Magnesium Wheels

[scapello]

I just bought a nice '89 and it was modified with 17" Technomagnesio rims (17 front and rear). They look good, opens up the tire choice and drive great and have no cracks as far as I can tell. I was always under the impression that magnesium wheels are great for racing due to the weight savings but there was always something about easier cracking and catastrophic failure....
Anyone have any input or thoughts on this topic?

[n8man1068]

IF they break, smack a few chunks off with a hammer. Put a chunk in a 2litre bottle with a screw cap. Pour in some pool cleaner, screw on cap, throw, run.

[scapello]

  That is exactly why I joined this forum. Expert advice in a timely fashion.

[racerman_27410]

i wouldnt go out of my way to hit any potholes and would probably lay low on the wheelies but i dont see any problem with running those wheels on the street....racing wheels are lightweight but they still have to withstand tremendous acceleration and deceleration forces.



post up some pictures... i would like to see them


Kookaloo!

Frank

[n8man1068]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Do post pictures though. I'd like to see them.

Sadly, the price of them is more than I paid for my '85.

[scapello]

I am out of town for the next two weeks (with a new toy at home) but will clean her up and post some images. It is in ok shape but has lots of room for improvement.

Steffen

[Dan Filetti]

I'd be curious to see/ feel/ or at least hear about, the effects of reduced rotating mass and gyroscopic influences associated with lighter wheels.  I've read about it and apparently it's significant.   I would think it particularily noticeable on the FJ, which is not exacly a featherweight of a bike in the first place.   Have you ridden other FJ's -can you speak to the differences in any sort of apples to apples way?

I'd be most curious to hear any feedback you have on this.  AKA: is it worth it to spend such big $$ on a mod for performance reasons alone? (as if I had such cash to throw around....)

Dan

[rktmanfj]

I'd be curious to see/ feel/ or at least hear about, the effects of reduced rotating mass and gyroscopic influences associated with lighter wheels.  I've read about it and apparently it's significant.   I would think it particularily noticeable on the FJ, which is not exacly a featherweight of a bike in the first place.   Have you ridden other FJ's -can you speak to the differences in any sort of apples to apples way?

I'd be most curious to hear any feedback you have on this.  AKA: is it worth it to spend such big $$ on a mod for performance reasons alone? (as if I had such cash to throw around....)

Dan

Big $$$ need not be spent to see the difference.     

I swapped from the stock wheels to the YZF600 parts, and the difference is like night and day, though since I did both at the same time, I couldn't say which had the biggest effect.  Probably the rear though, since it was +/- 6 lbs lighter than stock.

Turn in is much quicker now.

I would imagine that it would make an even bigger difference with the earlier models that had 16" fronts.

Randy T
Indy

[racerman_27410]

My friend with a RC51 rode another one just like his with carbon fibre wheels.... he said it was like a completely different handling motorcycle as compared to his.

i noticed a HUGE change in my 86 .... i think all total i lost about 20+ lbs of unsprung weight

Kookaloo!

Frank

[scapello]

Sure sounds like a fun thing to compare during a rally, and the newbie sure would enjoy the miles to get to it from Colorado....

To answer Dan's question, besides test driving until I found this one I do not have enough miles on an FJ to really compare. My other ride is a 1976 750 Four, my wife's CM450 and her 150 Scooter. Neither of them suitable to compare.

Steffen