GS1100G 83 wider rims

[oohsam]

Hey guys,
I am considering changing my GS1100 83 to a wider rim. Its a shaftie, but i'm not sure how to go about this, and if its even possible.
I dont want to change the rear swingarm, unless there is an easy swap......

Can anyone give me some light on this topic.
I've searched for a few days all over the place but cant find anything.

Cheers.

[Steve]

The reason you can't find anything is because there isn't anyting.

About the only way you are going to manage a wider wheel is to have one custom made.
Then you will have to arrange a custom swingarm, but you are limited there because the driveshaft goes through the swingarm.

How wide are you wanting to go, and why?

.

[oohsam]

Ok looks like im not going to do this! hahah....
Nice and quick answer.

I was told that the handling on these bike was terrible, and it was due to the rim being pretty thin....and they dont make decent tyres for the current size currently.

I have not confirmed any of this...

[Nessism]

I was told that the handling on these bike was terrible, and it was due to the rim being pretty thin....and they dont make decent tyres for the current size currently.

Who ever told you this is an idiot. Shame on you for listening.

[Dogma]

Somebody told you wrong. Good tires, shocks and fork springs make for a comfortable, neutral ride that easily handles well enough to scrape hardware at will. Adding wider tires will just mess this up. However, it is a 30 year old design that's approaching 600 pounds. It will never compare to a modern bike. Far more important is your riding skill. Many members here make sport of embarrassing local squids.

[oohsam]

hahah yes shame on me for real ! I'm somewhat gullable. Thanks for clearing it up guys. I actually like the stock rims too. got a bit of character.

[bwringer]

Yeah, GS shafties sure do handle like crap...

[oohsam]

Awesome picture man! wooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooo

now im gettin excited

[makenzie71]

Bigger tires have never improved the handling of a bike.

[tkent02]

I was told that the handling on these bike was terrible, and it was due to the rim being pretty thin....and they dont make decent tyres for the current size currently.

Whoever told you this has obviously not tried to keep up with a skilled rider on a good GS in twisties.
Sure modern bikes are faster in corners... Not many riders outside of real racers can go fast enough to know the difference.
Out running squids on newer faster machines is fun and easy, almost all of the time. So much fun when they see it's a gray haired fat guy passing them on the inside riding a thirty year old machine with skinny tires.

[GSexpress]

The phat tire craze is all about looks. Look at the tires and rims they're using for race bikes. Those are the optimal sizes for performance. It is also very bike specific as in size, weight, and frame geometry. The size and profile of the tire has to work with the bike to provide the right turning radii at lean angles to balance the weight. Putting on wider tires, and or rims, can drastically effect it, and not neccessarily for the better. In general, putting wider, lower profile tires on our bikes will increase the turning radii when leaning over and the farther you lean the less it wants to turn and the more it wants to fall. You end up having to countersteer alot to keep the bike from falling as the tires are not generating enough turn radius to balance the weight. You can offset this by going to a smaller diameter tire, but then you loose ground clearence and loose maximum turning capability because you can't lean the bike over as far.

Changing tire sizes can cure some handling ills. But changing them for looks or for mis-perceived traction improvements almost always makes things worse.