the 'best' motorcycle front wheel

[wolbrink471]

Hello

I have six different front wheel options that will fit into the front end on the bike running in the BUB Modified class.

Before I order the front fender, I need to choose one of the following.....


17" Suzuki Aluminum three spoke mag without brake discs - 4.25 inch wide rim. This is the shortest tire, but also the widest(by far)


18" five spoke mid 1980's yamaha mag - heavy,heavy, heavy wheel with swirly, square spokes, but the rim is only 2.75 wide.


the same 18" five spoke mid 1980's yamaha mag with both brake discs.


18" spoked wheel, 2.75 rim, 6 inch diameter hub surrounded by 6 inches of spokes and rim


18" spoked wheel with both brake discs installed, 2.75 rim, 6 inch diameter hub surrounded by 6 inches of spokes and rim


18" drum wheel, 2.75 rim, 10 inch diameter hub surrounded by 4 inches of spokes and rim


No matter what wheel is used, there will not be any front calipers.

Assuming that the fender is an equal fit for all the wheels, which of the six do you all think would be the best choice? What about the aerodynamics?

Thanks,
Mark

[1212FBGS]

17" suz "WITH" discs

[John Noonan]

Why such a wide Front wheel..what bike?  I may have something better for you..

J

[wolbrink471]

Why such a wide Front wheel..what bike?  I may have something better for you..

J

The only reason I was considering the Suzuki mag was because of it's shape, almost in spite of it's width!!

I can see how a hayabusa front wheel/fender fits a bike that is four cylinders wide, but when you are starting with a bike that is only one cylinder wide even a hayabusa fender looks like snow plow!

What where you thinking as 'skinny' wheel options?

Mark

p.s. the front end is based around older convential style yamaha tz forks

[Jonny Hotnuts]

does it really matter how wide the front wheel is? I would think that as long as it was not wider than the body it would not matter; after all, it would not make the frontal area larger. I could even see a wider front wheel improving Cd by directing a larger volume of air smoothly before it hits the bike-radiator.

I dont have a clue what I am talking about but am I that far off base?

[willieworld]

jonny i changed my front wheel and sidecar wheel from 90-90 21 to 22x2.5 x 17 with no changes to the motor and picked up 7 mph  remember that  the wheel is traveling the speed you  are the and top half is rotating into the wind --i also switched from a spoke wheel (wire) to a 3 spoke mag  much better aero   willie buchta

   WHAT RADIATOR                  LLLOOOLLL

[fredvance]

Jonny, I think you may be right. Yeah the busa fender is big but it is pretty good air flow wise. I bet if you took the front fender off a busa it would loose 3 ro 4 mph.
Willie I have always thought you were losing some speed by not running a front fender.

[willieworld]

im loosing speed by not running a busa --im a pushrod guy--if there were no pushrod bikes then i wouldnt ride --as far as fenders i ran a fender in 07 in may and june --in june i ran 120.796 mph on a 123  i took off the fender for july and ran 124.942 mph for the gas record     www.scta-bni.org    07 results   bike pics   --i will admit that i had a fender that wasnt very aero  --  willie buchta

forgot-----a good front wheel is a yamaha seca front wheel  buy it on e- bay  about 60 dollars get the 3 spoke 2.5 x 17  mount a goodyear eagle frontrunner 22 x 2.5 x 17 (149 dollars ) it will be 22 in tall and 2.50 in wide and speed rated to 300 + mph 

[Ratliff]

Although it hasn't produced any overwhelming handling advantages in racing or road bikes, front swing arm suspension could be an overlooked potential method of reducing drag on open bikes.

http://www.tonyfoale.com/Articles/Steer/STEER.htm

http://www.tonyfoale.com/gallery/QL/QL_P7.jpg

http://www.tonyfoale.com/gallery/QL/QL_P6.jpg

http://www.topblogposts.com/files/hybridmotor/6.jpg

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5417305.html

[Glen]

FR, this is the correct way to post as those interested can open and read or skip.

[willieworld]

franklin   you wouldnt have one laying around would you --ive been looking for one for a liner project    willie buchta

[Ratliff]

franklin   you wouldnt have on laying around would you --ive been looking for one for a liner project    willie buchta

Great minds think alike. Actually just the opposite is true, but if you walk the earth long enough you at least see a lot of good ideas that someday might come in handy.

Attached is a drawing of an Indy/Formula One car rocker arm front suspension. A motorcycle front swing arm can be viewed as a racecar rocker arm suspension that has been rotated 90 degrees horizontally so that it points forward instead of sideways. The tricks to making it work on a bike then become the kingpin inclination (caster) and the rates on the coil/shock unit.

[bak189]

Additional information;
www.bakker-framebouw.nl

Check out the QCS Model.........it only takes money and you can have one.....name your engine
a fun bike to ride.....and a real conversation piece

[Jonny Hotnuts]

The Bimota Tesi has had a forward swing arm design from the 80's....costly bike though.
http://www.bimotausa.com/


old school, one on ebay 110267513975



Tube design on the 08

[isiahstites]

The Yamaha GTS 1000 had this similar type of suspension.

Scott