Triumph Tiger 800XC front wheel question

[wpbarlow]

Does anyone know for sure if the 19" front wheel from the more street oriented Tiger is a direct swap in for the 21" on the XC?

I eyeball measured things at the show last night and it looks like it should.

Thanks.

[G-Funk]

Originally Posted by wpbarlow

Does anyone know for sure if the 19" front wheel from the more street oriented Tiger is a direct swap in for the 21" on the XC?

I eyeball measured things at the show last night and it looks like it should.

Thanks.

I don't know anything, but I'm going to say no, it won't be a direct swap.

G.

[markbvt]

For what it's worth, I seem to recall reading somewhere that someone at Triumph addressed the question of putting Tiger 800 cast wheels on the XC, and they strongly discouraged it because of its effect on steering geometry. Keep in mind the XC already has very steep rake; putting a smaller front wheel on will drop the front end and make the rake even steeper.

--mark

[Lion BR]

Originally Posted by markbvt

For what it's worth, I seem to recall reading somewhere that someone at Triumph addressed the question of putting Tiger 800 cast wheels on the XC, and they strongly discouraged it because of its effect on steering geometry. Keep in mind the XC already has very steep rake; putting a smaller front wheel on will drop the front end and make the rake even steeper.

--mark

Interesting comment on the rake. Check this out:

BMW F650GS DAKAR 29.2 (degrees of rake)
SUPER TENERE 1200 28.0
KTM 990 26.6
BMW R1200GS 26.2
BMW F800GS 26.0
DUCATI MTS1200 25.0

TIGER800 23.7
TIGER800XC 23.1

BUELL XB12X ULYSSES 22.0

Yep, it's steep to begin within.

Speculating on the back of an envelope:
Moving from a 21 inch to a 19 inch wheel should be an equivalent of a 1 inch (25.4mm) reduction of fork length at the axle?
If so, applying the rule of thumb that 10mm fork length change is a 0.5 degree rake change (more or less), a 25.4mm fork equivalent reduction would take this bike to a rake of just about less than 22 degrees?

If that is true, what are the effects on bike handling?
Quicker steering (more direct effect from steering to wheel turn), less stability at speeds?

I should let the experts chime in. I'm way out of my field of knowledge here.

Lion

[dfishman]

Well my 17 that replaced the 21 on my XR650R helped so much I slid my tubes up another 1/4" to even decrease it more.I would say it would change it but it is NOT going to be a radical change.

[randel]

Why would someone use 19" cast wheels for 800XC? It's much cheaper to buy Tiger800 instead?

[markbvt]

Originally Posted by randel

Why would someone use 19" cast wheels for 800XC? It's much cheaper to buy Tiger800 instead?

Quite a few of us were initially thinking that it would be nice to get the cast wheelset for the XC and keep it shod with street tires, while keeping knobbies on the stock spoked wheels -- this way we could quickly swap wheelsets depending on what kind of riding we'd be doing.

--mark

[Adv Grifter]

The other issues are possible differences in rotor and brake caliper lining up from XC vs. Road version. An adapter could be fab'd , no idea how it might affect handling. I'm sure someone will try it at some point.

I'm with Mark. I'd rather find a cast, tubeless, 21" front to run a street tire, or just a spare stock front wheel. Keep the original XC spoked wheel with a knobby mounted up. Whatever.

[blacktiger]

My eyeball rule suggests that the rears are a straight swap (they certainly mount the same size tyre) and that would be the way to go if I got an XC because most punctures I've had in the past 20 years have been in the rear.

For the front, you've gotta wonder if an R100GS wheel (with an extra disc) will go in. Keeps the 21" but is tubeless. Or, the wheel from the new Super Tenere.

[markbvt]

Originally Posted by blacktiger

For the front, you've gotta wonder if an R100GS wheel (with an extra disc) will go in. Keeps the 21" but is tubeless. Or, the wheel from the new Super Tenere.

If your primary concern is the wheel being tubeless, not its diameter, it would be a lot easier to just send your stock wheel to a specialist like Woody's to be sealed.

--mark

[Adv Grifter]

The new Yamaha Super Tenere' wheel is also a possibility. Pretty trick system. Don't know who makes it ... most likely either DID or Excel ...
It uses a trick raised center bead where spokes fasten in, but it's a tubeless wheel. Should be very stout off road ... looks good too.

I'd bet someone could adapt it to the Tiger 800 or maybe whoever makes it would make one to fit the Tiger? I'd bet they'd sell hundreds.


The Tiger 800 needs these wheels!

[TAMPAJIM]

Looks like it may collect mud, sand, pebbles and other stuff.

[DockingPilot]

Yea Barlow, what he said, of course you could just step up to the...........

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

The new Yamaha Super Tenere' wheel is also a possibility. Pretty trick system. Don't know who makes it ... most likely either DID or Excel ...
It uses a trick raised center bead where spokes fasten in, but it's a tubeless wheel. Should be very stout off road ... looks good too.

I'd bet someone could adapt it to the Tiger 800 or maybe whoever makes it would make one to fit the Tiger? I'd bet they'd sell hundreds.


The Tiger 800 needs these wheels!

[numbat]

Strait pulls, like the BM's have used for more than a decade.

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by numbat

Strait pulls, like the BM's have used for more than a decade.

Yamaha are not using the tubeless Behr Cross spoke perimeter design as used on BMW GS's. Not even close to the Yamaha design. The GS Behr wheels are notorious for being soft ... easily dented off road. See Woody's Wheel Works and ask him how many GS riders have swapped stock Cross Spoke Behr wheels for the Japanese Excel wheels he sells.

I'm guessing the Super Tenere' uses Excel wheels ... not Behr.

Any bets they'll be very hard to dent? ... unlike the butter soft Behr product.