Spokes v Cast wheels

[Gareth220]

Left my bike in for its first service yesterday and immediately jumped onto the dealers loan bike and couldn't believe how different it felt. Both were identical, including colour, but mine has spokes and the dealer bike has the standard wheels.

The bike with the cast wheels wanted to turn harder, was a lot more secure mid bend and felt a lot more sporty. Having come to the new GS from a Multistrada the dealer loan bike felt like it handled more like the Ducati than my BMW.

With the loan bike feeling so lively I check suspension setting, same - single rider no luggage, and mode - Dynamic. Whilst riding the loan bike I decided it must be on different tyres so had already decided the tyres on mine were history and I was getting whatever was on the loan bike. To my surprise both bikes had Conti's on them.

Mileages, loan bike had 335 and mine has 610. So the only different is that mine has spokes and the dealer bike has cast wheels.

When I ordered I preferred the look of the bike with spokes, and when checking the dealer told me they weighed about the same. I can only now conclude that the cast wheels weigh a fair bit less than the spokes and that it really makes a difference to the handling. Either that or I have a suspension issue or the suspension maps are different causing my bike to sit a little lower at the rear for example.

Anyone else tried cast wheels and spokes on a new GS back to back to compare?

 

[chad]

im no expert , but cast wheels are likely to be a tad stiffer as spoked wheels are designed to be more flexible in an offroad situation.

im sure a better mind than mine will clarify this

 

[Giles]

Yes absolutely - think of the forces going into a 19'' spoked wheel when you heave on those bars at high speed and turn it really hard into a corner. So if it's spoked, those spokes will flex slightly and you'll feel it slightly in the handling.
(If you want to see things flex and vibrate, youtube some slow mo HD footage from the IOM... and you'll get a jist of the sort of stresses you're putting yer bike through when you properly hustle it).

That all being said, I've ordered spoked wheels for mine because I will take it off road . .

 

[Fanum]

Beware of concluding that two bikes are 'the same' even if they are identical apart from the wheel type.

A loan bike gets different use than a personally owned bike, and the running in difference even over such a small mileage could be telling.


Looking at it objectively, a heavier wheel, or one with the weight further out from the hub, will have greater gyroscopic force, which is part of what effects the turn in speed feeling...I don't know which of the two options is heavier, but the turning forces involved would be related to their weight and distribution.

I suspect (but have absolutely no proof) that there will in fact be minimal difference, or it would have surely been reported on quite a lot here.....Perhaps the difference in the ownership/use of the two 'identical' bikes is more salient?

 

[stubox]

Try yours on single rider with luggage if you want a 'sportier' feel. Much prefer that way on mine.

Stu

 

[Giles]

I have two sets of wheels for my current TC (cast and spoked). (In fact the cast will be up for sale on here shortly ... )

You can really notice the difference. Whilst the spoked (If I put them on road tyres) don't wobble and wander; they're absolutely fine ... it's not until you ride with the cast wheels that you really notice the difference in the bikes ability to hold a tight quick line.

It's pretty subtle, so if peepes are ordering spoked wheels, don't panic, but a cast wheel will just feel ever so slightly more on railway tracks ...

 

[APE]

There is no way they weigh about the same.

IIRC the spoked wheels are about 4kgs heavier (on the early 1200s) - which is a lot and will affect the ride/ handling.

I've ridden both (not a WC) and you can feel the difference. Spoked wheels look more 'offroad' though

 

[Bionicmunky]

If you want to swap for some cast one's let me know, I might be interested.

 

[Gareth220]

Thanks all, you have confirmed what I experienced in the handling. Shame I really don't like the look of the standard wheels so for the time being will live with the spokes. If spokes v standard wheels makes this difference a set of even lighter wheels is very appealing!

 

[Engineer]

I think that spoked wheels are generally heavier so the suspension will not work as well as because the unsprung mass is greater - If the spoked wheels are heavier then the dynamic suspension may well behave a little differently giving a different feel - heavier wheels will make the bike feel harder to turn too.

 

[richardbd]

the weight of the wheels will make a difference but to us mere mortals, the tyre pressures and suspension settings are likely to make bigger ones (IMHO)...

 

[Engineer]

the weight of the wheels will make a difference but to us mere mortals, the tyre pressures and suspension settings are likely to make bigger ones (IMHO)...

Good point a few psi difference between the bikes will have totally changed the feel.

 

[jonnyp]

Good point a few psi difference between the bikes will have totally changed the feel.

Think your right, I have spokes and Next's. Front end felt 'not right' let a few (3-4) psi out the front and its much better!