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wheels wanted

3K views 26 replies 4 participants last post by  Burns 
#1 ·
cherry 19" spoked drum brake front wheel wanted for 450 lb 100 hp Brit-look retro-rocket; project prefer boranni or shouldered akront ; 18" back wheel wanted too - cable preferred

thanks
 
#3 ·
I looked at them several years ago for a project XS650.
Shoes are pretty narrow as they are based on 1950's design (unless there is now a new version?)
You could probably get a Honda CB72/77 front wheel easier and build it with a shouldered rim although Boranni and Akront are pretty expensive.If your going to that expense though it would be better for a heavy bike to get at least a 4ls set up (double sided TLS) Another alternative could be a BMW R series TLS as they are easier to find than Suzuki 4LS (and much cheaper)
 
#4 ·
I looked at them several years ago for a project XS650.
Shoes are pretty narrow as they are based on 1950's design (unless there is now a new version?)
You could probably get a Honda CB72/77 front wheel easier and build it with a shouldered rim although Boranni and Akront are pretty expensive.If your going to that expense though it would be better for a heavy bike to get at least a 4ls set up (double sided TLS) Another alternative could be a BMW R series TLS as they are easier to find than Suzuki 4LS (and much cheaper)
 
#5 ·
Just providing some alternatives as no one had replied.
An early CB450 would have a TLS and 19" rim, maybe someone has a former 'race' wheel with alloy rim? 450 would be 40 spoke so stronger than more common 36 spoke on smaller Honda's
 
#6 ·
hi Crazy PJ I remember you from the XS650 Garage back when Pamco Pete was putting together a dwell effect points eliminator mounted on a baby food jar lid. Im building a Black Lightening homage from a SV1000 S So, 4 sure that aint the brake for that m/c. The bike should weigh maybe 20 lbs over what a stock xs1 did and put out 90 hp thanks for looking. BTW i laced a brake like yours to an akront on one of my 650's, betor forks too.
 
#8 ·
The main problem with Suzuki brakes is the availability since most of AHRMA want or have them.
 
#12 ·
The ones that came on the first run GT750 was a Fontana 4 pad drum as I recall.
I think you still buy reproduction units for about 4000 euros

I shopped around Woody's today for something that would work for you but didn't have much time. I know the kind of stuff you're looking for, next time I'm there I'll do an extensive search and take photos of what he has.
 
#13 ·
The ones that came on the first run GT750 was a Fontana 4 pad drum as I recall.
I think you still buy reproduction units for about 4000 euros

I shopped around Woody's today for something that would work for you but didn't have much time. I know the kind of stuff you're looking for, next time I'm there I'll do an extensive search and take photos of what he has.
that's very kind of you. thanks
 
#14 ·
For less than 4K I would get a big chunk of alloy and make a custom dual TLS, particularly since I've seen it done on You Tube by Allen Millyard and Paul Brodie.
Biggest problem is paying for a 8"~12" diameter piece of alloy 6" thick then machining about 90% of it away.
It's not actually too difficult to do, just a bit time consuming to make sure nothing goes oversize
Cast iron liners are easy to get as you just machine some automotive brake drums close to the ID you want which also gives access to correct radius brake shoes cheap. (I've got various rear discs with drums laying around workshop)
I had my 550 done around 1982~83 as the F1 had an issue with the brake drum liner breaking up and I didn't have machinery to DIY it at the time
 
#16 ·
LOL, that's probably a larger tangent than I normally go off to
 
#19 ·
300 lbs and 60 ponies would make for a very quick ultra responsive motorcycle and with a tight chassis a true joy to ride (a hundred mules or so at a stretch of tarmac or gravel)) but i fear with a classic Brit bike not a particularly reliable one, or a long-hauler,

I'd love to have a stock Commando in my garage but I can't have everything. The arm stretching pull of a 450 lb 90hp liter twin is Hello Momma!! That motor is sleep-walking at a 90 mph cruising speed. With a track-worthy to 150 mph chassis the bike has squid embarrassment potential and with full length handle bars is light enough to get up the fire road to a camp spot, I have DR350 for the other end of the street/dirt spectrum.

My concept is modern motor/chassis with a styling nod of admiration to what is to me the purist motorcycle look, 50's-60's British. I want a coast-to-coaster that can go down a fire-road. Drum braked spoke wheels would really be the cherry on top of that Sundae. But that looks like Phase II, I can get Phase I roadworthy and pretty for 3 grand, the wheels would double that. Maybe next year, with some paint...
 
#20 · (Edited)
i see now what you're after. 65 horsepower wears the old ones out pretty quick. but they're a blast while your doing it. i know someone in australia who went the other way



i think he's getting 80-something out of this 880cc BSA. but theres been a lot of work to do it, and i dont know what he expects in longevity.

if youre looking towards using that 90 horsepower, you might find even 4LS brakes pretty scary.
 
#21 ·
Those Pony's will never break a sweat with me in the saddle. I'll maybe see 130 once ( I say ominously) somewhere East of LA - flat and straight -and probably never ride the twisties hard enough to fade the brakes. I'm 75 and my apex-carving, peg-dragging days are over. But - Oh Baby - rolling that throttle on exiting a sweeper!! Bliss.
But you don't stretch the throttle cables for long on this machine in the motorcycle world I live in.

Though my first love was BSA, the example here doesn't suit me. It doesn't have The Look. When did BSA ever use a perimeter frame? If I wanted a fast BSA it would be the Rocket III. Right next to my dream Norton (or maybe the other way around).If I wanted a PRETTY BSA it would be the Lightening Rocket - gosh they are gorgeous.
where will I put the Vellocette.....
 
#22 ·
lol

thats a 90s suzuki RGV 250 with an A65 shoehorned in. he did tbe big bore casting himself, except for actually pouring the iron.

if you really want a rocket 3, i know of a one owner 1970 for sale right now, in new york. owner was a dealer who uncrated it himself and decided to keep it. US$9000 . been sitting since he died in 2010. wife is selling it. no more info than that
 
#23 ·
my list of wants is bit longer than my list of can gets but that triple is a rare find American Pickers will soon be at the door!

your BSA guy has serious skills. I spent the morning moving the rear-set back brakes up to the "standard" positioned footpegs that I fabbed up. taxed MY skillset
 
#25 ·
That A65 in RGV chassis is inspired.
RGV is a bit 'twitchy' in my experience (I preferred handling of the parallel twin RG250) but with an 880 motor probably close to weight of original water-cooled lump will be a ton of fun
 
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