machine used in the 1970’s and then polished".

Not so impressed that the original tooling form the 70's is being used. Makes me think of Ural and Royal Enfield picking up factories, worn tooling and all and moving shop and the resulting quality.

I've learned it's best to cut the Italians a little slack.