XS11 wheels on 82XJ11

[nightpilot]

I am trying to resurect an 82 xj11 and will need new tires. I think the xs wheels are better looking and see that some xs have 17inch rear wheels opposed to my 16 inch rear wheel. My question is can I just put xs wheels on my xj and maybe get it geared a little higher for better mpg with the 17 inch on rear? I know about the 750/850 conversion but looking for an easier way out that my little pea brain can handle. You guys have been of great help since I got on here
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81 xj550
85 red xj700
85 blue xj700
86 xj700x
83 magna v45
98 magna v45
93 harley souped up FXR, the only kind to have, pegs drag too easily though people told me not to ride a harley like that so I dont

[DiverRay]

The 17" wheel will fit. You MAY need some of the XS11 Standard "shims" to go with the wheel, so the brakes space out correctly.

[Jerry]

The 17 inch tire won't get you much different gearing, just limit the choices of tires you have. Look at the tire specs for outside circumference...Dunlop, for example, publishes them. The difference in how far the wheel travels in 1 revolution is very small, around .15 inch. (D404, 130-90x16, 25.11 inches. Same tire in a 140-80x17 is 26.26 inches. Link: http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tire...tire.asp?id=37
Also, most of the 17 inchers were tube-type, although a few were made tubeless.

I would keep to the 16 inch tires and do the 750 final drive swap if you want to reduce cruising RPMs.

[nightpilot]

wheels, rear gears

Thanks for the good advice guys. I was wondering if my choices might be less with the seventeen inch wheels. Anyone know if it is a certain year 750 that has the higher gears. I have a 82 650 parts bike, that wont work will it.

[DiverRay]

ANY year 750/850 will do. The later years are supposed to be easier, but the early one I put on was easy. Getting the drive shaft BACK into the yoke is the hardest part of the swap!!

[Jerry]

Getting the drive shaft BACK into the yoke is the hardest part of the swap!!

Actually, I had very few problems. I bent a piece of wire into a "L" shape, used it to held the yoke straight from the engine side of the joint , slid the shaft into it with no problems at all. Took less than 5 minutes. This was with the rubber boot in place. Then I installed the final drive and completed the rest of the install.

Other problem, getting those springs back around the boot, was solved by using light wire between the ends of the springs. Pull the wire tight and the spring ends get close to each other. After a couple tries you can hook the spring ends together without a lot of trouble.

Was off in my number in previous post. Was looking at front tire sizes. D404 in a rear 130-90x16 has a circumference of 25.16, the 130-90x17 circumference is 25.97, so the difference is .81 (just over 3/4) inch difference. Still not much, but more than I has stated previously. This is a 3.2 percent change, or about a160 RPM reduction at 5000 RPM.