17" wheels

[J biker]

As per title. Has anyone done a conversion on the lc? Any feedback on tyre widths etc. ..
Wunderlich list spoked wheels. Abs ri g etc will fit.
Looki g for genuine feedback as considering this as a winter project.

 

[CPJS]

You would be changing the steering head angle. Same as dropping the yolks 1" on a forked bike, which is a lot. Might make it a bit twitchy with a tendancy to tuck on slower corners.

 

[MrMcNamara]

As per title. Has anyone done a conversion on the lc? Any feedback on tyre widths etc. ..
Wunderlich list spoked wheels. Abs ri g etc will fit.
Looki g for genuine feedback as considering this as a winter project.

Whats the point in bollocking up an excellent handling bike?? am I missing something? what are you hoping to gain other than a hole in your wallet

 

[CPJS]

It has been done. I remember reading something where somebody wanted carbon wheels on a GS and 17" was the only option, it did affect the handling, they thought it was worth it to get what they wanted.
Found it..........
http://www.bikehps.com/acatalog/BMW...wards_BST_Carbon_Fibre_Motorcycle_Wheels.html

 

[DING-DONG]

It has been done. I remember reading something where somebody wanted carbon wheels on a GS and 17" was the only option, it did affect the handling, they thought it was worth it to get what they wanted.
Found it..........
http://www.bikehps.com/acatalog/BMW...wards_BST_Carbon_Fibre_Motorcycle_Wheels.html

Thats my bike on the hps website, and yeah it effected the handling in a good way, the front was very planted however that was a twin cam and not a Wc, i think the only 17' option hps do are kineo wheels for the WC, someone on the forum has already put 17' kineo wheels on the Wc i cannot remember who tho.

 

[Troppo]

The RT front wheel fits the GS.

 

[Troppo]

 

[crotchrocket]

I looked into it a bit before getting another set of GSA wheels. Having two 17" wheels was going to stuff up the ABS / Traction control and i couldn't find anyone that would / could make alterations to the bike (ECU?) to accept the same size wheels front and back.

 

[J biker]

Thanks for the useful replies...going to look in to it a bit more. Have seen some where that abs ok as long as the abs ring on front wheel. Cant see traction control being an issue as rear is already a 17 inch.
1 inch change at front in height should be no issue on an inheritanly stable bike.
As to why? Make a great bike better and have a choice of superior road tyres without compromise.
Having already tried an 1150gs adventure with a conversion, I can confirm how well that bike handled. That bike was runni g roadsmarts and embarrassed many bike on twisty roads.

 

[Neil W]

Rode my r1150gs and my r1200gsa tc on 17" rims at one time or another and they make good handling bike even better , it had no effect on stability on either bike.
But both of them were non abs models , as for the WC models I would be a bit more reticent if only because the bike is so electronic heavy and I would want to know how it might effect the traction control, abs etc if the smaller diameter front wheel is sending an altered signal to the ECU

 

[crotchrocket]

Thanks for the useful replies...going to look in to it a bit more. Have seen some where that abs ok as long as the abs ring on front wheel. Cant see traction control being an issue as rear is already a 17 inch.
1 inch change at front in height should be no issue on an inheritanly stable bike.
As to why? Make a great bike better and have a choice of superior road tyres without compromise.
Having already tried an 1150gs adventure with a conversion, I can confirm how well that bike handled. That bike was runni g roadsmarts and embarrassed many bike on twisty roads.

Its not the abs ring on the front wheel, its that the bike is calibrated for the front wheel to be turning slower than the rear. As i say, i hit a wall of 'not sure you could make it work (electronically)' and a set of 17 / 19 wheels came up so I just bought those. Be following this to see if you get it to work though. is it the K1300 wheels you're looking at?

 

[J biker]

http://www.wunderlich.de/shop/en/wunderlich-kite-rim-kit-17-inches-set.html

there are 21inch conversions, including abs ring..

Cant see big issues tbh. other than lack of info

I know its been done in Germany but cant find any up to date info and my German extends to buying beer!!

Seen conversions on KTM adventure series as well and there were no reports of abs issues there...frustrating.

 

[J biker]

The answer is in the advert, read it again, includes ABS ring. Getting closer...

 

[CPJS]

Thanks for the useful replies...going to look in to it a bit more. Have seen some where that abs ok as long as the abs ring on front wheel. Cant see traction control being an issue as rear is already a 17 inch.
1 inch change at front in height should be no issue on an inheritanly stable bike.
As to why? Make a great bike better and have a choice of superior road tyres without compromise.
Having already tried an 1150gs adventure with a conversion, I can confirm how well that bike handled. That bike was runni g roadsmarts and embarrassed many bike on twisty roads.

You can buy Dunlop Roadsmart 3's to suit the GS LC 19" front, any more sticky tyres on a GS are a complete waste of money as the GS cannot exploit the extra grip before running out of ground clearance, which you will have reduced anyway by lowering the front.
If you wish to put a 17" wheel in fine, you will have a different handling bike, not a better handling one.

 

[crotchrocket]

nice!! i didn't even look at those, due to the price. Was just looking at the K1300 stuff. But if they can give you an ABS ring with the correct frequency of slots thats awesome!!

 

[J biker]

You can buy Dunlop Roadsmart 3's to suit the GS LC 19" front, any more sticky tyres on a GS are a complete waste of money as the GS cannot exploit the extra grip before running out of ground clearance, which you will have reduced anyway by lowering the front.
If you wish to put a 17" wheel in fine, you will have a different handling bike, not a better handling one.

Understand what your saying on ground clearance, but grip is grip, whatever the angle of dangle.

 

[patzx12]

I ran 17" for a while on a 05 bike. Nice sticky tires gives more security when dogging it.
I still have the wheels if anyone wants a set.

 

[J biker]

In the end I got 17" wheels. Attached to a KTM1290GT! Have to admit that the GS was good on 19" wheels and Roadsmart 3s, who knows what proper rubber and wheels might have been like. Ultimately though I realised when following (chasing) my mate on his hypermotard in the hills above Barcelona last year that I wanted something lighter and more sporty.

 

[Bendy toy]

17" wheels

Slinging my 250kg hexhead GSA down a fast A road is great. The weight shows up when doing the same on a more tightly curved B road but the front end grip gets the job done. No complaint about the GS but the issue is overall weight rather than ability to change direction.
Anyone wanting a chuckable bike needs something a lot smaller than a GS. Not necessarily a sports bike just less weight.

 

[Blackal]

if you can get the ABS to operate (sounds like it requires a specific rotor for 17" diameter wheel) - then you should get slightly improved turn-in due to the 17" assembly having a lower gyroscopic effect than the larger wheel.

Al