Kawi2strokes.com Forum

For many years it has been discussed on the weight difference of aluminum VS steel rims. (not mags) I finally have 2 complete 500 front wheels, including disc, axle, both have SS spokes. Both rims are 2.15x18, one with a stock steel rim and the other with a Excel aluminum rim. Both tires are bt 45's with the one mounted on the steel rim just about void of tread, and a brand new BT 45 on the aluminum rim.

Final weight numbers:

steel rim assembly 28.4 lbs.

Aluminum rim assembly 26.6 lbs.

for a difference of 1.8 lbs. And that would be the rim, so a fair amount of extra centripetal force.

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Twist the throttle, tilt the horizon, and have a great time. What triples are all about...........

That is what I like, concrete data without a bunch a variables to mess the data up.

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You are not old until you have more regrets than dreams! - John Barrymore (rephrased)

75 H1
78 CB400II Hawk
78 KE175

manage to fit next winter Campagnolo mag wheels (nice X mas present isn't it?) front and rear will weigh them and genuine before fitting

Doesn't the tire condition skew it a bit? The difference would be less if both tires were new.



Lane

Wouldn't it have been easier just to weigh an excel rim and a stock steel rim?

It might take a bit of time to dismantle 2 wheels but yeah, you would think someone who was in the process of the upgrade would have been curious enough to weigh them for a comparison?

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http://kawatriple.com/wtf/

This weight difference doesn't sound like much... I just took ten pounds off my H2's front end by going from a stock type dual disk to a single disk and an EX caliper. The single disk is still stock too, so there are a couple pounds left if I slice it up.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

And the discussion continues......lol.

Yes, weighing the rims would have been the easiest, IF I had 2 bare rims at one time. But I never did. I just happen to have 2 identical front wheel assembles and decided to weight them. And lane, it was the steel rim that had the "slightly" worn tire, so if anything the weight difference would have been greater with 2 new tires. Maybe by a full pound or more, but I didn't want any guessing in the results. So 1.8 pounds is pretty much the minimal weight difference.

Now, if we can get someone to cut up a Lester mag we can do a real comparison for those......

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Twist the throttle, tilt the horizon, and have a great time. What triples are all about...........

My only comment... Take more left turns John ( Or is it right ??? )
Too much track time for you

I understand why unsprung weight is important to a suspension but I'm trying to wrap my head around the negatives of the increased centripetal force of the heavier rim? Maybe someone can chime in on that?
Also, can anyone claim they have noticed a noticeable improvement in handling when swapping out the steel for aluminum rims?

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http://kawatriple.com/wtf/