82 to 81 wheel swap

[Prlwng]

Redoing my 81 with vetter setup. Have an 82 been stealing parts off. Couple front brake calipers and a few elec parts. The 82 has good tires. Can I just swap wheels and tires or need to change tires? Front wheel on 82 is the one piece wheel.

[newday777]

Redoing my 81 with vetter setup. Have an 82 been stealing parts off. Couple front brake calipers and a few elec parts. The 82 has good tires. Can I just swap wheels and tires or need to change tires? Front wheel on 82 is the one piece wheel.

Are you sure you are talking 81 and 82?? The 82 has 2 pot calipers and don't fit the 81 single pot caliper set up. 81 has different size tires than 82 and 83. Sounds more like you have an 82 and an 83...
One piece wheel, sounds like the 1983 11 spoke mag.

[Prlwng]

Never looked at tire size.

Yes, the front wheel could be off an 83. Guess will dismount the wheels and see if they work. And also yes, the 82 has dual piston rear caliper. But guess I will see if it will work with 81 caliper.

Bought the 82 for parts cheap. Also have a bunch more parts from a wrecked 81. Heck, the exhaust and electric parts off the 82 paid for getting it.

Going to put the gaurd bars from 82 on the 81.

[newday777]

1980 and 1981 tire sizes, on Comstar wheels

Front 110/90/19

Rear 130/90/17

1982 also had Comstar wheels but different sizes

Front is 18"
Rear is 16"

1983 also has

Front is 18"
Rear is 16"
But wheels are no longer Comstar wheels but are 11 spoke cast mags as picture shows on my 83 Aspencade.

[newday777]

A front 1983 cast rim on fleebay

[Prlwng]

Got the 82 rear wheel on the 81. The drive gear is direct swap. Had to swap brake disk as 82 is thicker than 81. 82 has dual piston.

Now have a three year old tire that is new on 81. Did not feel like spending the cash for a new tire when had one of diferent size and wheel.

Now balence rebuilt carbs. Did reset valves and found a couple loose.

[OldguyGlen]

Changing wheel diameter does affect overall gear ratio. I don't know the exact diam difference between your wheel/tire selections, but it's probably in the 5% - 10% range. You may not notice it around town, but highway cruising will add 200 - 400 rpm at 60 mph. I understand that you are trying to get a Wing roadworthy on a budget, using available resources. Might have made the same choice myself. But there are trade-offs when altering a bike's design.

[Prlwng]

Yes on overall gearing change. Kinda figured that before doing it. Should not be much dif than an 82 tho.

Many of my bikes have changed gearing. Dirtbikes especially. Harleys also. 06 steetbob went up 2 rear tooth to get off line quicker. Same on hot rod Sporty I built.