16" wheel on a standard

[cowboybob998]

How hard is it to put a 16" wheel on a standard, got a 16" wheel with a good tire on it and need new tire and dont want to spend the money, doing the final drive swap and figured it was a good time to do it all at the same time.

[DGXSER]

Swapping the standard 17" wheel with a 16" wheel is a little more complicated than just swapping the wheels.

The two models use a different method for spacing the wheel in the swingarm. So, you need the combination spacer and bearing cover from the special along with the bracket for stiffening spacing and positioning the caliper mount from the special model. The parts can be found.

[Incubus]

Here is a picture of the stock setup on Succubus, my first XS11F with the stock 17-inch wheel:



Here is the setup on Incubus, my other XS11F which is fitted with a 16-inch wheel from a XS11SF. The caliper bracket is from a Standard. I couldn't make the Special bracket fit.




The spacer that makes the 16-inch fit is not stock to either model. It is a custom part. I was lucky to find it on one of my parts bikes.

Patrick

[perurider]

BUY A TIRE!!! Do a search of the threads...youll see it is soooo not as easy as it would seem. IMHO, of course.

[TopCatGr58]

Also, just another point of thought, you're doing the FD mod to get lower engine rpms, but putting on the smaller 16" wheel will offset some of the gains you would be getting with the FD mod!

T.C.

[crazy steve]

The big difference between the two wheels as far as fit is the 'Special' wheel has the brake rotor moved .300" out from center compared to the 'standard'. So that explains the thicker spacer; the brake caliper/caliper mount are the same, but the steel torque bracket is shaped differently because the caliper is further out. Using 'other' parts can lead to misalignment of the caliper, so be careful if doing that.

'78E original owner

[cowboybob998]

Spare parts

I have spare parts off of a 1980 special that was wrecked, i bought it for the motor, what I was wondering if the special parts would just change over to the standard, as much as I have to do on all the half done projects that i have started it may be better to just buy the new 17" tire

I have about four running bikes that I need to do something to all of them, should sell at least two of them

thanks, I love this place

[crazy steve]

If you have the whole 'special' bike, you have everything you need to swap wheels. Use the 16" wheel, the thicker (by .3") 'special' spacer, and the 'special' steel caliper bracket. The standard has an additional spacer between the two caliper brackets; don't use that. With these parts it's a bolt-on...

'78E original owner

[SFSPECBIKER79]

rear wheel swap

just thinking about it. does the std. transmission have identical gears as the special. if so, then when you change the std. to special wheel, it would make your std. start off quicker from a stand still. i have both std. and special bikes, but never noticed any difference in how each one started off from dead stop. i never been into the transmission. does any one know what the difference is in the to. if any. thanks

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

change

It can be done. the indent on the special is set for the smaller wheel die. If your are not trying to change RPM and other things at speed, buy the right tire and save the work

[rover]

wheel

One thing most of you have overlooked. The side stand will have to be changed, or you may park the bike and find it on it's side when you return. The spec stand is a bit shorter. Also, the center stands are different, but will interchange. It is quite difficult for me to get my Std up on the center. With a 16" wheel, I don't think I could do it. The stands interchange quite easily, tho.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Stand

It will still be standing if you turn the front wheel all the way to the right, as to the center stand change, you will need to move the stop on the exaust if you make this change.

[crazy steve]

One thing most of you have overlooked. The side stand will have to be changed, or you may park the bike and find it on it's side when you return. The spec stand is a bit shorter. Also, the center stands are different, but will interchange. It is quite difficult for me to get my Std up on the center. With a 16" wheel, I don't think I could do it. The stands interchange quite easily, tho.

I don't think you need to change the stands; the size differences in the tires isn't that great. If you check the specified diameters of the various tires that fit these bikes, you'll find that the tires only vary about 1" at the most, even between the 16" and 17". A Dunlop 404 130/90-17 shows as 25.97", while a 404 130/90-16 is 25.16". But if you go to a Elite 3, now the 130/90-16 is 25.70". In any case, that will change the rear height of the bike no more than a 1/2", usually much less. A smaller tire will put the bike a bit more vertical on the side stand, probably making it less prone to going over.

I will note that tires have 'shrunk' since this bike came out; when the XS was new, tires were sized in inches (4.50H-17, etc) but when they converted to numeric (130) the diameters got smaller. An old worn 4.50H-17 I have measures out at nearly 26.5" and must have been nearly 27" when new.

And even when new (with the 'proper' size tire), these took some grunting get it up on the center stand...

'78E original owner