Can anyone identify this wheel?

[Wild-Bill]

I'm looking at buying this 17x3.50 wheel for my 17" conversion. I think it's from a 90s slingshot GSXR750 or 1100 so it should match up just fine (with 17x47mm bearings) to the front of my 1100 Kat but the seller isn't sure what it originally came from. He just knows that it was on a 91 Kat 1100 that had been modded with USD forks. I've already tried one wheel that didn't work out so I'd like to avoid doing that again but the price is really good.

[Kreylyn]

I would agree with you based upon spoke design and size listed. 89-93 GSXR 750 or 1100 aprox.

AT that point, GS500s, GSX-F, GSF Bandit 400, and GSXRs was about the only 4 suzuki versions in the US that would use that wheel spoke design?

I know the GS500 and GSX-F 600s and 750s shared the same wheels, 3.0" x 17.

Based on the length of the spacer in the wheel on the Bandit 400s matching the spacers in the wheels on the GS5 and GSXFs... also probably the same wheel.

That leaves only the GSXR 750 and 1100 for a 3.5" front wheel.

Krey

[Wild-Bill]

Thanks Krey! I hadn't thought to look at the spacers. I've been driving myself nuts looking through parts fiches trying to figure out what this wheel could be other than what I think it is. Paranoia...

I've got until this evening to jump on this thing and the guy selling it hasn't made measuring the wheel bearing ID/OD for me a real priority. I can understand that since he's trying to run a business with about 1,200 other parts for sale but it's still aggravating...

[Kfreak]

Looks like a gsxr wheel. Mine is 3.5" wide. Make sure you get the speedo drive also, the Kat speedo drive will not fit that axle. If you buy it an it doesn't work, let me know. My front gsxr rim has some damage to it.

[manowar1313]

Is it single of double rotor?

[Wild-Bill]

You know, I never even thought to ask that, either. I haven't seen a single-rotor front wheel on a street bike since the 70s. Definitely not a 3.5" wide one!

I went ahead and punched the buy-it-now button. With any luck y'all should be seeing my 17" wheel conversion write-up soon. If not, KFreak, you'll be hearing from me. You'll know it's me from the crying and the wife saying nasty things in the background.

[Kfreak]

It's a double rotor. These rims are getting harder to get. The prices are outrageous. Keep in mind you can use the Kat rotors, they are just smaller in diameter. When it comes to the bike, I just tell her that her boyfriend will be showing up with parts. She doesn't ask any questions.

[GSXFJim]

saw one at the swap meet to day 75 with tire

[Wild-Bill]

I got this one for $50 + shipping. No rotors, no tire. I've got a pair of good Kat rotors that I was hoping would bolt up and I'll have to build adapter plates for the calipers anyway so the difference in diameters isn't a problem. I've even got a decent 110-70-17 tire I can throw on there for rolling around the garage, too. (Planning to go with a 120-60-17 when all's said and done.)

[GSXFJim]

the gsxr wheel is wider and has more offset in the rotors than the kat due to the usd front forks and the bearings are larger in the i.d and o.d.
i looked at my kat wheel.. looks like the rotor bolt hole pattern on the kat is smaller too

[Wild-Bill]

I know the pre-Kat wheel puts the rotors 6mm closer to hub-center than the 1100 and, yeah, I did see that there's a difference in offset between the pre-kat rotors and the GSXR ones. We'll see if the rotors match up and where they are in relation to the calipers. I'm not holding my breath but it would be nice if I didn't have to go looking for another set of rotors and sell the ones I've got. They're nice rotors...

[GSXFJim]

you just need the USD forks to go with it..

[Wild-Bill]

KFreak and I have been discussing something like that in PMs. He's suggesting I swap to a 750 front end. That'd get me a 15mm axle, an easy to find speedo drive and a cheap wheel but I think it'd cost me my triple tree with the comfy old-man seating position that I love so much. (Not kidding. I've got a jacked up back.)

I know the 1100 has 41mm forks spaced 215mm center-to-center and the 600 I'm working on right now has 41mm forks spaced 185mm center-to-center. I don't have a 750 handy to measure fork spacing.

Might be easiest to go with a GSXR speedo drive (lots of them on Flea-Bay for about $30) and fill the gap between its' center and the axle with PVC pipe or something. It doesn't have to seal up perfectly, just stay centered. I'm thinking a chunk of 3/4" PVC pipe slotted lengthwise so it'll squeeze down and fit inside the speedo drive. Release tension and it'll spring back and stay put.

[GSXFJim]

...but I think it'd cost me my triple tree with the comfy old-man seating position that I love so much. (Not kidding. I've got a jacked up back.)

I know they make risers for the 95 gsxr front end I have on my kat.. they bring the bars up to right about where the kats are/were.. there is a 95 front end on flebay currently...

[manowar1313]

You know, I never even thought to ask that, either. I haven't seen a single-rotor front wheel on a street bike since the 70s. Definitely not a 3.5" wide one!

I know I have a GS and it's a single rotor. So if it's a double rotor it's not the GS.