16 inch front wheel on 78 GS1000

[renobruce]

I was considering doing this on my project... 1150 front forks/brakes/wheel. Has anyone done this or something similar? Anything I should be aware of?

[80-81, GS 1100]

I have never heard of someone wanting to go to
a 16 inch wheel lately. I have heard of them upgrading
to a larger diameter wheel but not going down.
IMO going down to a 16 inch would create more problems
than it solves.You would have quicker steering. But worse
traction in a turn. You would also feel a greater impact
from potholes. I would not do it. Not saying it would
be a disaster. Just not an improvement. But if the
forks and brakes are an improvement you need it
may be worth it.

[hotbox05]

actually most people UPGRADE to 17"ers as they are the sporkbike norm nowadays.

[8trackmind]

I was considering doing this on my project... 1150 front forks/brakes/wheel. Has anyone done this or something similar? Anything I should be aware of?

Bruce, are you just going for the "look"of that front end? Or do you actually want to run the 16" wheel?

[renobruce]

Bruce, are you just going for the "look"of that front end? Or do you actually want to run the 16" wheel?

I was just considering doing something different. I have a pair of 1150 forks/calipers and was thinking of putting them on for better braking and the anti-dive. The forks are longer than the stock 1000 forks by about 3 inches, so I thought I should put on a 16 inch wheel (same as an 1150) so that I don't change the height of the front end. I would then be running 16 on the front and the standard 17 on the rear (same as an 1150).

I know that it will quicken the steering, but that's OK. I like the steering on my 1150... it handles great.

I think that guy that was BOM a few month's ago did the same on his 750, but not sure.

[renobruce]

I have never heard of someone wanting to go to
a 16 inch wheel lately. I have heard of them upgrading
to a larger diameter wheel but not going down.
IMO going down to a 16 inch would create more problems
than it solves.You would have quicker steering. But worse
traction in a turn. You would also feel a greater impact
from potholes. I would not do it. Not saying it would
be a disaster. Just not an improvement. But if the
forks and brakes are an improvement you need it
may be worth it.

I want it to handle good. The bike will have a souped-up motor and race carbs.

[kingofvenus]

Going up to a 17in. is one of the best mods I've done to mine. There are very few good 16in. tires, plus a 17in. front end will have a wheel wide enough to run a radial tire.

[solo suzuki]

I know that it will quicken the steering, but that's OK. I like the steering on my 1150... it handles great

there ya go!
that's what i did on my '82 in the early 90s


and if you get tired of that you can just slip a 17in in there and go radial and still don't worry about ground clearance...
+4p nissins will line up in the holes with no adapter needed ...
+ you got 'em, go for it. make it yours :-D

[RobGS850L]

My 1100 has that mod and I like the handling fine. Good response and looks cool too. Do it! And off topic "Hi Bruce long time no talk".

[spyug]

As the King says there are few good 16" tires about. When I was getting the 750 on the road this year I needed a new tire and it took about 5 weeks to come up with anything.

I think going with the newer sport bike wheel would be a better idea. Specially if you can then slap on some sticky radials.\\/

Just my thoughts.

Cheers,
Spyug

[tone]

Check the rolling diameters of the wheels as i doubt the height of a 16" with an 80 tyre will be any diferent to a wider 17" with a 60 or 70 :-D

[Kris V]

I am just about to do this in the next segment of my " GS project" I will take lots of pictures.\\/

[QuaiChangKane]

The new Ducati Desmodici RR (At $72.5K) comes with a 16" rear, and a 17" front. The 2006 MotoGP machine that it is based off of has 16" wheels front and rear.

The only reason the street version needed a 17" front rim is due to the brakes - the GP machine uses carbon-carbon discs, which will not work for street use due to their poor cold performance and near non-existent wet performance. The engineers used the GP wet-spec monoblock radial calipers with larger steel rotors - the rotors and calipers would not fit within the GP bike's 16" wheel, requiring the use of a 17" front.

Most race bikes (GP, SBK) run a 16.5" wheel, based on the best compromise of traction, turn-in, stability, and brake mounting clearance.

A blanket statement that 16" front wheels are a downgrade without substantial reasoning is misleading - there is still a better selection of 16" radial tires than there is for 16" bias-plies.


The 16" front on the 1150 is wider than the 16" front on the 750, and as such has a far better selection of bias rubber.


BUT - why "upgrade" to 22+ year-old technology when you could upgrade to something more modern for the same amount of work? Better forks, better brakes, and better tire selection - with more aftermarket upgrades for the fork internals, by going with a newer front end.

Unless you're going for a period look...?


-Q!

[robertob]

I would think it would be hard to find a newer front end with the right length for an old GS conversion, but I could be wrong.

[tone]

I would think it would be hard to find a newer front end with the right length for an old GS conversion, but I could be wrong.

1200 bandit :-D