Respoking To A Motorcycle Rim

5-7HEAVEN said:

I've decided to use a motorcycle tires and rims on my cruiser bike build. The front will sport a motorcycle front end. I MIGHT need to re-spoke the 17" wheel to 21", but that's another story.

The rear motorcycle rim will be re-spoked to an 8-speed bicycle internal hub. Here's my problem:

The motorcycle rim has 36 8mm spoke holes. The bike's spokes uses 3mm nipples. I intend to use 13g spokes.

Anyone do this before? I don't want to spend $250 labor and shipping cost for a guy thousands of miles away to build one wheel.

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Drill out the holes in the hub if you got the safety margin to do so. I drilled mine from 14 to 12 gauge and all's well.

5-7HEAVEN said:

Thanks for responding, but.....

The motorcycle hub's spoke holes are for 10g or 11g.

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So I guess them spoke holes are gonna be a little too big for the hub is what you are trying to say? LOL

I'm confused. Why do you want to use 13g spokes if you want a heavy duty wheel? If the hub is set up already for 10g or 11g go with that. To use 13g spokes you'd need to use washers or they'll pull through, won't they?

I'd also consider lacing it up myself. I know the first wheel I did was a daunting, nerve wracking thing for me, but now half a dozen wheels later it is not a big deal and is a satisfying thing. I just finished lacing a nice beefy hub from a Honda 55 trail bike into a heavy duty wheel with 11 gauge spokes. The wheel I had (but needed to enlarge the spoke holes with a drill), the hub I salvaged from the rusty old Honda carcass I had paid $15.00 for and the spokes came to $27.00 with shipping. That's less than $50.00 for what is now a great wheel. There are how to lacing tutorials on U tube.
SB

Just drill the hub holes bigger, I had to drill mine open to 10 ga. Plenty of meat there.

Yes drill the hub or you can get washers for the small nipples(HEEEheee) so the dont pull through the 8mm holes.