XR650l Wheel Build

[mcma111]

I finally got around to building a spare set of wheels for my Honda XR650l. I will be using a CRF450X front hub as I have the CRF forks on my bike. The rear wheel is the same as a XR or XRL.

Here goes. I use a right angle grinder with a cut off disc to cut out the hub. I leave the rim strip on the rim to keep the spokes from shooting all over the place as they get cut. This is the end result of cutting out the hub.





The OE rim was toast anyway



OE Honda rims are directional



I am using Buchanan's 9 gauge stainless steel spokes and nipples. They supply a little bottle of thread lubricant that I pour into a bottle cap to make application easier.



This is what the spoke with the lube looks like as the nipple is ready to be installed.




Starting with the front hub. Pick a side to start with. Really doesn't matter as both sides are the same flange size on the CRF hub. Insert the inner set of spokes.




One side of inner spokes in place. BTW.. I start at the valve hole.







Other direction in place



Flip to the other side and one direction of spokes installed.



And the remaining spokes .



Mark a start/stop place. I use the valve stem hole. Notice that the nipples have been run down to just cover the exposed thread of the spoke. Do this evenly all the way around.



Into the old wheel truing stand.


Depending on how good a job you do of evenly tightening the nipples will determine how straight the rim spins when you start the truing process. On this wheel it took some extra turns to take the slack out of the spokes and get the rim in a snug spot to actually start truing the rim.

So once the rim is fairly straight and the up 'n down has been taken care of you have to address the DISH. The DISH as I call it relates to the rims location in respect to the hub. No the rim just doesn't go in the center of the hub. Well the front may but not the rear. Since I had another wheel I measured the distance from one side of the hub to the lip of the rim.

Not a very good picture.




So now I know what the measurement should be once the rim is straight and the spokes tight.



Round 'n round goes the rim. Once the rim is fairly straight I check the DISH by putting a straight edge (2" level) and measure the off set. Tightening and some times loosening a spoke and you end up with a straight, tight wheel. I tap on each spoke when I'm done and listen to the note it makes and when all the spokes are singing the same tune I call it good. This completes the front wheel. On to the rear.

Since the rear hub has much different size flanges I choose to start with the smaller of the two. What happens when you get to the last spoke for one direction is that it runs into the next spoke over. This requires that the spoke in place already has to be bent slightly for the last spoke to get by. I really couldn't get a picture of this.

Cut to the chase both sides of the smaller side of the hub have been laced.






The other side completed being laced.



Remember me mentioning DISH. Here it is from the OE manual. You can see that the rim is not centered on the hub. The specification is from the rotor flange to the lip of the rim. The measurement is 19mm. Since I am using an Excell rim there is a difference because the Honda rim is wider. The Honda rim is 79mm wide where as the Excell rim is 69mm. This makes the finished spec 24mm. 79mm less 69mm divide by 2 plus the 19mm = 24mm





The finished rear wheel.



And the set. With new bearings fully lubed and ready for some new rubber to be spooned on.




So that's all there is to building a set of wheels. There is a difference if you have spokes like on a bicycle with the head bent at a 90'. Both sets of the same/inner direction of the hub have to be laced at the same time because if you don't once one side of the wheel is laced when you go to install the inner set of spokes for the other side the opposite side spokes will be in the way and you will have to be bending the spokes around the ones already in place.

If I make this seem easy, well it is for me since I used to own a bicycle shop for 20+ years and I have built 1000's of wheels.

[Barron]

Originally Posted by mcma111

If I make this seem easy, well it is for me since I used to own a bicycle shop for 20+ years and I have built 1000's of wheels.

Dude, you make everything look easy. Very impressive, thanks for another great reference!

-Barron

[therealbigman]

Damn Steve ,

as always , 1st class ,




Questions ,


You being very experienced with this , how much time you have invested in the put togeteher ,

once everything was in front of you and ready to go ?



and ,

what color powder is that on them hubs ? Thay are Da Bomb .


Looks like the color of an old Trail 70 I had back in the day .

[elsalvadorklr]

this thread is missing something

dont know what though

jajaja

BEER

kidding

awesome job bud, as always

thanks so much

[kubiak]

great write up and nice looking wheels!

[Brtp4]

Nice!!!

Bp

[jgrady1982]

Very Nice, Great Success!

[Wattner]

Yet another fine write up and proof of your master skills!

Kudos!

[techforlife]

Never did this.........be interesting to try though

Good job,,looks cool ..


B

[mcma111]

Big,

The color is Candy Apple Red or as close as the powder coater has. Actually the color has dulled a bit since I picked up the hubs about a month ago. The red is an almost transparent color over a very bright silver.

It takes me about an hour to lace and true each wheel once it's all in front of me. I have been building up to this for months. Bought a CRF-X front hub and rotor and a semi beat rear XRL wheel months ago. Found a seller on E-Bay that was clearing out the Excel rims for $100.00 each shipped. I have a set of black on black Excel wheels for my street set up and a set of OE wheels for my dirt/dual sport wheels. Just wanted something else so I did the red and silver combo.

Christian,

Don't kid your self about the beer. Today is my Sunday. Fosters for breakfast.

Thanks for all the nice comments guys.

[flyingwombat]

Great write-up and pix, thanks for sharing. Your new wheels look sweet.

[Sourjon]

Originally Posted by mcma111

Big,

The color is Candy Apple Red or as close as the powder coater has. Actually the color has dulled a bit since I picked up the hubs about a month ago. The red is an almost transparent color over a very bright silver.

It takes me about an hour to lace and true each wheel once it's all in front of me. I have been building up to this for months. Bought a CRF-X front hub and rotor and a semi beat rear XRL wheel months ago. Found a seller on E-Bay that was clearing out the Excel rims for $100.00 each shipped. I have a set of black on black Excel wheels for my street set up and a set of OE wheels for my dirt/dual sport wheels. Just wanted something else so I did the red and silver combo.

Christian,

Don't kid your self about the beer. Today is my Sunday. Fosters for breakfast.

Thanks for all the nice comments guys.

Awesome as always!

John

[Grover6]

Very nice, thanks Steve

[mendoteach]

Nice work Steve. You the man. One of my life's goal's is to buy you a non Pay Pal beer it should be do-able since I live 2 hours from you. Damn family (glad my wife and kid don't read motorcycle forums). I'll catch you someday, maybe on your way to/from the Mendocino Nat. Forest. Again, nice effort.

[Barron]

Originally Posted by mendoteach

Nice work Steve. You the man. One of my life's goal's is to buy you a non Pay Pal beer it should be do-able since I live 2 hours from you. Damn family (glad my wife and kid don't read motorcycle forums). I'll catch you someday, maybe on your way to/from the Mendocino Nat. Forest. Again, nice effort.

+1 on that! San Francisco is a great city, I had a great time there for a fleet week many moons ago...