Has anyone fit the lightweight wheels from the SP onto a standard hypermotard/Strada? Was there a noticable benefit?
I'm pretty sure I've seen this done on this forum. I seem to remember the wheels being repainted/powder coated in blue. Bolt on?
Joined May 2015
925 Posts | 9+
Dallas, Texas
Reducing the unsprung weight is always a benefit.
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/new-...mber/sep7-05-how-to-put-your-bike-on-a-diet-/
The lower the unsprung weight (the combined weight of the wheels, tyres, brake calipers and other ancillaries), the less mass the suspension has to control, enabling it to react more readily to road conditions.
Lighter wheels reduce the gyroscopic effect produced by the wheels, making the bike easier to turn. But be careful "“ sharpening up the steering in this way can cause an already quick-steering motorcycle to become unstable over rough surfaces, something that can't be eliminated with a road bike's (limited) standard suspension adjustment.
So, if you're thinking about shelling out on a massively expensive set of super-light carbon wheels, also put some serious thought into investing some cash in re-valved/uprated suspension to provide a wider range of adjustment.
I don't know the weight of the 1100 SP wheels but they looked like they were forged and machined but I don't actually know this. I can say the wheels that come on our bikes look like the ones on a friend of mine's Pike Peak Multistrada and look pretty light for stock wheels. So, IF I had to bet, I would say you won't save much weight with them. Think, as already suggested, you would have to go with carbon wheels to get something dramatic. I personally don't thing these bikes need them but do we really do any of this because we need it? Good luck...
Lighter wheels allow the bike to handle quicker. My SP has them and while I can't say whether it's due to the wheels or not, the thing handles so quickly it almost feels like it's defying physics. At the same time, super light wheels take away a little stability that you might get with heavier wheels.
In general forged wheels are better because they're less likely to crack, more likely to bend, and stronger so they can use less material and get them lighter.
I don't think you will really get a performance benefit unless you're competing at a high level.
In general forged wheels are better because they're less likely to crack, more likely to bend, and stronger so they can use less material and get them lighter.
I don't think you will really get a performance benefit unless you're competing at a high level.
+1
They would accelerate faster if they are lighter, how much you could feel would be relative. The WIDE bars on these bikes give so much leverage, wheel weight and gyroscopic stiffness just doesn't feel as heavy as on a sport bike where the bars are so much closer together...
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