Looking around at buying a 05/06/07 GS 1200 and most seem to have alloy wheels, one has spoked which I prefer. Apart from the serious offroad credentials of spoked wheels which I dont intend to test, what are the pros and cons. Were spoked an option from new ?
1200 GS alloys v spoked wheels
- Thread starter eyore
- Start date
Spoked are standard on the Adventure and an option on the GS. If you are acleaning freak, you'll hate the spokes.
Mutley
Registered user
Spokes are cool :cool
If you're a keen road rider and really throw your bike about you'll notice a slight difference in handling between spoked and cast. Spoked wheels have a tiny bit of flex in them and you'll just pick up on that pitching yer bike into a corner. Cast wheels will give the bikes handling a more sharper feel.
If you like dirty grubby pot holed B roads, maybe spoked wheels will do you a favour. Even if you don't go properly off road, you're less likely to dent yer rims with spokes because of their flex. Cleaning them is a pain in the arse.
If you like dirty grubby pot holed B roads, maybe spoked wheels will do you a favour. Even if you don't go properly off road, you're less likely to dent yer rims with spokes because of their flex. Cleaning them is a pain in the arse.
The spoked wheels have been known to corrode from the inside.
Ally wheels are actually stronger than spoked wheels, but if you're off roading (or hit a mahoosive pot hole) a spoked wheel is more likely to bend whereas an ally wheel is more likely to break.
Ally wheels are actually stronger than spoked wheels, but if you're off roading (or hit a mahoosive pot hole) a spoked wheel is more likely to bend whereas an ally wheel is more likely to break.
It'll be interesting to see what the road handling will be like
Put alloys on my gsa whilst the spoked ones were being repaired and it handles much better on alloys.
They raise the suspension up a notch, less flex and more planted on the road.
They raise the suspension up a notch, less flex and more planted on the road.
Looks like the decision has been made for me as the bike I was looking at with wire wheels has been sold, and the other bike that I have pretty much decided on has alloys, which for me is probaly a better option.
Don't be under any illusion that spoked wheels ere easy to re true or think that its easy to replace spokes.
Where I live all roads are dirty and pot-holed, even the dual carriageways around me now have 6 inch deep potholes everywhere.
Can't see too many road riders really needing the extra strength of an alloy wheel to allow them to corner faster, or really needing a spoked one to stop them wrecking the wheel. Certainly spoked wheels are cheaper to repair if it does happen.
Unless your a serious off-roader I think it is a personal choice on the GS, with my Tenere I had no options and for the first time since my FS1E I have spoked wheels again.
Bendy toy
Registered user
My GSA is by some margin the best handling bike I have used. Though I had better qualify that to mean on the road dirty and potholed or not. It's not yet been off road.
Some will laugh at thar but I find sports bikes too single minded and too easily upset by poor surfaces etc.
I'm no Agostini but with a group its usually me waiting for others. That will only get worse with GSA.
So wire wheels or spokes? I might be able to detect a difference but it won't be enough to force my choice other than fashion. I like the GS on spokes.
Some will laugh at thar but I find sports bikes too single minded and too easily upset by poor surfaces etc.
I'm no Agostini but with a group its usually me waiting for others. That will only get worse with GSA.
So wire wheels or spokes? I might be able to detect a difference but it won't be enough to force my choice other than fashion. I like the GS on spokes.
jpod
Registered user
Really? What's the story?
Never heard of BMW wheels doing it but DID rims on Honda Dominators etc that were anodised used to regularly corrode from the inside and delaminate.
I've had a XL250RC that the wheels looked immaculate but when I came to change the rear tyre the rim fell to bits (literally)
I've had a XL250RC that the wheels looked immaculate but when I came to change the rear tyre the rim fell to bits (literally)
Number 6
Registered user
Do you actually have any evidence of this?
Nobbyspiles
Registered user
Only what I've heard on here. Plus, with conventional spoked rims*, it's a well known fact.
*Yes, I know BM don't use conventional spoked rims.
My 05 GS came on spokes and while I like the look of them, the nosy part of me wants to try alloys (never ridden any other GS) but I couldn't bring myself to sell the spokes and I can't afford two sets at the mo - maybe in the future
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