H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres 18" Wheels

[Gerry Clarke]

I have a C Comet with 19" front and 18" rear wheels. I am short and also have some leg mobility limitations. Does anyone have experience of running 18" wheels both front and rear, and whether there are any negative consequences?

Thank you,

Gerry

 

[Bill Thomas]

Hello Gerry, Is it poss' to wind in the eyebolts on the rear spring boxes, Might help. Cheers Bill.

 

[davidd]

Gerry,

I have not found any negative handling consequences of running 18" wheels front and rear, but my riding was restricted primarily to racing in the past decades. I know that most of the racers feel that the handling improves tremendously with the smaller wheels.

I think the real issue is style. Few owners like the look of the small wheels that tend to get lost in the capacious mudguards. In general, the rear is usually fine, but the front mud guard could do with some work. I use a smaller aluminum guard and lower the attachments under the balance beam to suit. I also got rid of the front most mudguard stay. It is your choice.

Bill is correct that you should look at the spring eyes for the rear spring boxes. If they can be screwed a few threads in on both ends that can get you a bit of lowering. Short front spring might be useful if you have a stock Girdraulic. It can help the handling and braking while lowering the bike a bit. You should always check your footrests for best ground clearance after changing the running height of the bike.

David

 

[Gerry Clarke]

Bill and David,

Thank you both very much. Vince Farrell gave me the tip about the eye-bolts and alternate fork springs. Very good to hear about the positive handling effects of the 18" pair and good point about the aesthetics and an alternate mudguard. I may get a Videan side-stand too and re-upholster a seat with 1/2" less height but preserve the form and use inards from Corbin or the like.

Gerry

 

[Oldhaven]

Gerry,

Both of your suggestions are good. I had the same problem with my Rapide and was not comfortable with the height of the seat. This was exacerbated by the long rear springs I have, but I like the travel. The new foams available now seem to be pretty tall, probably to keep our old rear ends more comfortable, but my seat was just too high for me. I had an original 1952 Dunlopillo foam that had been cut down on the bottom , probably with a bread knife, and I used it and a new cover to reduce the seat height by 1-2 inches. This height looks to me more suitable and more like the pictures I see of early B Rapide seats. I still find the seat comfortable, though I have not done any cross country trips on it. The Videan side stand is invaluable to me (though expensive) since it makes it easy to safely and comfortably start the bike if it stalls at a light or at short stops without resorting to the Dave hills center stand. The angle of the bike on the stand makes it easy to get on and off and you can start the bike standing on the pegs while on the side stand. The Hills stand is invaluable too, but for different longer term parking.

Before and after. Notice that the original side stands are useless for my machine unless I am changing the front tire.

 

[Gerry Clarke]

Very nicely done - splendid looking B Rapide.

Thank you,

Gerry

 

[Bill Thomas]

Maybe before doing these Mod's, It might be an idea to fit a Hydraulic Steering Damper, Just to be safe, Good Luck. Bill.

 

[vibrac]

David is right about style
I fitted 18" front alloy and 19" rear steel to the Cooking Comet for sidecar Trials use and kept them on after she steers perfectly even with my dampers that have seen their best days I would like a thin 20" at the front mainly for style and also I am not sure how the concentric new steering head mod will suit 18" wheels

 

[erik]

on my Fastback commando ichanged the rear rim from 19 to 18 Inch,but there is no real effect on the highst.the 18 Inch tire has nearly the same circumference as an 19 Inch tire.

 

[Jim Richardson]

if you are looking for seat modification try Tony Archer in Huddersfield 01484 536832.