GSXR Wheel Selections

[posplayr]

EDIT: 10/15/2017: See John Kat's thread on various front fork/brake/wheel configurations.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?206668-A-modern-fork-upgrade-for-17-18-and-19-quot-wheels&highlight=

The 1988 GSXR 1100 3 spoke is the only rear that has 18x4.5" rear wheel. That wheel came with a 160/60-18 on the rear from the factory but seems to easily fit a 170/60-18 as well. The fronts seem to be more rare as they probably get bent more often.

A good compromise if you can't get the front matching 18x2.75" front wheel which came from the factory with 110/80-18 is to instead mix in a shorter but wider 17x3.5" 2nd generation wheel which carries a 120/70-17 wheel.(spacers and such required; Salty Monk is trying to sort that out right now).

For future reference. This information is cobbled from my collection of wheels and the Suzuki manuals.



SUMMARY:

GSXR 1100 6 spoke (similar to GS1100ED)
1986 front is 18x2.75" 110/80-18 15mm axle
1986 rear is 18x4.0" 150/60-18 20mm axle
1987 front is 18x2.75" 110/80-18 17mm axle (bearings are diff to 1986)
1987 rear is 18x4.0" 150/60-18 20mm axle (same as 1986)
86-87 GSXR 1100 Rear Sprocket Carrier is different to the 88 1100 Sprocket Carrier (88 is unique).
***Don't recommend trying to put a 110/70-18 on this wheel.
***18x4.0" can carry a 160/60-18 but seems to distort the profile on the one I have Michelin Pilot Road.

GSXR 1100 curved 3 spoke 18" (similar to 2nd gen GSXR 17" wheels)
1988 front is 18x2.75" 110/80-18 17mm axle
1988 Rear is 18x4.50" 160/60-18 20mm axle
***Rear 8x4.5" can carry a 170/60-18 with minimal profile distortion.

After the 1st Generations things started moving generally to 17"

2nd gen GSXR 750 and 1100 curved 3 spoke 17"
1990 On (???)
Front is 17x3.5" 120/70-17 20 mm axle
Rear is 17x5.5" 180/55-17 20 mm axle


***There a few years where a 17x4.5" 160/60-17 wheels during the transition years
** Also The manual shows the front tire on the 1990 1100 Front was 130/60-17
See attached spreadsheet for at least the 1100's

There are a few tire selections available for the rear 160/60-18 and at least one for the 170/60-18

Dennis Kirk, allows search function allows you to enter tire sizes and see what brands off those sizes.
Note: The tables shows 1991 twice the last row is 1992, I cant change the file now once uploaded.

Kingofvenus looked it up:
Alpha site shows the '90 front as a 17x3.5 for that 130. Today 11:41 AM

[kingofvenus]

'89 is the only year the gsxr 1100 had 17x4.5 rear, '90 went to 17x5 rear. I have an '89 rear on mine with the stock 14mm axle. Easy cheesy bearing swapola....

[posplayr]

'89 is the only year the gsxr 1100 had 17x4.5 rear, '90 went to 17x5 rear. I have an '89 rear on mine with the stock 14mm axle. Easy cheesy bearing swapola....

Not to be picky, but I think you mean.

'89 is the only year the gsxr 1100 had 17x4.5 rear, '90 went to 17x5.5 rear. I have an '89 rear on mine with the stock 20mm axle. Easy cheesy bearing swapola

I have captured all of this in the attached table of the original post.

The only question I have is what was the front wheel size in 1990 when mounted that 130/60-17 tire?

[kingofvenus]

I'm still using the gsx600 katana front fork assy, 17x3 with a 110/70. As long as I can get a current style tire in that size I'll stick with it, seems to work just fine.

[kingofvenus]

Not to be picky, but I think you mean.

'89 is the only year the gsxr 1100 had 17x4.5 rear, '90 went to 17x5.5 rear. I have an '89 rear on mine with the stock 20mm axle. Easy cheesy bearing swapola

I have captured all of this in the attached table of the original post.

Oooops, My bad! (brain fart)

[kingofvenus]

Alpha site shows the '90 front as a 17x3.5 for that 130.

[posplayr]

Alpha site shows the '90 front as a 17x3.5 for that 130.

Tanks, I updated the first post to reflect

[sonnygs1100]

i thought thier was a thread about a year ago with wheels you could swap and bearing # and off set sproket # and whole 9 yards

[posplayr]

U might be think of this?

I have not seen another except for stuff from OSS.

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188068

[sonnygs1100]

no it was on here , but i cant rember name of thread had it book marked on other computer but it died .

[jwhelan65]

Great info Jim, Clicked and save. There has many times I could have used this for reference. Appreciate the work.

[tone]

Hmm dunno about the USA but here in the UK an 88 1100 only ever came with a 4.5"x 17 rear wheel (160/60/17 was the stock tyre from memory )

Fronts were 3x17" & a 120/65/17 tyre (i'll check this to be sure & let you know)

The only bike i can think of offhand that had a 3 spoke 18" rear wheel was the gsx1100g shafty from somewhere around 1990, cant remember the front size though

[Beaver]

Ok. Let me get this straight then. I am looking on ebay at a GSXR1100 '88 mostly because it is complete with axle, both crowns and clipons (wreckers don't normally like selling you too much at once so this is a little exceptional) and I want it because it gives me access to the curved 3 spoke wheels. It does give rise to 2 issues though. One, I can only use 18" wheels cause it has a 17mm front axle and all the smaller wheels that come after ('89 forwards) use 20mm front axles. Is this really a problem or would my '79 GS1000 benefit from a little extra ground clearance with 18" wheels instead of 17"?

I can see that there are way more 17" tyres to be found for example than 18" and at better prices too. Is this something to consider?

P.s. the auction ends in 22hours so I don't have a lot of time to wait for answers

Cheers

[posplayr]

Ok. Let me get this straight then. I am looking on ebay at a GSXR1100 '88 mostly because it is complete with axle, both crowns and clipons (wreckers don't normally like selling you too much at once so this is a little exceptional) and I want it because it gives me access to the curved 3 spoke wheels. It does give rise to 2 issues though. One, I can only use 18" wheels cause it has a 17mm front axle and all the smaller wheels that come after ('89 forwards) use 20mm front axles. Is this really a problem or would my '79 GS1000 benefit from a little extra ground clearance with 18" wheels instead of 17"?

I can see that there are way more 17" tyres to be found for example than 18" and at better prices too. Is this something to consider?

P.s. the auction ends in 22hours so I don't have a lot of time to wait for answers

Cheers

Ground clearance and avoiding the complexities of USD forks fitment are the main reasons for doing the 18" wheels. The 88 1100 is the widest (4.5x18") OEM wheel.

I have a spreadsheet that basically calculates out a 0.8" drop using the RSU 86-88 forks and 18" wheels. In comparision the longest 92-93 1100 USD forks and 17" wheels drop you about 1.3". If you go 750 forks then you loose about 1.8". It is hard to make that up unless you do Mono shock or 4:2:1 headers.

It is possible to put the 17" wheels on the RSU 17mm axles (apparently using spacers) but I have never seen the parts Salty Monk is working this now.

Pos

[salty_monk]

My setup came with 17" wheels so I'm not much use either but seems to be a case of bearing bushes (or bearing swap would work too) & spacers - that's it.

Dan