Wire spoke rear wheel to fit 3CL

Chuck3CL

Chuck3CL

Senior member
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My 1976 3CL was previously fitted with a non-standard wire spoke front wheel instead of the OEM alloy.
The rear still has the OEM alloy.
Although non-standard, I prefer the wire spoke because is is typical of that 1976 era.

Question, does anyone here know of a rear wire spoke wheel that would fit a 3CL with left disc rotor configuation, sprocket on right?




 
This won't help much (for reasons that will become obvious) ... I converted my SF1 to disc front and rear decades ago. I used a Z1000 Kawasaki rear hub, which made for a fairly painless conversion - I did increase to the Z1000 20mm axle size (filed out the swingarm axle slot and spaced the right - not relevant for a 3CL swingarm) and used a std Z1000 rear disc carrier; the Brembo M6 disc bolt pattern was very similar and fitted without much work at all. Only (huge!) problem is finding a Z1000 rear hub these days. They have become rare items.

Some have used wire wheel rear disc Suzuki hubs GS1000? Katana?). I think you can also source CNC '74 750SFC rear hubs from Moto Officina (VERY expensive) and maybe other places. Wolfgang at Columbia Car and Classic in Canada may even have had these made?

As for left/right - you can simply flip most hubs without drama. Sprockets can be made to fit any bolt config. Using the original 3CL rear caliper bracket MAY make things more difficult. I took the opportunity to fit and underslung fully floating brake with torque arm attached to the frame.
 
Quentin didn't mention the Triumph wire rear he has for his new build, that was super heavy and required heaps of work and swarf. Lots of retro bikes are coming with wire wheels but like the Triumph one may need quite a bit of work to fit to a Laverda. Big two wheeled SUVs also have wire wheels that could be made to fit. None of them will be a straight fit, as axle sizes are without exception bigger today, then there is sprocket offset and radius of sprocket bolts which might limit minimum sprocket size. The side of the drive is unlikely to be a concern, however some may have bigger lugs in the cush drive for driving compared to trailing. 
 
TC said:
I think Moto Officina have a spoked rear wheel that takes a disc brake?
Check out their site.
Click to expand...

Shoulda read my post more thoroughfully, Tom  :-*

'I think you can also source CNC '74 750SFC rear hubs from Moto Officina (VERY expensive)'

As for the Triumph Legend rear wheel, bruder Lee - yes it was a heavy beast, but about 3kg was in the massive stainless rear disc alone! The 4.25x17 Akront was the sealer for me - high quality build, good quality stainless spokes, nice small BCD for sprocket choices. Had a huge offset rear sprocket for a 180 section rear tyre or something like that, even thought it cane with a 140. Was able to lose a lot of weight when I machined the sprocket carrier down, moved the bearing inboard with it - oh, and manufacturing a new disc carrier for a much smaller OD disc. Yes, big job indeed - part of my self-learn lathe operator course  :D

And it does have an asymmetrical cush rubber setup for a left sprocket fitment, but it won't matter - OS to start with anyway.
 
I wouldn't expect any dramatic weight savings with any spoked wheels. I carried my rear wheel into the local bike shop for a tyre and its bloody heavy. I also had something to do with some Retro style modern Sports Ducati spoked wheels and they also weighted a lot from me carrying them about. Best bet would be big bore dirtbike wheels for lightweight and strength, they cop a pounding. But even then some of the modern KTM rims I hear are soft and bend easily. Don't know if Talon still makes hubs?
 
Thanks for the responses- I think this one will go in the 'too hard' basket.
I suppose it would be easier to change the front back to an OEM  Laverda alloy as  I suspect they would be easier to find. Or not?
 
I also know of two examples of Laverdas which had the original alloy wheels machined away to their hubs and flanges fabricated for conversion to wire rims, a 3CL and an SF3. Probably from the very weak early type cast wheels which were damaged.
 
Check out my post on laverdamania.net, under technical and DIY. It can be done for reasonable money and effort.

Regards Gerald
 
Apparently, spoked wheels are heavier than cast.

Chuck, your wire front wheel if original is worth a lot more than a cast wheel.
Finding a cast wheel for the front shouldn't be too difficult particularly if it's a thick web you need.
Thin webs are...thinner on the ground.

Your other option would be to put a drum rear wheel in. Much better brake than the standard Laverda disc set up.

Paul
 
which would mean a fair bit of fabrication and welding, to covert from disc brake swing arm to drum and to have a working brake pedal and cable anquor.

I have been advised (thanks hag) that all that is needed to get the rear disc brake to work on 180's is the installation of a PO9 calliper, which I am about to do, so will let you all know how that goes.
CLEM
 
Chuck3CL said:
Thanks for the responses- I think this one will go in the 'too hard' basket.
Click to expand...

Of all the mods I've done to my SF over the years, fitting a disc with spoked wheel was probably one of the easier ones. You've already got the master cyl stuff in place. Going to a 20mm axle is an improvement anyway, and a breeze to do - I did mine with a file back in the days of 'no mone, plenty of spirit'! A few machined spacers, a custom sprocket (although I could actually source 40T and 38T 530 sprockets ready to fit for the Kwaka hub), some clever alignment work, maybe a minor job for wheelsmith to recentre the rim. I personally love spoked wheels.

Big bore dirtbike is good, as long as they have decent cush drives. I have a Kwaka KLR650 hub (17mm? 18mm? axle as per std Laverda!) also ready to make another wheel if and when I need one. They are much more readily available from wreckers (breakers?) too. Seems pretty strong and has a good cush drive. Swapped to the Triumph wheel cos it came with an expensive rim already fitted.
 
Laverdaton said:
I have a 76 3CL and converted it to wire spoke wheels...I used the rear wire hub from a  1977 suzuki GS750. It works........
Click to expand...
Exactly what I mentioned earlier
 
CLEMTOG said:
which would mean a fair bit of fabrication and welding, to covert from disc brake swing arm to drum and to have a working brake pedal and cable anquor.

I have been advised (thanks hag) that all that is needed to get the rear disc brake to work on 180's is the installation of a PO9 calliper, which I am about to do, so will let you all know how that goes.
CLEM
Click to expand...

Not even all that expensive.

http://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=110_350&products_id=4602
 
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