Motorbike wheel siz...
 

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[Closed] Motorbike wheel sizes

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Is there an argument in the motorbike world about this?

Saw a nice new looking Ducati Multistrada 1260 (it said on it what it was, I have no idea about motorbikes) and the front wheel was very small. Why?


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 4:47 pm
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Big wheels go over obstacles better...so lots of dirt bikes have a 21" front wheel...

Little wheels (17") handle best on road bikes, and are the standard. A multistrada is really a road bike with 'adventure' styling.

I think racers on the road use 16.5" rims.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 5:11 pm
 Kato
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17in wheels front and rear for road bikes is standard size

even though a Multi is styled as an adventure bike I wouldn’t want to ride one off road.

Bigger wheels handle rough surfaces better so 19in front for dual purpose stuff or a proper 21in if riding off road

thats how I understand it anyway


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 5:13 pm
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It has 17” front which as stated above is pretty standard for road bikes.  I remember early Fireblades had a 16 inch front wheel, and a reputation for being, ahem, twitchy!!😂


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 5:54 pm
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the first blade had a 16" wheel, but a tall section tyre so that the rolling radius was the same as a 17" wheel and tyre combo....

The twitchy came from it being a big step forward that most people werent ready for....


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 6:21 pm
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I've a Yamaha MT10 and it's got a 17" front wheel, my triumph explorer has a 19" front and a mates honda Africa twin has a 21" 👍😁


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 6:22 pm
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My old F800GSA had a 21” front and 18” rear as it was developed especially for off-road use. Larger wheels roll over stuff

my S1000XR has 17” front and rear as it is supposed* to be a road bike.

Rachel

*supposed to be:

Offroad


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 7:06 pm
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Old Honda XLs had a 23 inch front.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 7:44 pm
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23 inch? How did it ever turn in?? 😱


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 8:26 pm
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21/18 is standard on enduro/mx bikes


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 9:32 pm
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Thinking about it, 21" on a motorbike is the rim size, whereas 26/27.5/29 on an mtb is the nominal tyre OD. Bigger tyre probably makes a dirtbike a 27.5er at least.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 11:09 pm
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The next big thing... could be 600c road bikes?! (Pushbikes) 700c wheels must be about the only thing that has not been meddled with for a while...


 
Posted : 26/08/2018 6:17 am
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Considering Laurent Jalobert rode on a 650c bike in Grand Tours back in the day, it's not unheard of. Junior race bikes have all sorts of sized from 540c to 650c.

Time triallers used to run small from wheels for moar aeros back in the day too.


 
Posted : 26/08/2018 7:42 am
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breninbeemer

...The twitchy came from it being a big step forward that most people werent ready for….

I knew a couple of guys who died on them, both generally regarded as good riders.

The bikes had a tendency to tankslap when cranked over on slightly corrugated surfaces at speed where other bikes didn't.

(That was in N. Queensland where road surfaces generally weren't good)


 
Posted : 26/08/2018 9:04 am

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