GSX-R wheels on Laverda triples?

jheath

New member
Location
British Columbia
I've read that some owners of triples with cast wheels install '87-'88 GSX-R 750 wheels to use tubeless tires. The GSX-R wheels are slightly wider than cast Laverda wheels. Is that an issue? No chain clearance issues?

Other owners use tubeless tires on Laverda wheels with success, and not worried about theoretically-possible blowouts from the bead not holding.

Do I have the story right? And what is the consensus on this?
 
With a short search you will find a tonne of info on this topic.
The speedo drive will require some machining; the rear brake will demand considerable more work. At this late date, finding the Suzook wheels may be a challenge too. Being that you are in BC, you may find some support at Columbia Car and Cycle, otherwise known as Wolfgang.
Good luck.
 
They are even on Laverda twins! Sometimes even the GSX forks and brakes are used too.

Jim

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The twin has an 18inch front fitted so from an earlier GSXR. I would suggest that anyone doing this not use 750 rims. Even when they were new they bent easily. Use 1100 rims if you must have 18 inch, they are much more robust. Back in the day we had a guy who worked from home who straightened usually a wheel a week for the shop.
 
I think the GSXR1100 rims are a bit wider than the 750 version, but I don't remember the actual widths.
You need the wheels from the "slab sided" GSXR models from 1986-87. Later models had the 3 spoke 17" rims.
I reckon they early model 6 spoke rims must be getting pretty hard to find by now.
Suzuki tyre specs are:
1987 GSXR1100 - 110/80-18 front and 150/70-18 rear.
1987 GSXR750 - 110/80-18 front and 140/70-18 rear.

So, it looks like at least the rear rim is narrower on the 750 (not sure about the front). Someone who's done the conversion will have the rim width specs.

I reckon you'd need to beware when buying. Some sellers don't realise there's a difference and will list 750 wheels as 1100, so you need to confirm the widths.


PS: I found on a Suzuki forum some specs for early 1986-87 GSXR rims:
Rear rim widths are 3.5" for the 750 and 4" for the 1100
Front rim widths are 2.5" for the 750 and 2.75" for the 1100.
 
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Yep , I have both.
1200 with GSXR rims......Outstanding.
mods as described by Lawrence above are necessary.
Bike tips in easier, way better rubber choices,more smiles on ya dial.

81 Jota running tubeless on standard rims..... works just fine, been through 3 sets of tyres, no drama.
 
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3.5" on the 750
4" on the 1100
Fronts are 2.5" and 2.75"
I use a 150 tyre with fuck all chain clearance.
Current 150 Dunlop measures 162mm and is on the chain even though peeling the edge away.
About to convert to 520 chain to gain another 3mm.
Should gain more HP once I fit the Rossi chain
 

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I presume there's quite a bit of machining to make the GSXR wheels fit. I wouldn't mind doing it myself if I could get my hands on a pair of GSXR 1100 wheels. My lathe is too small for a 18" wheel, so if there's any machining necessary to the wheels themselves (rather than simply making adaptors), I'd have to go and visit my mate Andy who has a bloody massive lathe.
 
From memory and that's not good, you can barely get a 150 rear on a lot of early Triples without going to a smaller chain and I think some were fitting RGS swingarms as they are a bit wider. You will need to section your chain guard. But don't quote me on that. The blokes who actually do this mod have all the info, finding wheels these days isn't easy. BTW there are aftermarket rims that can be made to fit at an eye-watering price as well. I use a 140 rear tyre on my 3c but it's got a 3.0 spoked rear rim, and that's another big hurdle with issues if you're going that way.
 
What were the issues lacing a 3"rim to the lav drum hub Vince?
Asking cause I had a 3" rim laced to my SF2 back in the 70s and it seemed straight forward.
Actually it was Tippy on this forum who did it.
I sort of remember him saying drilling the holes at the right angle was the hard part.
You remember that Lee?
Must have done a good job as I never had any issues with broken spokes even on the shittiest road that I travelled on back then
 
I was never too concerned about the tyres de-beading themselves from original rims after many years ago I rolled the Jota off the stand one day for a ride and realised I had a flat rear tyre. Already kitted up I decided to wobble my way to the nearby servo and top it up, which I did. But the air just ran straight out again and it was then I remembered I'd knicked the tyre valve for a project a month or two earlier! :ROFLMAO: Rode another couple of kays to my uncle's workshop and bludged a tyre valve and some air! :D No issues at all with de-beading.

Putting the matter completely to rest (for me, make your own decisions) was TC getting that M8x100 bolt in through the tread and out through the sidewall of the rear tyre of his 81 Jota. He rode 30-40km back to Crookwell with zero psi and the bike going every which way and the tyre was still firmly on the bead!

But everyone should decide for themselves. Some (many?) tyre shops will not even fit the tyres without a tube for liability reasons.
 
The issue is the blisters on Borani rims are a fair bit bigger than the Morads, the latter is the preferred replacement and 3.00 rims are available from them. It's hard to get a good spoke angle drilling with full contact on the nipple in that smaller blister not to mention with the big rear brake and correct spoke pattern, there a tough lace to do. It's doable as mine is now nice and stable, probably easier back when competent old-school wheelwrights were aplenty. 100% agree with Steve, I was following Tom that day to the garage, if that tyre stayed on after that punishment it would take a Chain Saw cut at least to cause that bead to pop.
 
Putting the matter completely to rest (for me, make your own decisions) was TC getting that M8x100 bolt in through the tread and out through the sidewall of the rear tyre of his 81 Jota. He rode 30-40km back to Crookwell with zero psi and the bike going every which way and the tyre was still firmly on the bead!

But everyone should decide for themselves. Some (many?) tyre shops will not even fit the tyres without a tube for liability reasons.
😂 😂Yep that was pretty ordinary and the reason I went to tubeless on the Jota.

35ks bact to Crookwell.....

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Love to see you plug that, you would need a plug-sowing machine. My last chance Hail Mary Finnyleak didn't help much either
 
The twin has an 18inch front fitted so from an earlier GSXR. I would suggest that anyone doing this not use 750 rims. Even when they were new they bent easily. Use 1100 rims if you must have 18 inch, they are much more robust. Back in the day we had a guy who worked from home who straightened usually a wheel a week for the shop.
The front rims were blamed for certain issues concerning the handling of early 750GSXRs, they certainly are lighter and weaker than those used in the 1100. But certainly not weaker than Laverda cast wheels, the early type would buckle while just swerving to avoid a pot hole... :rolleyes:

The beauty of these wheels is that they are non-directional, they do not look out of place in the rear of a Laverda with its opposite-side drive. As a bonus, the spoke pattern is quite similar to the Oscams fitted to the SFC1000.

I have used the 750 GSXR wheels in both my 3C and RGS without issues. Especially the RGS is a barge compared to the donor bike, but the wheel(s) have stood up fine over the past 20-odd (is it really that long ago??) years. I now use a 2.75" rim from the 1100 in the 3C, the RGS still has its 2.50". A 150 rear tyre is about the largest that fits without great issues on either a 4.00" or 4.50" rim, a 160 or larger will require the use of a #520 drive chain, preferably of the non o-ring type. The 130/80 on a 4.00" in my RGS works fabulously, nice contour with great mileage from the humble BT45. Current Conti isn't standing up so well.

For additional tyre clearance, a SF750 swingarm can be fitted to a triple. This needs slight mods, but is mostly plug'n'play. The RGS swingarm offers slightly more clearance than the stocker, but is longer and definitely not plug'n'play.

Modifying these wheels is not for beginners and not something that is accomplished on a Saturday arvo while downing a case of coldies. Modifying the speedo drive to fit the front is tricky and a rear sprocket needs to be custom-made.

Imho, the mod is well worth the effort, the dramatic decrease in unsprung weight transforms the old clunkers into decent handling, chuckable toys, offering decent brakes and wide choices of modern(-ish) rubber. Sadly, this will quickly showcase other chassis deficiencies, so the story goes on and on...

To each his own regarding tubeless tyres on stock Laverda wheels. This was warned against by almost all manufacturers using cast wheels and tubed tyres, the reason being that the profile of the rim is generally unsuited for tubeless tyres. That tyres do not imediately jump off stock Laverda rims is due to the fact that these wheels were apparently made to upper tolerance ranges, something that anybody that has struggled removing/fitting tyres to these wheels can relate to. However, the later version of these wheels can safely be machined to properly accept tubeless tyres, making tyre fitting as effortless as with any other modern rim.

BTW, the 750 GSXR-R Limited Edition was equipped with the wheels and brakes from the 1100.

piet
 
Have also both my Jota and the 1000 SFC equipped with the 1100 GSX-R Rims. They make a VERY different bike... I remember well when I changed bikes with another Laverda-Member on a meeting in 2006 or 2007 and he could not believe how handy my bike was compared to his steam-train... He was clearly shocked in direct comparison (while I have to say that his Laverda (though very nice looking) was the worst I have ever ridden in terms of handling at that point in time) .

One of the best improvements for handling I have ever had on the Laverdas. Strong recommendation from my side, too!
 
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I ve had no issues running tubeless tyres on Laverda rims, both on the road and track.
And if you want a better handling (and quicker) triple buy a Benelli Tre, it will probably work out a lot less expensive and hassle.
 
Modifying these wheels is not for beginners and not something that is accomplished on a Saturday arvo while downing a case of coldies. Modifying the speedo drive to fit the front is tricky and a rear sprocket needs to be custom-made.
OK, I've been warned. But I enjoy a challenge. I don't consider myself a complete dunce at modifying wheels anyway. I've made wheel hubs, bearing carriers, internal spacers, disk carriers, sprocket mods, etc., when doing mongrel hybrids. They all worked out OK. Nobody has come back and said their wheel fell apart or the disk ripped off its carrier.
Not that a GSXR wheel mod is on the top of my to-do list, but if a pair of 1100 wheels come my way at a reasonable cost, I wouldn't say no.
 
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