Who rides motorcycles?

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I have a 1999 Honda Valkyrie Interstate, made in the USA in Marysville, Ohio, with 350,000 miles, bought new, never been into the motor, just normal maintenance and still runs like new and will wax a Harley.
I put a magnet under my bike to trip traffic signals but I had to take it off, every time I got home I had to remove al the Harley parts it picked up.View attachment 919557

350,000 miles. That is why I have always rode Honda’s. I have put that on a couple Goldwings.

 

[CalG]

think of the time, days and weeks in the saddle/

It's hard to average 50mph at best.

 

[Grumpycat]

My 15 year old son wants a dirt bike now... We said no to a street bike at 16. So, this may be a fun journey! Trying to impress upon him the value of light bikes in lieu of more HP.

Is more fun to ride a slow motorcycle fast, than a fast motorcycle slow.

 

[Grumpycat]

Don't want to question your preferences, but why would anyone want spoke wheels on an adventure bike?

Good spoked wheels are significantly lighter than cast aluminum. The extruded aluminum rim can bend without breaking.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Don't want to question your preferences, but why would anyone want spoke wheels on an adventure bike?

It's not a personal preference things, that's how they all come with, they all have spoke wheels out of the factory just like dirt bikes.

these are the benefits,

Durability and Flexibility, Spoke wheels are more flexible than cast wheels they will bend without breaking.

Easier Repairs, If a spoke wheel does get damaged, it’s usually easier and cheaper to repair than a cast wheel.

Strength-to-Weight Ratio, Spoke wheels tend to have a better strength-to-weight ratio compared to cast wheels.

Better Performance Off-Road, due to lighter weight it offer better agility, they also flex which help maintain traction and stability.

Tire Compatibility, Spoke wheels allow for a wider range of tire choices.

 

[Darth_DMack]

Great answers above... all SERIOUS adventure bikes, have the spoked wheels. You can run tubes or tubeless tires, as the spokes do not go into the wheel where the air chamber is carried. The radial spoke design gives you a lighter wheelset, but much stronger. You can lose a few spokes and still complete your ride. A cast aluminum wheel, or billet wheel, is not as tough, and does not bike well for trailside repairs.

If you are just riding your GS/GSA to Starbucks, or to the pub, they are not needed. But if you do any off the grid riding, they are the only choice.

Cheers!

 

[Milo]

While cast wheels are lighter, I've always felt manufactures should offer heavy duty cast wheels on adventure bikes, at least as an option. They might be as heavy as spoke tubeless wheels but will remain true and be easier to maintain.

They would be ideal for those who don't take their big adventure bike off road which are most owners. I would prefer them on my Moto Guzzi Stelvio and V85TT because while I spend a lot of time on dirt and gravel roads I don't take these bikes through the woods or up rutted, rocky, Jeep/atv trails.

BMW has offered GS's with both cast, as well as tubeless spokes for "heavy duty" use, but I never saw mention that the cast wheels were any tougher than the soft cast wheels on their road motorcycles? That has changed because on the 1300GS they offer 3 choices, cast, spoke, and forged alloy wheels which are tougher than the cast ones yet still very light.

 

[Grumpycat]

While cast wheels are lighter, I've always felt manufactures should offer heavy duty cast wheels on adventure bikes, at least as an option. They might be as heavy as spoke tubeless wheels but will remain true and be easier to maintain.

Cast aluminum wheels are not lighter than spoked wheels.

Cast aluminum automobile wheels are heavier than stamped steel wheels with hubcaps. But they are prettier. You might have noticed in decades past all NASCAR wheels were stamped steel.

Forged aluminum wheels (rare) can be lighter than steel but this is not an inherent property.

Aluminum wheels are often mis-called "mags" because the original racing wheels were made of magnesium and truly lighter than other options. Also very pricy, and a bit of a fire hazard.

 

[Darth_DMack]

While cast wheels are lighter, I've always felt manufactures should offer heavy duty cast wheels on adventure bikes, at least as an option. They might be as heavy as spoke tubeless wheels but will remain true and be easier to maintain.

They would be ideal for those who don't take their big adventure bike off road which are most owners. I would prefer them on my Moto Guzzi Stelvio and V85TT because while I spend a lot of time on dirt and gravel roads I don't take these bikes through the woods or up rutted, rocky, Jeep/atv trails.

BMW has offered GS's with both cast, as well as tubeless spokes for "heavy duty" use, but I never saw mention that the cast wheels were any tougher than the soft cast wheels on their road motorcycles? That has changed because on the 1300GS they offer 3 choices, cast, spoke, and forged alloy wheels which are tougher than the cast ones yet still very light.

I've had two GS Adventures... a 2013 R1200GSA and my current 2019 R1250GSA... both had spoked wheels, and I put over 160k miles on my 2013 on and off road. Granted, I am not doing the Dakar on my bikes, but I do get off grid. My wife rides a 2019 F750GS... it has cast wheels. She has not had any issues, so far... but she's not as "adventurous" as I am.

I want a Yamaha Tenere' 700 so bad I can taste it. It will have spoked wheels as well. They are a PITA to keep clean, but I dig them. I'm in line for a set of Woody's Wheels for my current GSA. Will keep the OEM for daily use, and the Woody's for true knobbies.

 

[JasperFrank]

We may have to agree to disagree as to the benefits of spoked wheels. I do ride way out in the boonies and often on old roads that have over grown to become just paths. I have cast wheels. Yes, they are heavy! Way over built for a 500 CC. But I have slid into brush that would easily take out a few spokes, but haven't hurt the cast wheels. I guess its the single swing arm design that doesn't look right to me on an adventure bike. There's no protection to the spokes.