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23 Nov 2010
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: brighton
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650gs twin cast wheels!
Hi,
I have a 650gs twin which I plan to ride to russia on! Do I need to change to spoked wheels? Some people say they cast alloys will be fine!
Cheers!
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23 Nov 2010
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Gold Member
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by servdave
I have a 650gs twin which I plan to ride to russia on! Do I need to change to spoked wheels? Some people say they cast alloys will be fine!
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While others are certainly more knowledgable than I on this topic the general consensus on rims seems to be that it's dependent upon what you're riding over. If you're going over a lot of bumpy rocky crap (Mongolia), then spoked wheels are going to flex better and aren't going to crack like an alloy could.
On the other hand, it's a hell of a lot easier, and faster, to fix a puncture on a tubeless tire than a tubed one. Yes spoked tubeless are technically available but they're very difficult to adjust the spokes on (or something like that) and no-one wants to touch them it seems.
People have ridden alloy wheels around the world and will continue to do so. The V-Strom, for example is widely regarded as a really good bike for long distance touring, and it has tubeless wheels. Of course, it's also recommended for 90% road 10% off-road type driving.
So, are you sticking to pavement as much as possible, or are you more interested in finding interesting back roads?
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23 Nov 2010
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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I recently purchased a F650GS twin for my wife and I'm also looking for a possible spoke wheel solution. Love to hear from anyone that has heard of a wheel set that will fit? All this being said I really think that unless you are hardcore off-roading the stock rims should be fine.
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24 Nov 2010
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Join Date: May 2010
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I plan to ride to magadan, taking mongolia on the way! Whilst I don't plan to be making my own MX course round the world, neither do I plan to shy away from off tarmac riding!
Some people say that as long as you adjust your speed with the mind set that cast alloys are harder to repair you should be fine?
Cheers,
Dave
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24 Nov 2010
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
Posts: 38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by servdave
I plan to ride to magadan, taking mongolia on the way! Whilst I don't plan to be making my own MX course round the world, neither do I plan to shy away from off tarmac riding!
Some people say that as long as you adjust your speed with the mind set that cast alloys are harder to repair you should be fine?
Cheers,
Dave
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Thanks Dave,
I figure since my wife is very petit (115 lbs.), her load on the bike will be kept fairly lite and she rides conservatively the rims really shouldn't be an issue. would be nice to be able to more easily repair them though.
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28 Nov 2010
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Aus. Qld. Mackay
Posts: 474
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Alloy Wheels
 I am currently riding my twin thru Africa with the cast wheels, they have been fine mostly. I did hit a bad deep pothole coming in to Nairobi, I was doing about 70kmh at the time and hit full on as my wife did on her XT250 (yes looks like I follow her everywhere) after going about 300m the old bike got a bit loose and you guessed it flat tyre ! Rim had been knocked out off shape on one side, I simply put it on a truck to Jungle Junction thinking I would need a new wheel but Chis there just hammered (delicately) back in to shape and it was fine. Ridden to Uganda and back with no Problems.
I to was a little sceptical of the alloy wheels at the start of this trip, but mine have coped some serious knocks and apart from that once have come thru with flying colours. Also the benefits of running tubeless tyres is a plus in my opinion.
Happy Riding, Happy Holidays
Cheers
Paul
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Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
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