Spare rear wheel

[jay98014]

(new Valk owner+first time poster here - pls be kind  )

Hello folks,

I have to first say - this is a wonderful forum.    I have spent many hours here reading as I get familiar with my new-to-me 2001 standard (came with 61k miles, cobra pipes, mustang seats, saddle bags, lots of chrome, very well-maintained).    The one tip about forcing the choke lever that last little bit, fixed a big concern for me.   Also the tip about how a slightly weak battery might not be able to start an otherwise perfectly fine bike .   My bike now has a new battery, is on a battery tender every night, and starts up on the first push even on cold mornings.

Anyway, now for the tech part of this post.    I am already considering going DS.   The bike came with a Avon Cobra front, and a Dunlop rear.   The front feels solid and well-planted - the rear, not so much.    Given how easy it appears to swap rear tires out, I am thinking about ordering a spare rear wheel off ebay, and keeping a DS and a non-DS rear wheel ready to go.    Would there be any issues with this type of plan?   I saw mention on one site that the final driven flange is "mated" to the final drive and cannot be swapped.   

Thanks,
Jay

[NITRO]

The final drive splines are mated to each other, but there's no switching of the final drive components necessary when switching wheels. You would just use the same driven flange between both wheels.

I see no reason why you couldn't swap back and forth. As long as you have space for the CT (nut cages removed, etc.), all else will be the same.

[Gary]

I can't give specifics, hopefully someone will jump in on this. 

Try a search if no one speaks up.

You could have an issue, depending on year/model, with the brake rotor and caliper not lining up cleanly without shimming.

[Chrisj CMA]

I can't give specifics, hopefully someone will jump in on this.  

Try a search if no one speaks up.

You could have an issue, depending on year/model, with the brake rotor and caliper not lining up cleanly without shimming.

Threre is a brake rotor compatibility issue.  Let me simplify it for you.  

All wheels will work perfectly on all valkyries if they have their own matched rotor on.

You start mixing old rotor new wheel=problem and the other way around.

So buy a wheel and rotor that match old+old= no problem even on a new bike

New+new= no problem even on an older bike

[Garry 2r's]

If I was looking for a extra rear rim I would be sure it was from a 98 and up supposed to have larger bearings in them than a 97.

[jay98014]

Thanks all for the help. 

I ordered a 2001 rear wheel (w/o rotor) off of ebay this morning.    2001 is the same year as my bike.   So based on this thread and some others I found, my understanding is that my current rotor would actually match up just fine.   (or I could get a new rotor for the spare wheel, but this might require new pads so that pads are always matched up with the rotor?).

The ebay pictures of the new wheel made me realize (it's mighty grungy), that the PO of my bike did a great job polishing my bike's current wheels.    The ebay wheel will need similar treatment...need to do more forum research now on wheel polishing.

[Valkpilot]

If I was looking for a extra rear rim I would be sure it was from a 98 and up supposed to have larger bearings in them than a 97.

The rear bearing sizes are the same for all years.  The front bearings for the 97 year only are a smaller outer diameter.  The axle and inner bearing diameters are the same for all years, front and rear.

I'm pretty sure that what Chrisj CMA referred to is that the height of the wheel hub on the brake side of the rear is slightly different (starting in 2000, I believe) and requires a matched rotor.

[Gryphon Rider]

Keeping a spare wheel and tire just to change between CT and MT, but having to move the brake rotor back and forth too, just seems like a lot of hassle and expense with little benefit. Harmless, though.

[PhredValk]

Here is a thread on polishing rims;

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,22144.0.html

go way down near the bottom to see a video by Dag.
Fred.

[gordonv]

Keeping a spare wheel and tire just to change between CT and MT, but having to move the brake rotor back and forth too, just seems like a lot of hassle and expense with little benefit. Harmless, though.

What Gryphon is saying is, that according to the manual if you remove the rotor bolt, you need to replace it.

Wether you do or do not, is up to you. You can do a search and see what else has been written about this subject.

As for myself, I have also bought a spare set of rims for my new to me 88' GW, and have bought the front rotors and All new bolts, and am just waiting for a rear rotor to buy also, so I have a complete set including rotors mounted.

[Willow]

I ordered a 2001 rear wheel (w/o rotor) off of ebay this morning.    ...

The ebay pictures of the new wheel made me realize (it's mighty grungy), ...

That doesn't sound encouraging.  The 2001 wheels were clear coated.  They shouldn't get "grungy" the way the older wheels do.  Hopefully it's just dirty.

You may want to check the markings on the wheel to be sure it matches your 2001.   

[Chrisj CMA]

I ordered a 2001 rear wheel (w/o rotor) off of ebay this morning.    ...

The ebay pictures of the new wheel made me realize (it's mighty grungy), ...

That doesn't sound encouraging.  The 2001 wheels were clear coated.  They shouldn't get "grungy" the way the older wheels do.  Hopefully it's just dirty.

You may want to check the markings on the wheel to be sure it matches your 2001.    

Willow........I think what you say about clear coated wheels after 2001 only applies to the standards.  They did the pumpkin that way too.  I think for the IS everything (wheels and pumpkins) are still the older way.  I could be mistaken, I thought I was once but, I was wrong.

[olddog1946]

I ordered a 2001 rear wheel (w/o rotor) off of ebay this morning.    ...

The ebay pictures of the new wheel made me realize (it's mighty grungy), ...

That doesn't sound encouraging.  The 2001 wheels were clear coated.  They shouldn't get "grungy" the way the older wheels do.  Hopefully it's just dirty.

You may want to check the markings on the wheel to be sure it matches your 2001.    

Willow........I think what you say about clear coated wheels after 2001 only applies to the standards.  They did the pumpkin that way too.  I think for the IS everything (wheels and pumpkins) are still the older way.  I could be mistaken, I thought I was once but, I was wrong.

The 2001 IS that was sold out of Hermiston, Id had the old style wheels (no clear coat). Don't know about the Tourer wheels.

[Chrisj CMA]

I ordered a 2001 rear wheel (w/o rotor) off of ebay this morning.    ...

The ebay pictures of the new wheel made me realize (it's mighty grungy), ...

That doesn't sound encouraging.  The 2001 wheels were clear coated.  They shouldn't get "grungy" the way the older wheels do.  Hopefully it's just dirty.

You may want to check the markings on the wheel to be sure it matches your 2001.    

Willow........I think what you say about clear coated wheels after 2001 only applies to the standards.  They did the pumpkin that way too.  I think for the IS everything (wheels and pumpkins) are still the older way.  I could be mistaken, I thought I was once but, I was wrong.

The 2001 IS that was sold out of Hermiston, Id had the old style wheels (no clear coat). Don't know about the Tourer wheels.

Thanks olddog......so if the OP finds a non clear coated 2001 wheel it could very likely be from an IS and that would not be a concern as far as fitment either....would work just fine as long as the 2001 rotor was on it

[Gavin_Sons]

My 01 IS does not have clear coated wheels.  They will soon be polished then clear powder coated. Or I may just go with a gun metal powder coat.

[Chrisj CMA]

My 01 IS does not have clear coated wheels.  They will soon be polished then clear powder coated. Or I may just go with a gun metal powder coat.

Thats really cool, I have never heard about CLEAR powder coating.  I cant wait to see them.