It does make a difference. I switched to Dymag carbon fibre and even with my slow and steady riding skills I could tell the difference. I've been looking for a 2012 Speed Triple, and I'm going for the 'R' and that's because of the light wheels.
lighter wheels reduce unsprung weight giving better roadholding and enabling lighter suspension setup (suspension not only keeps the bike up but stops the wheel being deflected out of contact with the road when you hit a bump). the lower weight will reduce gyroscopic effect allowing the bike to change direction faster and will also reduce the inertial mass of the wheel giving faster acceleration. Overall weight of the bike is reduced (1 stone is roughly equivalent to 5bhp in terms of superbikes) giving a higher power to weight ratio.
now comes the bad bit.....
the lighter the wheels the less strength they will have and will wear quicker than oe wheels.
Some wheels are designed for race use only and as a result you could be left in bother from insurance and plod if you were unfortunate enough to have an accident (anyone remembering robert dunlops crash in the isle of man will remember the wheel manufacturer trying to squirm out of culpability by saying road racing wasn't circuit racing and the wheels weren't designed for bumpy public roads.... however they knew exactly what they were supplying the wheels for and ended up paying out)
just make sure you research the wheels you are getting and their intended use.
You have no concept of the weight differential until you actually hold them against OEM back to back. Quality of Dymags is very high - were a great product line. They were going to be reintroduced by a company who acquired their assets - not sure if those are on the market now?
Avoid magnesium, they only have a short serviceable life (as little as 2 to 3 years, depending who you listen to). Lightweight wheels make a big difference (but remember you'll need your suspension settings reworked too), but stick to forged aluminium. I keep lusting over a pair of OZ Piegas in black, but even with a trade discount they're a grand and a half...
Hmm, so magnesium is a no, no eh? Shame as they are well cheap and appear to be pretty new. I need wheels which are very robust, light but will last the course.
Why, just last week! I think the time to worry would be after hitting a big pothole or something like that. I don't think they just deteriorate from normal use. There would be some reports of big lawsuits if that were the case. Would you pay 1800 dollars for wheels, if you knew that they would only last 2 to 3 years? I think there is some overworrying going on here.
Ben: Why, just last week! I think the time to worry would be after hitting a big pothole or something like that. I don't think they just deteriorate from normal use. There would be some reports of big lawsuits if that were the case. Would you pay 1800 dollars for wheels, if you knew that they would only last 2 to 3 years? I think there is some overworrying going on here.
tell that to robert dunlop ..... his didn't even last three laps ..... alloy, especially magnesium alloy will fatigue with age and use... and you don't have to hit potholes to do it (especially on britains s!$%e roads). I've seen a thunderace rear wheel collapse and that was a standard factory item. Overworrying is sometimes your friend, especially where "race" wheels are concerned and that is why all aftermarket wheels are sold for purpose ..... read up on the lawsuit that followed the dunlop incident and you will see!!
Ben: Would you pay 1800 dollars for wheels, if you knew that they would only last 2 to 3 years? going on here.
No I wouldn't, hence my earlier comment about sticking to forged aluminium. Magnesium wheels are for racetracks, and racers don't keep wheels for years or have potholes etc to worry about.
Quote: I think there's a lot of over worrying going on here
And I think there's a lot of metallurgists who would disagree with you.
marvic originally tried to wriggle out saying the wheel was supplied for racetrack use and as such road racing (public roads) was not an intended use for the wheels, however they supplied the team knowing exactly what the wheels were to be used for without stipulating the "intended use"
it's the old performance versus longevity conundrum .... i used to have a 350lc that put out over 70bhp but it had to be rebuilt every 1000 miles or less so it didn't self destruct.
You always have to ask the question "what is the item going to be used for?"...... light wheels will make a bike more responsive and as a result shave seconds off lap times which could land you that wsbk factory ride you always fancied when you win a national championship. On the road, standard wheels are perfectly adequate for the job.... light wheels will allow you to arrive at the pub a few seconds earlier than your mates and they look bling as f!$% but they wear out quickly. If it is just for pub kudos and not to secure a factory offer i would probably suggest purchasing a faberge egg as your mates will be just as impressed by the display of wealth and you won't have to keep replacing it every three years.
In performance bikes this month there is are 5 pages about clive wood at bognor regis, & he is saying that daytona 675 wheels are very light (he has fitted them to his own 955 daytona & his tiger 1050) he is a top bloke & knows what he is talking about. My advice is to have a word with him 07752477738
Street Triple wheels are the same as 675 Daytona. There was a slight change to the rear in 2008 (IIRC) that supposedly made it a bit lighter. Going rate seems to be about £500 for a used pair though.
Quote: Going rate seems to be about £500 for a used pair though.
£500 seems a bit steep s/h when you can get brand new ones including bearings and spacers WHEEL ASSY, FRONT, BRONZE £ 469.28 WHEEL ASSY, REAR, BRONZE £ 610.22 These seem reasonable, I was expecting a lot more for genuine wheels
Captain StripleR: Yes. Forged by Fuchs, machined by PVM.
MODERATOR!!!!!!! someone is trying to dodge the swear filter!!!!!!
10p in the box!!!!
steve knows his stuff and backed by performance bikes i reckon he is definitely onto summat!!!!
Otto Fuchs, ya numpty, the man who created the iconic original Porsche 911 wheel design, but I suspect you probably knew that.
Steve Leeson:
Quote: Going rate seems to be about £500 for a used pair though.
£500 seems a bit steep s/h when you can get brand new ones including bearings and spacers WHEEL ASSY, FRONT, BRONZE £ 469.28 WHEEL ASSY, REAR, BRONZE £ 610.22 These seem reasonable, I was expecting a lot more for genuine wheels
Steep or not, that seems to be the going rate (and less than half the ridiculous price of new ones).
Thinking about it there will be a demand for them if they are the same as standard Street Triple's, people will want to upgrade & also racers will want them too for wets ect
Not sure what you mean by upgrade (they're not just the same fitment as the Striple, they're exactly the same wheel), but demand from production racers and trackday junkies keeps values high.
Captain StripleR: Not sure what you mean by upgrade (they're not just the same fitment as the Striple, they're exactly the same wheel), but demand from production racers and trackday junkies keeps values high.
oh I thought the standard street triple wheels were diferent to the street triple R
pwalo: no good if johnny has a sssa though .... or are 675's running sssa's ... i only ask to clarify the point as i honestly don't know.
Steve Leeson: If I'm right, I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that fuchs own silkolene
Fuchs UK was formed when Silkolene merged with another oil company (Century Oils), but as far as I know the German parent compant isn't connected to Fuchs the wheel people.
Quote: oh I thought the standard street triple wheels were diferent to the street triple R
No, Street, Street R and Daytona 675 all share the same wheels.
anything will fit so long as you have the necessary skills/tools. just make sure the rim width and wheel strength is right for the bike they are being fitted to.
Was wondering how many kilos one could save, on average, 5 possibly 10 if yer lucky. Wheels for Ducatis seem to come up regularly, not bad prices too. As Pwalo says if you have access to a good shop you could get all the necessary spacers etc.
Ducati wheels, however, seem to be of the race variety and as was discussed here not suitable for the road.
but a new triumph torque is emerging from the ashes like a phoenix .... kinder to oompaloompas and everythin like!!!