Rear Hub Cover

olympus · Jul 5, 2019

Hi all
Just rebuilding the rear wheel and I'm after some thoughts for the fitment or not of the rear wheel R/H cover.
Appreciate it make not difference to the operation & its purely cosmetic ....still would like to here riders views

maylar · Jul 5, 2019

Cosmetic, and lovely when chromed -

Fast Eddie · Jul 5, 2019

Unnecessary, none value adding, extra weight !

Rear wheel looks more ‘honest’ without it IMHO...

swooshdave · Jul 5, 2019

The advantage of using it is that the inside of the hub is a bitch to clean.

Gadge · Jul 5, 2019

Fast Eddie said:
Unnecessary, none value adding, extra weight !

Rear wheel looks more ‘honest’ without it IMHO...

View attachment 10952

That is just stunning!

Fast Eddie · Jul 5, 2019

swooshdave said:
The advantage of using it is that the inside of the hub is a bitch to clean.

Logical conclusion to that argument is to get some of those ‘moon discs’ that the hot rodders use and cover the whole wheel inc spokes...!

But seriously, inside the hub is rough cast, it only needs a wipe with a cloth, it’s easier to keep looking good than polishing a mirror polished cover plate...

swooshdave · Jul 5, 2019

Fast Eddie said:
Logical conclusion to that argument is to get some of those ‘moon discs’ that the hot rodders use and cover the whole wheel inc spokes...!

But seriously, inside the hub is rough cast, it only needs a wipe with a cloth, it’s easier to keep looking good than polishing a mirror polished cover plate...

Rough castings are way harder to keep clean.

Fast Eddie · Jul 5, 2019

I must be doing something wrong then !

Danno · Jul 5, 2019

I think for a classic or stocker, the hub cap is part of the deal. On more modernized machines like Fast Ed's blue beauty, removing it fits right in with the rest of he mods.

grandpaul · Jul 5, 2019

Like your choice of handlebar grips, it's a personal choice.

acadian · Jul 5, 2019

My biggest gripe with the cover is how flimsy it is and that it seems to scratch just by looking at it.

OTOH... cleaning caked in mud and road grime from the inside of the hub is a horrible waste of time

Onder · Jul 5, 2019

I vote for the cover.
Not one for chroming but I can see the utility of doing that....wipe off, job done!

Craig · Jul 5, 2019

If left off , most of the spray on hose off cleaners would clean it up with very little effort .... sometimes might need a brush , still not labour intensive ..... maybe I will remove mine and put it on the shelf , eh

tyborg15 · Jul 5, 2019

The cap is quite light so not much of an unsprung weight issue. But all those vanes/buttresses create some wind resistance. Cyclists use blade spokes to reduce this type of drag. Better fuel economy and higher top speed are the benefits of keeping the cap verses getting untidy on a curve with the additional weight.

robs ss · Jul 5, 2019

Fast Eddie said:
Rear wheel looks more ‘honest’ without it IMHO...

Yesss... now I get it. I've been wondering why my rear wheel looked a bit 'crooked'.
Dishonest bastard of a thing!

texasSlick · Jul 5, 2019

I vote for the cover.

Slick

robs ss · Jul 5, 2019

texasSlick said:
I vote for the cover.

Slick

Is that where you keep your stash Robert?

Mic · Jul 5, 2019

maylar said:
Cosmetic, and lovely when chromed -

Can we see the rest of your bike? To compare with fast eddies

850commando · Jul 5, 2019

Chrome makes it look stunning. Tornado's norton has chromed timing and primary covers, very impressive... just like Mylars rear wheel cover

swooshdave · Jul 5, 2019

tyborg15 said:
The cap is quite light so not much of an unsprung weight issue. But all those vanes/buttresses create some wind resistance. Cyclists use blade spokes to reduce this type of drag. Better fuel economy and higher top speed are the benefits of keeping the cap verses getting untidy on a curve with the additional weight.

We’ve reached the splitting hairs stage now.