What Wheels and Why?

[Stupid Luke]

So phase 1 of my improvements to my 2004 FZS1000 should be complete on Sunday when it gets Ivanised.


Maybe in a year or so I will consider the R1 forks upgrade but I have just had my forks rebuilt and brakes serviced so I want to get some use from them first.



Time to start thinking of the cosmetic improvements starting with wheels. I dont hate the standard wheels and dont imagine there would be much, if any weight saved with aftermarket aluminium wheels or standard wheels from later bikes? I have carbon Dymags on my Superduke but doubt I will go to the expense on the Fazer.


I am not really bothered about a 6inch rear rim so  not R1 wheels.


Does anyone know if the later FZ1 wheels fit? Or are they 6 inch rears too?


Would the FZ8  or FZ6 wheels fit if I just wanted 5 spokes?


If either does fit, would this entail swapping to FZ1 / FZ8 / FZ6 discs also or would the FZS discs suffice.


Any other suggestions?


The other thing I havent noticed anyone talking about is gearing.  Every Jap bike I have ever owned I have gone down 1 tooth on the front or up 2-3 on the rear. Not sure If I will bother with the Fazer as I suspect it will be have plenty of acceleration once Mike has done his magic on it.


What sprockets do you all run?

[Millietant]

I'm in the opposite camp - every Honda/Kwakiutl/Suzuki AND Yamaha road bike that I've had, has needed a larger front sprocket (usually 1 extra tooth) and on most I've also ended up with a smaller rear sprocket - mainly because they could all comfortably pull it.


My KH 250 back in 1978 was the best example - it would scream to the redline in top gear everywhere, even uphill, and it always ran out of revs before drag stooped it from going faster - I went up 1 tooth on the front and down 3 teeth on the back with that bike and got a decent jump in top speed - enough to shock a Honda 400/4 that couldn't catch me 


My Aprilia is the opposite, for road use in the UK I use a 1 tooth smaller front sprocket (gives a slightly more useable speed range for 6th gear and I can trickle along a bit better in first using the clutch a bit less at really low speed) - but for track use, the standard front sprocket is better suited IMHO.

[nickodemon]

I agree about a smaller front sprocket on apes. Regarding changing to fz1 wheels.... Why bother? If you are going to do it get the lightest wheels you can

[Stupid Luke]

I agree about a smaller front sprocket on apes. Regarding changing to fz1 wheels.... Why bother? If you are going to do it get the lightest wheels you can

I doubt there is much weight to be saved with any of the aluminium wheels. I had forged alu Marchesini's on my fireblade and they werent noticeably lighter than the Honda wheels they replaced.  A new set of aftermarket blingy wheels is about 1400 quid and I doubt I would spend half the value of the bike just to have nicer looking wheels.


The carbon wheels on my Superduke are much lighter than the originals but I feel the benefits would be more noticeable on a sportsbike tbh. Once you have the extra leverage of a set of handlebars you dont really need lighter steering. I know they also claim improved acceleration and reduced tyre wear and everything else but there is also a benefit in leaving the 3 grand in the bank.


Hard to tell exactly but when I was trackdaying I could run the same (ish) laptimes with either wheels fitted. I certainly wasnt getting the claimed 3 sec per lap improvement with carbon around Brands Indy (wish I was).


So if the original 3 spoke and the FZ1/8/6 5 spoke are of similar weight. The only benefit would be cosmetic improvement. I just thought that if they fit, a used set of these would be cheaper and  more readily available than waiting for a used set of PVM's or Galespeeds.