[Rex Coil 7]

I've been sniffin' around trying to work out which wheels are the best combination of weight reduction and munny spent. We're talking about a 1996 900SS/CR here.

If I've done my homework properly, I take it the 1996 900 CR is outfitted with Brembo 3 spoke aluminum wheels. I don't know if they're forged or cast. In any case, it seems as though there are some serious rotational weight savings to be had if the correct wheels are used to replace the stockers. Now, I'm totally NOT talking about magnesium race wheels here ... they are far outside of my wallet's capacity. What I am asking about here ....

*** Which Ducati motorcycle year/model has wheels that are lighter than the ones on my bike that are affordable? I go on eBay and there are so many different wheels fit for Ducatis that it becomes mind numbing and makes me eyebones cross after looking at the multitude of offerings. Prices range between $100 bucks for a beater, to over $1,800 each ... which is FAR more than I'd be willing to spend.

*** I've read that there is roughly 25/28 pounds to be lost with the right set of OEM wheels. That's a shatload!

I reckon that using lighter weight clutch components would be another easy target for engine rotational weight reduction without having to futz with a lighter flywheel. I'm not interested in connecting rods/crankshafts made of Titanium or anything exotic .... not yet anyhow.

I'm aiming at doing something similar to the bike in the pics I've attached (that bike is the dog's balls!). I luvs me some of that fairing that bike has. I'll have to work out headlight mounts and headlight(s) themselves ... but that's ok. I figure that type of fairing is also somewhat lighter in weight than the stock '96 900CR fairing and glass headlight as well.

So yea ... mostly wheels ... any suggestions or experience is welcome! Once I learn which ones are best buys, I'll hunt up the rear first. One that has some shoddy finish to save money ... I've worked out a really excellent method of painting bike wheels that comes out excellent and is far easier to touch up any scratches than powdercoating is. The wheels in the pics are a set of 1982 Yamaha XJ650 rims my wife and I refinished using my top secret method. Beauty, eh? I'd use a more appropriate color for the Ducati, but for this Yamaha it was ideal.

Thank you!

Rexoid.

 

[belter]

the only oem rear wheel that will fit straight in is the 5 spoke from a 900/1000ssie. the 5 spoke wheels used in monsters and st range have a wider hub and larger axle.

the matching 5 spoke front wheels have 25mm axles, so you'd need to adapt one as required. otherwise, straight in.

you can probably make 899/959 wheels work.

25 pounds is dreaming. maybe if you go bst both ends?

the clutch spins at half engine speed, so any weight lost there is not as effective rotation wise as the flywheel. if you're serious do both.

 

[duc96cr]

The flywheel and clutch together won’t cost as much as doing lighter wheels , and will make the bike rev noticeably quicker. The wheels belter mentioned won’t be cheap or easy to find. Wheels from the right Japanese sport bike are the answer. They should be cheaper and easier to find. What bike is the question. No one seems to know the answer. Do you have any motorcycle salvage businesses in your area ? You could take some measurements of the clearance between the forks and swing arm and go measure wheels . Maybe a big mega motorcycle dealer with a large used inventory ?

 

[belter]

yes, the leg work is the money saver. knowing a machinist helps too.

 

[duc96cr]

I don’t have anything like that where I live or I’d have started measuring wheels long ago.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

the only oem rear wheel that will fit straight in is the 5 spoke from a 900/1000ssie. the 5 spoke wheels used in monsters and st range have a wider hub and larger axle.

the matching 5 spoke front wheels have 25mm axles, so you'd need to adapt one as required. otherwise, straight in.

you can probably make 899/959 wheels work.

25 pounds is dreaming. maybe if you go bst both ends?

I'm still a little groggy since I woke up not long ago ... so "bst" ... what might that be? When I said 25 pounds, that's going with lighter wheels and tires on both ends. It wasn't my estimate, I read that in another Ducati forum in a thread about shedding weight on a 90's Supersport ... the poster claimed he'd weighed the lighter wheels/tires against the stock setup. That's all I can say about it since it's second hand infos/hearsay.

... Wheels from the right Japanese sport bike are the answer. They should be cheaper and easier to find. What bike is the question. No one seems to know the answer. Do you have any motorcycle salvage businesses in your area ?

No, just a couple of regular junk yards, but nothing that is specifically bikes. I'd have to go to Phoenix or Tucson for dedicated bike junkers (roughly 3 hour drive one way to either).

You could take some measurements of the clearance between the forks and swing arm and go measure wheels . Maybe a big mega motorcycle dealer with a large used inventory ?

Makes sense. I'll spend some more time on this and see what I can dig up. I have some Yamaha R6 wheels kicking around here ("beaters"), I can see what they offer, but I'm not very optimistic.

yes, the leg work is the money saver. knowing a machinist helps too.

I may have that covered. My modest home shop, mill, lathe, MIG, TIG, oxy-acet, two drill presses, lots of other stuff ... see attached pics ... (and thank you both for the help!!).

 

[RockAZ]

BST https://motowheels.com/b-32171-bst-wheels.html

As for weight reduction, once the stock mufflers are replaced the cheapest weight drop is my own - eat less, exercise more.

The CR is a narrow lightweight bike as it is, just sort a few suspension weaknesses and take advantage of the miraculous technology in modern tires compared to the bias ply (or radial tires in their earliest days) the bike was originally designed with.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

...As for weight reduction, once the stock mufflers are replaced the cheapest weight drop is my own - eat less, exercise more...

HEY!!! What chyoo talkin' bout Willis! You callin me FAT?!!?? Well are ya?!!!!!! Thems fightin' words!!!










..... I need to lose 40 pounds ..... :crying:

 

[Rex Coil 7]

... the matching 5 spoke front wheels have 25mm axles, so you'd need to adapt one as required. otherwise, straight in.

... I wonder if just a bearing change would do it? Well, bearings and making a spacer. I know on certain Harley Sportsters if you use a different set of wheel bearings that have the correct inner diameter certain wheels from other bikes within the HD line up will retrofit to the Sportster. It may be worth looking into.

...you can probably make 899/959 wheels work.

... thinking ... thinking ... :crazy:


... don't mind the smell of smoke, it's just my brain being overclocked ...



:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

 

[Coconut]

It's not as cost-efficient as me shedding 8 lbs from my mid-section, but I have an ETI Fuel Cell tank on my SS's wishlist.

https://www.ducati.ms/forums/57-supersport/80938-eti-fuel-cell.html

 

[Desimoto]

Cheapest way to reduce weight.... take out the motor.

That may affect the power to weight ratio, though.
?

 

[Rex Coil 7]

Cheapest way to reduce weight.... take out the motor.

That may affect the power to weight ratio, though.
?

Oh, well then I'm already way ahead of the game. The only motor my bike has is the fuel pump and it's so small that removing it wouldn't offer enough return on the investment of time and labor to remove it.

However I don't think the engine would run well without a fuel pump.

~jab jab~ .... :yeah:

 

[Desimoto]

Cheapest way to reduce weight.... take out the motor.

That may affect the power to weight ratio, though.
?

Oh, well then I'm already way ahead of the game. The only motor my bike has is the fuel pump and it's so small that removing it wouldn't offer enough return on the investment of time and labor to remove it.

However I don't think the engine would run well without a fuel pump.

~jab jab~ .... <img src="http://www.ducati.ms/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Wink" class="inlineimg" /> <img src="http://www.ducati.ms/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)" class="inlineimg" /> <img src="http://www.ducati.ms/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Big Grin" class="inlineimg" />

???

 

[Sherpa23F]

I haven’t weighed my ‘96 900SS but compared with my other bikes, I’d be surprised if it weighed much more than 360 lbs. Its shockingly close to my Superleggera by my estimate just pushing it around the garage.

I don’t know about “cost efficient” but basically everything within reason to drop weight while still being a standard appearing 900ss has been done.

 

[belter]

yes, i don't see a lot of cost efficiency there.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

I haven’t weighed my ‘96 900SS but compared with my other bikes, I’d be surprised if it weighed much more than 360 lbs. Its shockingly close to my Superleggera by my estimate just pushing it around the garage.

I don’t know about “cost efficient” but basically everything within reason to drop weight while still being a standard appearing 900ss has been done.

Well done!

Question; does your heel make contact with the link pipe that connects the header system to the slip on? I tend to ride on the balls of my feet when cornering and climb all over the bike like a monkey in the trees in switchbacks. Doing so puts my boot heels rearward. Cruising on more or less straight sections of highway I just hook my heels on the pegs, like pretty much everyone.

 

[Sherpa23F]

Well done!

Question; does your heel make contact with the link pipe that connects the header system to the slip on? I tend to ride on the balls of my feet when cornering and climb all over the bike like a monkey in the trees in switchbacks. Doing so puts my boot heels rearward. Cruising on more or less straight sections of highway I just hook my heels on the pegs, like pretty much everyone.

I ride on the balls of my feet as well and don't recall my heel making contact with that pipe. It's at more of an angle I think.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

... thank you!

 

[Neil66]

I haven’t weighed my ‘96 900SS but compared with my other bikes, I’d be surprised if it weighed much more than 360 lbs. Its shockingly close to my Superleggera by my estimate just pushing it around the garage.

I don’t know about “cost efficient” but basically everything within reason to drop weight while still being a standard appearing 900ss has been done.

You might lose a couple of pounds switching to smaller Agip decals..?

 

[Sherpa23F]

You might lose a couple of pounds switching to smaller Agip decals..?

I did gain some weight going to the bigger ones but the added downforce they provide helps me keep the front wheel down at speed...