16.6in Wheels

[Hopper]

Guys.

Iv been offered a set of 16.5in wheels for the bike. Not sure what to do. Shall I buy them ? Will the tyres still be available in a few years time ?

Part of me says don't waste your time. However another part of me says buy them.

I'd be using them as dry wheels only, so will only be used with slicks.

Obviously BSB will be running 17's from 2014 onwards. WSB are running 17's from next year. Not sure what to do as I'm not sure what the 16.5in availability will be after next year....

Any suggestions/opinions ?

 

[pgm]

i wouldn't as you say the tyres will be difficult to get as surely they wont bother producing them when the major race series move to 17 inchers ?

 

[Hopper]

Your right. Probably give it a miss. As soon as BSB go to 17in wheels, 16.5in wheels will be worth less.....

 

[bananaman]

If you can get a years supply of tyres cheap for em then go for it Will you be able to race with them?

 

[Hopper]

Now that is a good point. You have to run road based tyres and no slicks. Can't get road based tyres for 16.5 wheels...

 

[BUZZ]

Alot of them sized tyres are not road legal ok for track but for the road waste of time

 

[Hopper]

A 16.5in wheel Is a race wheel. You can only buy slicks for them. No one makes road tyres In this size..

 

[BUZZ]

You can but pirrelli in that size for road if i remember .??? The desmo ran 16.5 " wheels a few models back

 

[Hopper]

Your right. The desmo did come with 16.5 in wheels. Totally forgot about that !!

Ill have a look in to this

 

[BUZZ]

They are very very expensive so i wouldnt bother if this is correct according to a mate of a mate who owned a desmo they were close to £450 to £500 a set.!!!!

 

[Hopper]

Yep. A rear is £280 on its own.

 

[BUZZ]

Well its a no brainer unless you trailer your bike to track days to run the 16.5" wheels as the price for road tyres are bonkers

 

[Ducky]

I looked at some cheap PVM 16.5's recently, but decided they will eventually become obsolete, so it was better to go for 17" instead.

 

[Marcus81]

17 inch tyres are pretty damn good at the moment but I suspect the development of them will go up a notch next year with wsb switching

 

[Hopper]

Agreed. The Racetechs used in STK1000 are bloody good. A mate of mine, on a BMW can lap Brands Indy in 47.6 sec using Said tyres.

Will be interesting to see what sort of development will filter down.