19" Motorcycle Wheels vs 26" Bicycle Wheels (rim and tires)

[Dlogic]

Finally it´s done!
She rides on 18 inch Heidenau K65 motorcycle tires now.
These tires are 3 inches wide. Looks great and yes, you can even ride without using the motor.

Handles so much better then before with the bikes tires.
The rims are aluminum from the east German motorcycle MZ - ETZ 250. They measure 18 * 1,60, making them super slim. They only cost 32 € a piece.

Here´s the old 24 inch front wheel with a Maxxis Hookworm tire compared to the 18 inch Heidenau K65. The wheel diameter is almost identical. Top speed is still the same.

 

[amberwolf]

Is the acceleration still the same?

And most importantly: Is the ride itself any different? harder? Softer? grip in turns? etc?

 

[Dlogic]

The bike accelerates super fast now. Feels like an e-turbo when compared to the old wheels.

They stick to the road like glue. Before the bike was never inclined to much when going around corners. It´s a totally different story now.
The wheels are just so stiff and sturdy.

I used a standard DH bicycle hub on the front wheel. It was modified to fit the M3,5 motorcycle spokes.

 

[Rix]

Damn Martin, youout did yourself. Those wheels look great!!!!!!!!! Your custom Raptor looks trick as it gets. I am going to have to check out those rims. With the exception of Voltriders 18x1.4 rims, the next smallest size I can find are 18x1.85. Did you drill out the front hub spoke holes to fit MC spokes? Still shooting for march time frame on those parts. Pass that on to Dh Paule.

Rick

 

[Dlogic]

Hi Rix, thanks so much.

Yes, the hub holes where drilled and counter sunk on both sides to ensure a precise fit.
I´m just in from a test ride and love the way the bike handles now. It´s incredible. Just too good to be true.
It did take many hours to get those wheels laced up and trued. The easiest part was popping the tires on. Took me just around 5 minutes.

 

[Rix]

Hi Rix, thanks so much.

Yes, the hub holes where drilled and counter sunk on both sides to ensure a precise fit.
I´m just in from a test ride and love the way the bike handles now. It´s incredible. Just too good to be true.
It did take many hours to get those wheels laced up and trued. The easiest part was popping the tires on. Took me just around 5 minutes.

Yah, anything you touch will be "precise fit". When I laced up this last 5405 to the Tegasko 18x1.85 rim, I went together in record time for me. Took about 15 minutes to get all of the spokes in place on the rim 1X and another 90 minutes to true using the Bomber Swingarm. But unlike your work, mine is not nearly as fine tuned, My wheels are trued pretty good, but not perfect. When I was spinning the wheel, even though the rim was center perfectly from side to side, one portion of the rim was/is about 1mm out of round or elongated. I don't know if its an imperfection with the rim being out of round, or my lacing. After the initial 90 minutes I spend truing, I spent half the night loosening sections of spokes and moving the rim around trying to get rid of that 1mm gain on every revolution. Couldn't do it. Kept moving the spot on the rim in conjunction to the hub around but the 1mm of gain remained. I do think its the rim out of round slighty, but can't say with 100% certainty. As far as mounting MC tires, they get some bad gouge because they are more difficult than bicycle tires, but they aren't difficult to me. Now if we use a Mousse tube, ask Paule how much he liked that crap. The way he described trying to mount that tire made me want to brush my teeth with my Glock while playing with a sack of wet mice. :? Anyway your bike looks beautiful with those wheels. What is your axle to axle wheel base in mm or inches?

 

[agniusm]

Nice vid on fitting tyre, I like spilled coffee moment Could you expand a bit on hub modification? I have also a moto wheels but 17" and will need to probably drill out hub holes for larger spokes?! What gauge have you used and what size holes have you redrilled?
Thanks

 

[GCinDC]

I have also a moto wheels but 17" and will need to probably drill out hub holes for larger spokes?! What gauge have you used and what size holes have you redrilled?

12 gauge spokes, so no need to redrill hub. need oversized nipples & washers tho. JRH sells 'em. (on first post):

 

[Dlogic]

My wheelbase is 120 cm Rix.

 

[Rix]

Thanks Martin, 120cm comes out to almost 48 inches. Any problems with keeping the front wheel down under hard acceleration? You got to edit your build on the evalbum. it still shows the hook worms :lol:

Rick

 

[Dlogic]

Thanks to the heavy battery of around 16 Kg and the motorcycle rims plus tires the front stays down.

The X5404 does make me curious. It should give me better acceleration. I could live with a lower top speed.

This weekend I'm working outside my he so the photo update will have to wait.

A good friend of mine will take pics of my bike riding around town once it has been legally aproved.
Then EV album will get an update.

 

[Rix]

Thanks to the heavy battery of around 16 Kg and the motorcycle rims plus tires the front stays down.

The X5404 does make me curious. It should give me better acceleration. I could live with a lower top speed.

This weekend I'm working outside my he so the photo update will have to wait.

A good friend of mine will take pics of my bike riding around town once it has been legally aproved.
Then EV album will get an update.

Sweet Martin, look forward to your pics of the Raptorlogic!!!!

 

[Dlogic]

Does anyone here have a good source for motorcycle fenders?

I´m looking for an 18 inch version that will cover a 3 inches wide street tire.

Mounting brackets and clamps for the front fork would also be very helpful.

Thanks…….

 

[Dlogic]

Here´s my spoke source for anyone in Europe looking for the high quality stainless steel type.

They sell them in different sizes too.
Ordered 2 sets for the front and rear wheel and got them in about 2 weeks.

http://www.speichen-spokes.de/Custom-made/

 

[gogo]

Does anyone here have a good source for motorcycle fenders?

I´m looking for an 18 inch version that will cover a 3 inches wide street tire.

Mounting brackets and clamps for the front fork would also be very helpful.

Thanks…….

Moped or motorcycle fender on eB*y. If you do enough investigation you can find older ones that are stainless steel.

 

[Hyena]

I thought I'd throw up another comparison photo seeing as I was mixing a few motors around the other day.
As you can see the 19" moto rim is closer to a 24" than 26" bicycle rim. All are running pretty fat tyres though

 

[Rix]

Thats a great pic Jay comparing the 26 with the 19 and 24. Of all of the comparisons I have done, none of them were with the 26" MTB rim. Thanks for posting.

Rick

 

[Obiwan007]

Just ran across a some tires yesterday that I have never seen before. The company is Vee Rubber and they have some very interesting designs in bicycle: DH, MTB, Fat Bike and even an e-bike category as well as MC tires in some really interesting designs. Check them out here:
http://www.veerubber.co.th/2013/?page_id=46&cur-cat=bicycle

Of particular interest to me are these:
http://www.veerubber.co.th/2013/?p=1834&cur-cat=bicycle

Which fulfill a missing niche in the widths between 3" and 4". At 3.5" wide I might just be able to fit these in my newly modified DH team swing-arm. Would be close though.
I thought this tire was pretty out of the ordinary in the e-bike category and possibly an option for those who like the hookworm. Zoom in on the tread. Here:
http://www.veerubber.co.th/2013/?p=1362&cur-cat=bicycle

Here is one in the MC trials tire category that comes in a 19" X 2.5 size:
http://www.veerubber.co.th/2013/?p=641&cur-cat=motorcycle
And another similar to the Shinko 244 that comes in an 18" X 2.75:
http://www.veerubber.co.th/2013/?p=631&cur-cat=motorcycle

Fly in the soup? Here is their address
924 Vee Rubber building, Rama 9 Road Bangkapi, Huay-Kwang, Bangkok 10310, Thailand
But I did see this tire for sale in a bike shop:
http://www.veerubber.co.th/2013/?p=1825&cur-cat=bicycle

 

[Rix]

Must say, VRM-308F the Vee Rubber 2.5x19 looks very promising.

Rick

 

[zombiess]

They have some awesome looking MC/Moped tires, massive selection! Here in the USA if you ask for a 2.5" wide MC tire, shops wonder why you would want something so small and have to break out the catalog to see what even exists since they are pretty rare. Thankfully most other countries embrace smaller motorcycles which means companies like Vee Rubber exist to supply tires for them. When I was in the Philippines I saw advertisements for 125cc bikes / scooter with hot Asian girls on them just like we do here in the USA with super/hyper bikes.

 

[GCinDC]

nice.

what motor is that hyena? (and why is it radially laced?)

side by side your 26" looks so much taller. here's another comparison, of 26" x 1.75" studded tire on front, compared to shinko 244:

 

[Hyena]

what motor is that hyena? (and why is it radially laced?)

That's the motor I've dubbed the 'batshit motor'.
Here's a clip of it in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elMwIeBZi7k
Radial lacing was a stuff up from factory in China. Either that or they deliberately used spokes they had laying around normally used for a single cross pattern in a smaller wheel. Most spokes were too long by 3mm and I had to dremel them all down.
The other motor is a crystalyte crown.

side by side your 26" looks so much taller

Yeah it's so deceptive in photos, even if you snap the shot perfectly side on.
That's why in that shot I've lined up all the wheels with axles flat against the roller door and shot at level height so you can gauge the difference somewhat accurately from the divisions in the roller door (each ridge is about an inch high)

 

[ridethelightning]

I have also a moto wheels but 17" and will need to probably drill out hub holes for larger spokes?! What gauge have you used and what size holes have you redrilled?

12 gauge spokes, so no need to redrill hub. need oversized nipples & washers tho. JRH sells 'em. (on first post):

Has anyone else had any trouble ordering from holmes hobbies?

i ordered a magura throttle from them in november 2012, have still not recieved it and they havnt responded to many emails asking why.

now i realise i can nolonger get refund from paypal caus its after 45day dispute period. i feel totally ripped off.not cool!

perhaps jrh would like to reply to this?......hmmmm.

 

[Rix]

RidetheLightning, I have dealt with Homes Hobbies and Volt Riders, they have provided top notch services and quick turn around times. I would have to say what you have experienced with Holmes Hobbies is an unique and isolated incident. If JRH hasn't responded to your emails, try contacting him through Volt Riders email on that web site. If you can prove payment for the Magura, I know that these guys will do right by you and would not stake their reputation on burning a customer out of a $50 buck purchase.

Rick

 

[ridethelightning]

thanks Rick

i thought it was odd too. very unexpected. iv ordered spokes from them too and been very impressed( even if a little slow to ship)

thanks for advice, ill just keep trying to contact them.

oh, and it was Nov '13 not '12.my bad