Carbon Fiber Wheel Update

What I never noticed before until the other day is, when I parked my Dominator Naked and Commando SF right next to each other, the differences between the two bikes is more that I thought.
For example, it’s obvious the frame, swing arm, air box, rear mudguard, tail and seat are all different.
But so are the fork tubes. They are a couple inches shorter on the Dominator than the SF.
I didn’t realize they used different forks between the clip on (Dominator / cafe racer) and upright sport / SF Bikes.

Does your bike have megaphones or shorty mufflers / cat pipes?
Aluminum tank?
I didn't know that either. It does make sense to me because the swing arm is longer and the bike sits a bit higher . So , maybe the forks needed to be shorter to get the geometry they wanted ? Did you actually measure them ? A couple of inches is a lot . The stationary part of the fork tube and fully extended is 2 inches shorter ?
 
Last edited:
I was also attracted to the XR1200 as a fun street bike, but as I sneak up on 80 years of age, I've discovered that I need to be careful about the weight of bikes I ride. Not for problems while riding, but for pushing them around in parking and moving scenarios. I've already dropped the 961 once, and that was enough. The Triumph Street Triple R I just bought weighs 100 lbs. less than a 961 Commando, and I can really tell the difference. But I'm a Norton guy through and through, and plan to keep the 961, along with my older Nortons, but I am lightening it as much as I can without changing it's basic nature.

Ken
I agree , But when you are more used to the weight it gets easier and you will gain confidence . The XR12 is not a real big bike , it has a heavy powerplant and frame , just like our Norton 961 .
 
Riding update. I managed a ride today before the high winds expected this afternoon, and got 50 miles or so of mostly bumpy, twisty road. I can now say with confidence that the lighter wheels do make a noticeable difference. The bike feels significantly easier to turn into the corners, and much more willing to change line quickly. It also seems to be a little more neutral in corners, without as much tendency to push under power. I didn't really notice a lot of difference in the bumps, but I think it does react a little less to the really harsh ones. It's difficult to tell all the differences without doing back-to-back tests, and I'm not willing to swap wheels back and forth to do that. I will try some damping changes when I get a chance. I don't know how much the lighter wheels will affect the setup, if any, but it will be entertaining to find out.

Ken
 
Riding update. I managed a ride today before the high winds expected this afternoon, and got 50 miles or so of mostly bumpy, twisty road. I can now say with confidence that the lighter wheels do make a noticeable difference. The bike feels significantly easier to turn into the corners, and much more willing to change line quickly. It also seems to be a little more neutral in corners, without as much tendency to push under power. I didn't really notice a lot of difference in the bumps, but I think it does react a little less to the really harsh ones. It's difficult to tell all the differences without doing back-to-back tests, and I'm not willing to swap wheels back and forth to do that. I will try some damping changes when I get a chance. I don't know how much the lighter wheels will affect the setup, if any, but it will be entertaining to find out.

Ken
The benefits of the carbon wheels are impressive. Your acceleration will be better and your braking distance will be reduced. My car (2018 GT350R Shelby Mustang) came factory fitted with carbon fiber wheels and I once put a set of my spare Forgeline billet aluminum wheels of the same size on to see if I noticed any difference between the two and it’s amazing how the response is with the carbon wheels. On my car they are 11”x19” front with a 305-30-19 tire and 11.5”x19” rear with a 315-30-19 tire. The carbon wheels compared to the aluminum wheels and same size tire is 15.2 pounds weight reduction for each wheel / tire. So a total of 60.6 pounds of weight loss with just the carbon wheels.
You’re really making me want to get the BST wheels for my Dominator.
 
The benefits of the carbon wheels are impressive. Your acceleration will be better and your braking distance will be reduced. My car (2018 GT350R Shelby Mustang) came factory fitted with carbon fiber wheels and I once put a set of my spare Forgeline billet aluminum wheels of the same size on to see if I noticed any difference between the two and it’s amazing how the response is with the carbon wheels. On my car they are 11”x19” front with a 305-30-19 tire and 11.5”x19” rear with a 315-30-19 tire. The carbon wheels compared to the aluminum wheels and same size tire is 15.2 pounds weight reduction for each wheel / tire. So a total of 60.6 pounds of weight loss with just the carbon wheels.
You’re really making me want to get the BST wheels for my Dominator.

They are seductive. Did I mention how good looking they are too?

Ken
 
How delicate are they for tyre changes?

Good question. I worried about that. I used plastic rim protectors, smooth irons, and plenty of tire lube, and was VERY careful. I didn't see any signs of damage in the process. I don't think I would trust them to any of the local bike shops, unless I knew the person mounting them.

Ken
 
Sounds good. I was wondering whether they might need a car type changer where nothing touches the rim.
Apart from the bling tubeless tyres would be nice. Not in my price range at the moment sadly.
 
Sounds good. I was wondering whether they might need a car type changer where nothing touches the rim.
Apart from the bling tubeless tyres would be nice. Not in my price range at the moment sadly.

I had the same sort of thought before buying the CF wheels. I'm pretty sure I could have found some appropriate size, modern, lightweight, cast wheels that could be adapted to the 961. But I succumbed to the lure of the CF wheels, partly because they are still significantly lighter than any of the cast wheels. I think they are also more at risk of catastrophic failure in an impact, like with a curb, than the cast wheels, but that seems pretty low risk to me. In either case, I really appreciate their ability to hold air pressure better than tube tires.

Ken
 
If you want an inexpensive upgrade that gets rid of the tubes, Outex makes a kit for sealing conventional spoked wheels.
I've got one here for the Thruxton and will install on the next tire change.
It won't reduce the weight like Ken's CF wheels but it will rid you of the tube problems and tube weight while keeping the look of conventional spoked wheels.
$140 or so for both wheels
A friend has already done this, great result, only 2 psi leakage in four months of winter storage. The tubes leaked more than that.

Glen
 
Thanks Glen, interesting stuff.
I am not so worried about weight, just that a roadside plug is much easier to fit than patching a tube on the 961.
 
I had the same sort of thought before buying the CF wheels. I'm pretty sure I could have found some appropriate size, modern, lightweight, cast wheels that could be adapted to the 961. But I succumbed to the lure of the CF wheels, partly because they are still significantly lighter than any of the cast wheels. I think they are also more at risk of catastrophic failure in an impact, like with a curb, than the cast wheels, but that seems pretty low risk to me. In either case, I really appreciate their ability to hold air pressure better than tube tires.

Ken
Hey Ken, over a year later, any updates on the BST wheels?
 
Hey Ken, over a year later, any updates on the BST wheels?
Still loving them. I've put about 3500 miles on them so far. I fit a new front tire a little while back, and had no problems changing it, but still being very careful with the tools to not scratch the wheel.

Ken
 
Still loving them. I've put about 3500 miles on them so far. I fit a new front tire a little while back, and had no problems changing it, but still being very careful with the tools to not scratch the wheel.

Ken
Sounds great!
im considering them.
 
You would be smiling all the way to your favourite set of bends Scott. Worth every penny. Transformational is a word I would use, especially if you like a bit of aggressive riding. I went from being (secretly) a little bit disappointed with the handling of the bike, especially the ponderous turn in and poor ‘flikability‘, to being delighted with handling full stop.

I shelved plans to take it to MPE suspension specialists for a tune-up after the wheels were fitted, although I may still do so in future to see if they can improve it further. I would caveat what I’ve said in relation to handling with OEM wheels with the fact that I did not touch the standard suspension settings from new. No doubt the handling would have been greatly improved if I’d have had the suspension tweaked.
 
You would be smiling all the way to your favourite set of bends Scott. Worth every penny. Transformational is a word I would use, especially if you like a bit of aggressive riding. I went from being (secretly) a little bit disappointed with the handling of the bike, especially the ponderous turn in and poor ‘flikability‘, to being delighted with handling full stop.

I shelved plans to take it to MPE suspension specialists for a tune-up after the wheels were fitted, although I may still do so in future to see if they can improve it further. I would caveat what I’ve said in relation to handling with OEM wheels with the fact that I did not touch the standard suspension settings from new. No doubt the handling would have been greatly improved if I’d have had the suspension tweaked.
My only concern is how they’ll look on a dominator.
 
Any takers ? , on eBay atm , was up for £695 , & seller has sent an offer of £600 ! Only the back wheel though
9A023745-2A2D-4524-A708-5717EC7FC721.png
 
Back
Top