Wheels

[brinkys]

Has anybody fitted aftermarket wheels to their CB550 ie Excel wheels etc?  Can anybody give me some good advice, I looking at my sorry state of a CB550 and planning what to do with it, its going to be a Cafe Race I know that much, I have been trawling through the internet and getting lots of ideas and tips about going about the transformation.  I fancy having black rimed wheels, but apart from stripping the chrome off the original wheels and getting them powder coated I can't seem to find anybody who sells plain steel wheels or aluminium ones in the standard size (especially 40H rims, I want ideally to use the original hubs).  That lead me onto the next question, if I was to fit an aftermaket wheel/rims I could have a better tyre choice.  Once again your thoughts would be appreciated.

[matthewmosse]

Aftermarket ones are around that fit the 550, Easy ones might be cb650 comstar alloys which can look smart (I had a set on my first 550) Sometimes aftermarkett alloys come up that are streight swaps intended for the job (I have a melbur set in the shed). I think the 650 ones might allow wider tyres (marginally) then you get into issues with swing arms and brake torque arms not fitting if going much wider than 4.50 Front end wise 3.50 is as far as I think it goes without complications with mudgaurds and brake calipers.

[metalcatfish]

If you want to stick with original hubs, then it depends what size rims you want. I presume your sticking with the 19x1.85 on the front? Thats as wide as your'll need on the front anyway. The bigger front tyre adversely effects handling. The standar rear rim is 18x1.85 which is fine up to 400. But really, a 18x2.15 would be a better choice, from any sohc 750 (apart from k7, i think) The k7 used a 17x2.15 which would allow you to fit a 130 max.
Even after getting a wider rim, I wouldnt personally be too concerned with squeezing the biggest tyre I could on the back, a 400 or 410 works very well if its not pinched by a narrow rim.
If you get a chance compare the way tyres 'appear' on a wheel, say a 400 fitted to a 1.85 and the same fitted to a 2.15. There's a big difference in profile.
Hagons or central wheel components will fit any rim you want to your hubs, they'l just drill a blank rim to suit. And they can powder coat or anodize too. But its not cheap and turn around at the moment is about 6 weeks.
This guy is very helpfull as well.  http://www.cwylde.co.uk/section.php?xSec=3
cheers

[duzatun]

hey lads speaking on the 650 alloys is there much fiddling to fit them on the 550 sproket line spacing  etc

[matthewmosse]

As I recall they slotted in fairly easy, no garuntees as the bike came with shed loads of bits in boxes and a big stack of comstars so might have been a bit of mix and match at the front (may have used washers as spacers) , rear went in really easy.

[ffjmoore]

Here in america we use these guys. Not to cheap though.
http://www.buchananspokes.net/terms/terms.asp