Tired of Wire Wheels

[leonj2932]

Ok so here's the deal , I recently had my rear tire replaced , but now a week later and about 350 miles after it was replaced I have a total of 11 spokes that broke off the rim hub , I know this is probably my fault after not fittting the tire back on properly but it was my first time . Anyways there is literally no motorcycle shops out where I live and even less places that relace/repair wire wheels . One place wants ridiculous prices and another is too far away and also a bit out of my range at $175 , (the price of a new rim for gods sake ) . So I really don't want to have to deal with the issue of spokes breaking again and not being able to fix the damn thing without having to pull the entire wheel and tire off . Do you guys know if there are other rims I can put on the rear for a 2007 Gz250? That are not wire wheeels ? Or can u give me ur insight on what other models rims I can swap out and use instead . Do u know if u could use theses ( picture attached ) ??

[Water Warrior 2]

You may have a tough time finding a replacement wheel without spokes. I believe the 250 Suzuki V-twin from Australia had what you want.

You might just want to stick with spokes but you will have to buy a complete set, they are not sold separately. Here's the kicker.......... a while back I tossed out almost a complete set for the rear that were gathering dust. If I had them now I would have sent you a dozen to play with.

[leonj2932]

I can't seem to find the wheels you are talking about for that Australian model . Does everyone really just have stock rims on these bikes ?? I don't want to order a rim and have it not fit .

[Water Warrior 2]

Everyone wants to make their bike their own in some fashion. What I have found over the years with both bikes and cages is quite simple. Change as little as possible. I will always add to a vehicle but I got away from changing stuff that has a proven track record. Spoked wheels are standard fare on the GZ and I personally would never change them. They can be repaired or replaced most easily. A "special wheel" would be a real bit*h to repair or replace if things go south.

Just did some searching. The Hyosung GV 250 Aquila has a cast aluminum wheel. It might be worth taking a look but I doubt you would want to pay for the wheel and other hardware to make it work.

[RJsfishin]

Quote:
11 spokes that broke off the rim hub , I know this is probably my fault after not fittting the tire back on properly but it was my first time
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I would really like to know what you could have done wrong that would cause even 1 spoke to break, not to mention 11 ??. I put a new tire on my s-40 a couple years ago, and didn't have the foggiest idea what I was doing, but I didn't see anything that I could have done to cause spokes to break.

[derbydave]

Yeah how did you break 11 spokes!

[leonj2932]

honestly id like to know the same thing,. the only thing i ccan think of that may have caused a problem is that the chain adjusters were not perfecty aligned but they were literally not even a mm off of each other so i dont know if that small distance woud affect it so much. Also everyone says its easy to repace or fix yet i cant seem to find a place that actually fixes wire wheels for less then what a new rim would cost me .

[Water Warrior 2]

Leon, there is a price to owning a bike. Search for a smaller bike shop that may do the job. Gather up all the prices you get from all sources and pay for the lowest if you can. Keep in mind you may have to pay more for some one you can trust. Bikes are not always cheap.

[RJsfishin]

The chain adjusters not being equal side to side will not have any effect on the spokes.
It can cause rear sprocket wear on one side or the other.
It will cause the bike's centerline to not track parallel w/ the roadway.
The question still remains,...what broke the spokes.


As far as repair goes, if you changed out the tire, why can't you remove the tire, the spoke strip, then inspect for any rust, then replace the broken spokes ??
Tighten them evenly, but not too tight. Then check the wheel for running true, (runout) either using the axle in a vise, or install just the wheel back on the bike, and use a block off the frame to check the runout.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by RJsfishin

The chain adjusters not being equal side to side will not have any effect on the spokes.
It can cause rear sprocket wear on one side or the other.
It will cause the bike's centerline to not track parallel w/ the roadway.
The question still remains,...what broke the spokes.


As far as repair goes, if you changed out the tire, why can't you remove the tire, the spoke strip, then inspect for any rust, then replace the broken spokes ??
Tighten them evenly, but not too tight. Then check the wheel for running true, (runout) either using the axle in a vise, or install just the wheel back on the bike, and use a block off the frame to check the runout.

That would work. A bit time consuming but the cheapest way to go. A proper spoke wrench would be needed but so what, if you have one you will never need it again.