What are your guys thoughts on spoke wheels and handling power. I had a guy tell me they will tear themselves up with bigger hp on these bikes. I think they will be fine driven sensible. I've seen big hp bike in the chopper era with wide tire and spokes that live fine. What have you guys seen?

 

Just check them for tightness/trueness regularly, and if your doing clutch dump burnouts....... Stop that. Haha

 

My stock 103 has probably half that HP. I'm not too aggressive on the bike most times, but my fat spokes have done well. I think sensible riding on the skinny spokes is the key.

 

good question. I prefer alloys for power and maintenance freedom

 

Over the years there have been muscle cars with spoke wheels, such as the Corvette just to name one. So I would think it doable. Back when I raced BMX in my youth, I used aluminum wheels with spokes to cut down weight and they took a lot of abuse without failure.

 

Laced wheels that are radially laced are not as strong as laced wheels where the spokes cross each other. "Cross 3" pattern is a good compromise. Just so you know...

 

Some how, sensible riding AND 150 horsepower just doesn't belong in the same sentence.

 

LOL...... I was reading this and thinking the same thing. Why would one dump all that money into a very high HP motor if the intent was cruise around?

 

stupid double post!

 

I put a 120R (138 hp) into a 13 Street Bob and kept the spoke rims and 130 rear tire to act as a compensator. Keeps me from getting too crazy.

The wheel and tire have made it two years and 2,500 miles. It only goes out for special rides.

Why? Because it can be done and someone will want to. Why have a motorcycle or gun or skydive or whatever?

Need does not come into play. It is want and humans convince themselves that it is a need.