Another 17" Wheel Convert

[chync_imp]

I just changed my stock 2014 CB1100 wheels for a set of 17" wheels and I love it.

I spend most of my time riding on the twisty roads in the mountains of NC and TN and do as little highway riding as I can. I have enjoyed how smooth and fun the bike actually was on the highway but I have been more than willing to sacrifice some speed for acceleration. I have had fun converting my CB into a much sportier version of itself. Today I was able to install my new 17" wheels and go for a ride.

Options for good 18" sport-touring tires has been rather limited so I decided to convert to 17" and a little wider. Theese are from a company called Kineo. They are tubeless. The rear is a 180/55 and the front is 120/70.

To date I have:

Added the windscreen
Switched the seat
Replaced the front and rear fenders
Replaced the tank with a 2017 model
Replaced the footpegs with adjustable height racing pegs
Replaced the suspension
Replaced the mirrors
Dropped a tooth on the front sprocket
Opened the air intake with a funnel
Upgraded the brake pads
Flashed the ECU
Installed a power commander and had the air/fuel ratio mapped on a dyno

I thought I had done as much as I could to get the most fun out of a twisty ride but the handling and acceleration with the lighter and smaller wheels was amazing.

Braided brake lines and perhaps some paint and I said I would quit. .....Ha ha

Links to images below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bl5pb0ki4u32tv...f.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ue5913j957xg63...e.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/avg35zbwpjhn8l...d.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xypxa003e4z8g6...2.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/myl0hhkzhot8tp...1.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8dcddpzmijmj16...5.jpg?dl=0

[Cormanus]

chync, nice work. The bike looks good.

I had a go at getting those Dropbox images to display for you, but I couldn't easily figure out how to do it. So I've edited the post to show the links so people can easily follow them.

Now a question: what happens to your speedo when you put a smaller diameter wheel in the bike? I assume it's no longer accurate. How can you adjust it?

[chync_imp]

chync, nice work. The bike looks good.

I had a go at getting those Dropbox images to display for you, but I couldn't easily figure out how to do it. So I've edited the post to show the links so people can easily follow them.

Now a question: what happens to your speedo when you put a smaller diameter wheel in the bike? I assume it's no longer accurate. How can you adjust it?

I have a speedohealer from HealTech. Installing it will be my next weekend project. Theese allow you to re-calibrate your speedometer. It turns out some people buy theese just because they believe their stock speedometers to be off enough to make a difference. But this will correct for the smaller sprocket and wheel size.

[Cormanus]

Thanks.

[chandler_imp]

Looks good! How difficult was that tank swap? I really like the look of the 17 tank and the extra capacity would be nice.


2013 Honda CB1100

[redbirds_imp]

Excellent mods chync. Good looks and better performance.

[chync_imp]

The tank fits just like the stock. No modifications were necessary. You do have to run an additional hose for the fuel fill overflow drain.


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[Rolls_imp]

Looks good! Is cornering clearance an issue with the smaller diameter wheels? I know you do a lot of work in the twisty backroads.

[chync_imp]

I have only had one ride so far but it was on some twisty roads I travel often. First the handling is much improved. I think that has a lot to do with the new tire size profile. I was using 160 wide tires on the 18" rims because it was the only width close for the tire I use. That was causing a little distortion of the designed tire profile. I have improved clearance as much as I could with some adjustable racing footpegs but I still had about half an inch of tire left on the edges of the old wheels when it would start scraping other things like the center stand and/or muffler. Honestly it's plenty of lean angle for riding on the road. Certainly any more lean and I will have to get some knee pucks. I looked at the new tire after my ride and I had used as much tire as before (about half an inch strip at the edge unused) and that was what I considered to be a more conservative ride. I didn't want to push it until I had a feel for the new tires and wheels.The bike felt stable cornering before but I noticed it has improved. I guess it's all relative to what I had experienced from the stock bike through all of the mods.

Overall the seat height may have lowered a half an inch but when the bike is leaning it isn't leaning from the middle of the tire. It's point of contact on the ground is out towards the edge of the tire. With the wider tires it may be that I actually have more clearance. I will have to think about that some more. But from my initial ride I don't think I have less. Actually as I am visualizing the geometry in my head, I do believe that with the wider tire I should have more clearance in a lean and not less. I'll see how much more of the tire I can use in the upcoming weeks.

[Rolls_imp]

Thanks. Great info. And you make an interesting point about the geometry. I get lectured by my tire guy when he mounts the 160/60-18 on my narrower-than-recommended stock rear rim. He's right, though; it does distort the profile. I also have that same unused edge of the tire.




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