Lightweight Alloy Wheels

[Currently]

Next project for the SV will be to purchase and install a set of lightweight wheels.

None of the websites I have been to have a "SV model" which means some machining work will have to be done to fit these wheels to a second gen SV.

Since I have made a decision to always have an SV in my stable, my next bike will be some type of tourer, I want to make it as nimble as possible. I will be selling my Nikon gear to fund this purchase.

Thoughts on the following and their application to this bike is greatly appreciated.

Carrozerria

JB Power

Lightcon Twin System

Marchesini

Marvic Puima

O*Z HL02

PVM

Are there any other manufacturers worth considering?

Do I have to go to the 180 tires to make this feasible?

Is it worth sticking to the Suzuki Cushion Drive?
Any and all feedback graciously accepted.

[zoran]

If you doing it for weight find something that is actually light. Some wheels are not that much lighter than stock. You also havew to find something easy to adapt to sv. Most of wider ones you can't machine to fit. You do want cush drive.

[Currently]

Any recommendations based on your experience fitting these wheels to an SV?

[zoran]

Know measurements before you buy it, distance between rotor and sprocket. You don't have much room for machining on this wheels so you want it same or as close possible to stock one. Also modular wheels with separate piece sprocket and rotor bolt to are easier to fit.

[rotatingmass]

Penta 1 Marvic wheels is what I am leaning toward.
http://www.marvic.it/prod_penta_eng.php
They offer a 5", 5.25" and 5.5" for the rear of the SV. The only problems is they are a special order and take 3 months to get.
http://www.yoyodyneti.com/category.a...56&startpage=3

[Seraphim38]

I had a set of Penta 2s on my turbocharged GSXR1000 and they were impressively light.

[Currently]

Thanks guys ... looking into it.

I don't care about time, already have two sets of stock wheels.
Both with brandy new fresh rubber!

[GrahamB]

Anyone ever look at a Bimota SB8R close up? There are a couple of rear Marchesini's from one for sale over here, cheap... I'm waiting for the guy to get back to me with some measurements of the hub.

[etemplet]

I just wonder how much of an advantage are the lightweight wheels and such. Can you feel the difference?

Thanks,
Gene

[Currently]

That is what I aim to find out.

Everything I read and a couple of people that have them on their bikes swear by them. Unfortunately none of those people ride an SV. The math does make sense. Hence Zoran's caveat ... make sure those wheels are actually lighter than stock. No sense paying a couple grand for something that is the same weight or just a bit lighter.

[etemplet]

I look at the brake rotors people pay money for and I question that as well. I guess weight is weight but I never care how much fuel I have in my bike. Prolly the reason I'll never be a fast guy.

[GrahamB]

The magazines are of course in the business of selling the products of their advertisers, whatever they pretend.
So they tend to give distorted information, like saying a BST rim saves half the weight of a stock front rim.

That's true, but misleading: The tyre weighs as much as a stock rim and is of course even further from the axle. For rotating mass: discs around 3kg, tyre 4-4.5kg, wheel 2.5-4.5kg.

For unsprung mass, add 2kg of calipers, 450g of axle and ~6kg (??) of lower fork legs etc.

So realistically, you probably gain 20% on moment of inertia and 10% on unsprung weight.

Having put a deposit on a BST, I hope it makes a difference, but I doubt it's going the be the revelation some of the hype suggests. And of course when I try it, given the money I'll have invested, I'll be convinced

[etemplet]

That's cool !! I've heard some really great things about the handling improvement the weight reduction offers. I wonder how I'd feel about the TIRE GUY rough housing with the EXPENSIVE rims. BE Careful. Good luck man ! I'm sure it'll be great.

[Currently]

I do my own tires and don't care about scratches.

I bought the darn thing to ride, it is a tool, not a jewel.

Graham, thanks for the feedback. I have always considered advertising "propaganda and lies".
Glad to see you are still active.

So ... inquiring minds want to know ... did you do any Alp runs with the bike?

[GrahamB]

Not really the alpes, but up onto the Vercours plateau...

Track-side tyre guys should be used to dealing with fancy rims, and if the machine is set properly, the wheel doesn't get touched. The local shop that does everything from cruisers to ATV's would worry me more.

These days, like Currently, I do my own: use rim protectors and all is good.

BTW, went out for a ride after dark last night on a new rear BT003-street. I thought tyres didn't come with mould-release anymore? Kind of fun,all the same Funny, didn't notice the front sliding around like that when I fitted it... maybe I was more careful

[GrahamB]

PS am discovering the joys of house renovation. Aside some from new muscles developed while making holes in things, I've found that a BST carbon wheel costs less than a pair of double-glazed PVC french windows. And is a damn site sexier and easier to fit.

pps for those who wonder about such things, the French call a French window a "door-window".

[Currently]

Porte-fenetre ?

Grew up speaking french, my mother is quebecoise.

[GrahamB]

Originally Posted by Currently

Porte-fenetre ?

C'est ça, mon gros. Now I'm learning about marteaux-piqueuses and parpaing. Want to open a door from the garage to the will-be workshop, but whoever built the house was worried about the Germans coming back with their tanks. Concrete filled breeze-blocks 300mm thick

Which is about as far off the topic as it's possible to get

[GrahamB]

The BTS front wheel arrived last week. Last night I finally had a chance to go for a little ride in the hills south-east of here.

Bugger me, it does seem to make a difference: the steering is lighter, the bike is much easier to flick from side to side. This was mostly on little C-roads with dodgy visibility and a good risk of gravel or cow-poo, so no elevated speeds, mostly in the 60-130 km/h range.

For bump absorption, I don't know. Sometimes it seemed better, sometimes worse. Some of the roads were pretty bad.

PS HPS (the UK dealer I bought the wheel through) tell me that BST can supply a narrower "low-clearance" cush-drive/sprocket carrier.
So combining that with a wheel from an 05+ ZX6R (which is what I have in the back now) or an 06+ GSXR600 would probably
allow fitting a rear. That can wait until next summer, after I find out how much money is left when the house is done...