What year rims if any will fit my 78 GS1000?

[Hoomgar]

My bike has the spoked rims and although I like the look of them they need intertubes and make the tires therefor run hot and wear faster. But mainly, the rear rim is so warped now that I fear they wont be able to true it up any more without re-spoking it. The spokes are very old now.

All that said. I would rather have some of the alloy rims that come on newer years. I don't think any 78's had them did they? There are a pair of rims that look clean on ebay off an 81 GS1000 with shaft drive. Is there any way these would fit my bike or am I crazy for even asking?

Does anyone know what years I need to be looking at to get rims for this?
Also have a question about the shocks off the same bike here:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/viewtopic.php?t=15985

[Anonymous]

The "78" GS 1000 E came with alloy wheels. Up until about 2 wks. ago, I had a set of spokes from a ''78'' 1000 on my "83" 1100 E, before that, they were on an "80" 1100 E. The alloy wheels are a little wider than your spokes, but I doubt that would cause a problem, if you don't use real wide tires. If you change to the alloy wheels, you will need a spacer for the rear, that is for the alloy wheel. It's the one that goes between the right side of the wheel & the disc brake bracket. No, the shaft drive rear wheel won't work. The front should work.

[Hoomgar]

Thank you, the auction runs out in 16 minutes
D you know about the shocks? I need shocks and
there is a pair for an 81 GS1000. Will they fit on
my 78?

[SqDancerLynn1]

If it is the GS1000 I saw on ebay it's a shaft drive G model. Will not work on the rear of E model. I have a rear 82/GS750 w/cush drive $15 + shipping Also have GS550? some one gave to me so just cost of postage, both are 17". With the front almost any one will work. Doing the front adding mag wheel and dual disc brakes will require replacing the complete front end Or reuse your original single disc .
ALSO E model and G model shocks are different

[Hoomgar]

If it is the GS1000 I saw on ebay it's a shaft drive G model. Will not work on the rear of E model. I have a rear 82/GS750 w/cush drive $15 + shipping Also have GS550? some one gave to me so just cost of postage, both are 17". With the front almost any one will work. Doing the front adding mag wheel and dual disc brakes will require replacing the complete front end Or reuse your original single disc .
ALSO E model and G model shocks are different

Right now the spoked rims I have are 19" on the front and 18" on the back. Will the rims you are offering fot my 1000? And if so, is it only a differnat tire size I need then or is there other things as well?
Any chance you could give me a picture of them?

[saaz]

I have run spokes on my 78 GS1000 for the last 20 years or so. Originally it came with alloy wheels. The front wheels will go staight in, the rear will need a different spacer. I have two spare sets of alloy wheels in the roof of the garage. The old wheels are rather heavy compared with modern alloy rims.

If you are worried about tyre life, I don't think there is any difference unless you are able to update to more modern tyre sizes. I swapped the wheels to lower unsprung weight and so I could select better tyres..ironic that 17" is now the preferred size! You will not be able to fit wider tyres in without swing arm and fork changes.

[SqDancerLynn1]

Whent back and checked the 82 is an 18" here's the pix
the one on the rt is the 550 left is the 82/750 and swing arm
http://www.lynnsgspix@groups.msn.com...nw?albumlist=2

[Hoomgar]

Hmmm, and these will fit my bike? Don't get mad at me, I am just asking, but from the picture they look like they may be all dinged up. Or is that just the quality of the photo? If they are in fact not as they appear in the photo and you have a front that will match that 18" rear then I am intersted. Your certainly not asking too much

These are substantially lighter than my spoke rims correct? Or would i be better off paying to get my rear rim fixed? I really don't know what is best. I want what is going to perform best and like the looks of either.

Opinions?

[SqDancerLynn1]

They are not all dinged up but are dirty. Personally I would have someone relace the rear with some new stainless spokes. I don't think you will save that much weight. I have the front but I am keeping it for a spare for my GS850

[Hoomgar]

Maybe I will just go that way. There is a pair on ebay right now that I am watching. Shipping is 40 dollars a wheel though. Maybe I will just have the rim fixed.

Thanks for the input. Anyone else have an opinion? I welcome them all.

[Anonymous]

Keep the spokes! 8)

[Hoomgar]

I think I am going to now. I need to have the rear trued up but the front is good. Both still look good as you can see by the pictures in the gallery.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_scripts/gallerydispwnd.php?RegID=413

[saaz]

I would keep the spokes and get them trued. I had to replace a few spokes over the years, but my wheels were previously raced so had a few more stresses in them. I never have to worry about adjusting them in normal use.

[Hoomgar]

I have not been the nicest to this bike at times or any motorized machine I have even owned for that matter. truth is I have beat the living snot out of this bike already competing with newer super bikes and holding my own I might add. I have had countless "that thing sure is ugly but hocky smokes is it fast! What year is that?" compliments at the end or back road brawls.

That alone is a testiment to how solid these bikes were made. I have owned it for 13+ years and put almost 15,000 very harsh miles on it in that time and this is the first year I have had to put any serious money into it. When I get it back and all done now I plan to baby it more. I do believe the rims were perfect when i bought the bike. i am the one responcible for wacking out that rear rim. Most likely form doing burn outs.

[saaz]

Mine has 150,000kms on it, I have owned it since 1980. I need to rebuilt the rear shocks, buit otherwise it is too much engine for the brakes and tyres. But it does everything I want from a bike....