jojo
Guest
what are the advatages/disadvantages of spokes vs. cast wheels?
For any off road riding you want spokes. Spokes are stronger. If a mag is damaged, it's trash. With spokes you replace the bent or broken spoke. Spokes also have a flex to them.
Mags are easier to clean and cost less.
North
Mags are easier to clean and cost less.
North
Mouse
Registered user
The repair issue is not quite as clear cut as "cast can't be repaired and spoked can". Minor damage to cast wheels can be repaired, I remember someone on these forums posting a pic of a dented cast wheel that he had had pressed back into shape.
The BMW cast wheels are ok for unsurfaced roads that aren't too rough. But if you think you're going to do any serious green lanes / off road, spoked wheels are the way to go
If you're going to do 99% road riding and occasionally venture through a ford or onto a campsite, I'd say get cast wheels, they are cheaper and easier to clean.
The BMW cast wheels are ok for unsurfaced roads that aren't too rough. But if you think you're going to do any serious green lanes / off road, spoked wheels are the way to go
If you're going to do 99% road riding and occasionally venture through a ford or onto a campsite, I'd say get cast wheels, they are cheaper and easier to clean.
Mel
Guest
18 months ago I bought a 1200GS with cast wheels - after all who would want to take such a big and shiny and expensive machine off road? Not me.
How wrong could I be? It started with a gentle stretch between 2 metalled roads linked by a section of the Ridgeway. That was fun! I stayed sitting.
Then a slightly longer stretch tackling my first ruts - scary but I survived upright.
Then I started to get confident - up on the pegs, faster on the flat bits - trying to slow down for the holes but often dropping in and out with a bump. Now I take in a 15 mile stretch of the Ridgeway on a Sunday morning if it's dry but I am now concerned about wheels and tyres.
To cut a long story short I am addicted - and deeply regret not buying spokes. I will consider a replacement bike just to get the spoked wheels and maybe off road tyres.
Dont let the same happen to you - and personally I think the bike looks better with spokes - it adds a bit of 'does (off road) what it says on the tin' to what is otherwise a v. capable road bike.
How wrong could I be? It started with a gentle stretch between 2 metalled roads linked by a section of the Ridgeway. That was fun! I stayed sitting.
Then a slightly longer stretch tackling my first ruts - scary but I survived upright.
Then I started to get confident - up on the pegs, faster on the flat bits - trying to slow down for the holes but often dropping in and out with a bump. Now I take in a 15 mile stretch of the Ridgeway on a Sunday morning if it's dry but I am now concerned about wheels and tyres.
To cut a long story short I am addicted - and deeply regret not buying spokes. I will consider a replacement bike just to get the spoked wheels and maybe off road tyres.
Dont let the same happen to you - and personally I think the bike looks better with spokes - it adds a bit of 'does (off road) what it says on the tin' to what is otherwise a v. capable road bike.
Spokes any time in terms of security - going through potholes on high speeds etc. They are by times stronger than alloys.
Get the spokes if you can i'd recommend.
As for the looks, sure the beasty
looks better with spokes, but sure it's individual taste 
Cheers, Margus
Get the spokes if you can i'd recommend.
As for the looks, sure the beasty
looks better with spokes, but sure it's individual taste Cheers, Margus
Franky
Guest
But on the otherhand I prefer the cast wheels, quite a bit lighter so the handling is better. IMO they look better, are easier to clean and the dealer said spokes are only worth it if you intend on spending more time off road than on it as the cast wheels are more than upto being taken off road. 
Shep
Shep of the Dessert
Hi all
Picking up new 1200 tomorrow after a year on the other with cast alloys, the new ones got spoked wheels, I'll see if i can feel the difference and report in after a few days.
Regards Shep
PS I went with spokes for the looks, the cast wheels wern't that easy to clean also if I got aother identical 1200 it would'nt feel like a new bike, would it!
Picking up new 1200 tomorrow after a year on the other with cast alloys, the new ones got spoked wheels, I'll see if i can feel the difference and report in after a few days.
Regards Shep
PS I went with spokes for the looks, the cast wheels wern't that easy to clean also if I got aother identical 1200 it would'nt feel like a new bike, would it!
Mouse
Registered user
Franky said:IMO they look better, are easier to clean and the dealer said spokes are only worth it if you intend on spending more time off road than on it as the cast wheels are more than upto being taken off road.
I did quite a bit of green laning with knobbly tyres on cast wheels, and apart from people with spoked wheels laughing at me, there were no ill effects
Shep
Shep of the Dessert
Hi all
Picked up the new 1200 on thursday, done 250mls and cant feel any difference at the moment, perhaps it will feel different to the cast wheels when I start hooning around again, but at the moment there's no noticable difference.
Cant say the same 'bout the tyres though, the new bike came with dunlop trailmax's, these seem to "whiteline" alot and you can get the bike to shake its head over rippled surfaces??? Don't seem right to me on a GS.
The old bike was fitted with 020's which were great.
I think I'll give these tyres a chance to wear in a bit before I junk them in favour of tourances or knobblies even!
Regards Shep
Picked up the new 1200 on thursday, done 250mls and cant feel any difference at the moment, perhaps it will feel different to the cast wheels when I start hooning around again, but at the moment there's no noticable difference.
Cant say the same 'bout the tyres though, the new bike came with dunlop trailmax's, these seem to "whiteline" alot and you can get the bike to shake its head over rippled surfaces??? Don't seem right to me on a GS.
The old bike was fitted with 020's which were great.
I think I'll give these tyres a chance to wear in a bit before I junk them in favour of tourances or knobblies even!
Regards Shep
Mouse
Registered user
Can't say I've had any problems with the Dunlops on my GS, but I've never tried 020s so I can't compare the two really.
brickflicker
Guest
spokes
why change the bike when if your only doing green laning all you have to do is change the tyres.the cast wheels will with stand moderate off roading without problem. the spoked wheels arn`t stronger as people put it but they will flex and bend slightly to absorb the stress/load forced on them by rocks and pot holes etc.where as if you abuse the cast wheels they will dent or even crack under continuous severe conditions.unless your doing long difficult terrain just change the tyres and have some fun.
Mel said:
why change the bike when if your only doing green laning all you have to do is change the tyres.the cast wheels will with stand moderate off roading without problem. the spoked wheels arn`t stronger as people put it but they will flex and bend slightly to absorb the stress/load forced on them by rocks and pot holes etc.where as if you abuse the cast wheels they will dent or even crack under continuous severe conditions.unless your doing long difficult terrain just change the tyres and have some fun.
I hit some pretty deep ruts and potholes on this weekends Salisbury jaunt whilst at speed. Some impacts were so hard the forks had no time to compress. I was on alloys shod with Tourances.
The wheels are still fine even beyond legal speeds (closed roads officer honest) and I am very impressed at how strong they are.
Agreed that spokes give it the Tonka toy image, and if I had the money I would have them for off-roading, but I bought my GS on the used market with alloys and to replace them with spokes is about a Grand (ouch).
The wheels are still fine even beyond legal speeds (closed roads officer honest) and I am very impressed at how strong they are.
Agreed that spokes give it the Tonka toy image, and if I had the money I would have them for off-roading, but I bought my GS on the used market with alloys and to replace them with spokes is about a Grand (ouch).
rowbo99
Guest
Here Here
Must agree with my 'sea-going' friend!! I also had a few gentle impacts on Sunday - No snaggs.
It is all about technique and reading the terrain - I have been off-roading Land Rover for years with alloys and never had a snagg
Pukmeister said:
Must agree with my 'sea-going' friend!! I also had a few gentle impacts
on Sunday - No snaggs. It is all about technique and reading the terrain - I have been off-roading Land Rover for years with alloys and never had a snagg
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