a few questions sort of lumped together...

[so_rat]

HELP! i'm new.

I have the opportunity to buy a rear wheel from a gs1000, and a front wheel from a gt380.
my first question is will the rear fit a gs550 without much modification?
my second question is will the front wheel fit a gs550, even though the brakes are on the opposite side (e.g. can i flip it around)?
my third question is if anyone has experience buying new spokes?
can these wheels be made tubeless?

does anyone have experience replacing the clutch cable? (mechanical or performance section?)

i think that's it for now... sorry for the barrage, but these are things i needed to get down before my thoughts become nothing less.

thanks,
so-so-rat

 

[Steve]

my third question is if anyone has experience buying new spokes?

Actually, I have not had a bike with spokes since I traded in my KZ400 in April, 1979.
Got my first cast wheels in October, 1977 in the form of a KZ650C.
Replaced both of those bikes with a KZ1300. \\/
I imagine you can still get spokes, just have no idea where.

can these wheels be made tubeless?

I heard of a guy that tried to use epoxy to seal around the spoke nipples, but destroyed the seal when he hit a couple of nasty bumps that flexed the rim and broke the epoxy. I would say "NO".

does anyone have experience replacing the clutch cable?

Clutch cable is not much of a problem, usually. Start by removing the gas tank. Adjust as much slack as you can into the system, remove the end from the lever on the left grip. Remove the cable from the clutch end, work the cable down and slide it out, paying attention to where it ran. Slide the new cable back in the same route, attach the lower end then the upper end. Adjust most of the slack out at the bottom first, then fine-tune at the lever.


.

 

[txironhead]

With a good, stay-flexible sealer it is theoretically possible to make spoked rims hold air. However, you do NOT want to do that. Those rims are not designed for the side molding of a tubeless tire, or the pressure required to properly seal tubeless tires. Even if the seal held, you'd never be able to re-true the rim or replace a spoke, because the "nipples" would be epoxied into place. Tube tires can be a hassle, but it is MUCH easier to swap out a tube on the side of the road than take the tire off and pray you find a motorcycle shop open, plus a tube takes up a lot less room in your saddlebags than a tire. I still prefer mags, but I can see the advantages of tube tires.

If it's chain drive, save your cash and swap 'em out for some same-size mags.

 

[badbrown]

Forget the tubeless on these old rims. I have a tubeless on the rear of my 550, same as the mag you have on there now and it needs little air from time to time. The front stayed tube. If you go with the spokes you can fit a 130 on the rear thats max for the 550.