Wheel Help

[Fate]

I've done some searching and haven't been able to come up with much. The bike is a 1981 GS1100. It currently has a meaty 190/60/16 Avon tire on the rear mounted on a 6" rim.

I'd either like to upgrade to 17" rims so I can have a better selection of tires or be able to find more of the 190/60/16s. I've searched and can't find them at all.

[Fate]

No one wants to help me put a 17" wheel/tire on the back and a 21" on the front?

[madjack57754]

No disrespect, but I really doubt that the wheel is a 6". Stock should be around 4 1/2" wide inside the wheel lips. What model? , I'm guessing it's a "L" with a 16" You can check around and find wheels from other Suzuki models that will be a direct bolt on or get creative and make spacers and adapters to mount wheels from another breed. A good bearing supply house will be essential for the later method
If you check the GSR forum search feature and look for adapting wheels you should come up with dozens of threads that broach this very subject. You can find Suzuki wire wheels on e-bay for cheap and have new rims laced onto the hubs in your choice of sizes. Vintage wheel, Cosmopolitan Motors, Woodies Wheel Works can do the job or if you feel brave, have Woodies cut you spokes and lace your own..Jack

[madjack57754]

Whoops, went back and reread your post. Your probable right about the wheel size. I've got "E"s, and was thinking about their wheels

[Billy Ricks]

You looking to do spoked wheels or sportbike/cruiser wheels? If you indeed already have a 6" wheel in the back you could go with a late model GSXR wheel. Just knock out the Gixxer bearings if they are a different id and install GS bearings. You have to get the bearing supports right too. The 21 up front may be able to be sourced of some of the chopper style bikes. The problem is going to be matching wheels without spending big bucks. If you did spoked wheels you could pull it off.

[Fate]

There is a 6" wheel in the back. Not sure what its from. I'm wanting to put a 21" up front to get the Nostalgia drag bike look.

[KGB]

There is a 6" wheel in the back. Not sure what its from. I'm wanting to put a 21" up front to get the Nostalgia drag bike look.

This will alter handling radically.
And maybe not for the better.
Not many tires made in a a wide width for 21" wheels.
And what about the brakes, will you keep the dual disc? Or go with a single?
A 19" not enough ?

[Fate]

The bike isn't made for handling. Its raked 8* and stretched 11". Its a cruiser/drag bike.

[KGB]

The bike isn't made for handling. Its raked 8* and stretched 11". Its a cruiser/drag bike.

So straight line only, ok.

Got any pictures?

[Fate]

not yet. I'll have some most likely next week.

[madjack57754]

Have you considered a 21" DIRTBIKE front wheel? Old school Avon speedmaster for a tire. Later models have disk brakes. It should be a matter of fitting the correct bearings to match the fork axel and spacers to get the wheel centered. I make test spacers from pvc plumbing pipe for eaze of cutting and working, then make them from steel .

[Fate]

Would a wheel from a HD work? I've found quite a few 21x2.16 or something weird like that for cheap and they are the spoke design like what I want.

Just using some axles and spacers to center and then adapting brakes?

[Billy Ricks]

Would a wheel from a HD work? I've found quite a few 21x2.16 or something weird like that for cheap and they are the spoke design like what I want.

Just using some axles and spacers to center and then adapting brakes?

Chances are you can make it work by swapping bearings, making spacers, etc...

[badbrown]

I'm guessing you have chain drive. You can go with GS 550E wheels in tradtional GS mag. 18'' rear and 19" front. The rear will need to be spaced properly and can only accept a 130 tire. Rec size would be 130/90/18. And 110/90/19 front. If you have a single disc front you can use the 18" front off of a GS 425/450.

[Fate]

i'm keeping the rear wheel i have because its 16x6 and can fit a 200 tire. I want to fit either a 19 or 21 up front