Anyone ever laced M/C rims to bike hubs?

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LukeTheJoker

LukeTheJoker

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Hey all, just been thinking recently about running some 19" motorcycle tires and rims but laced to standard bike hubs, reason being that where I live there are lots of those goathead thorns and I hate getting punctures.

(Yes, I know there are ways to get around it involving slime and self sealing tires and tubes or tire liners, but I have had mixed results with all of those things, and you know me... If there is a heavier or less graceful solution, I will find it!)

Seems to me spoke length and seating the nipples in the bigger rim holes would be the biggest issues?

Custom ordered or custom thread some spokes solves the first issue.

Might have to make some adapter washers for the spoke nipples to fit securely in the larger rim holes?

Anyway, just wondered if anyone had done it or seen it done?
 
Would these help? I really have limited experience with power bikes.

https://www.amazon.com/SPOKE-NIPPLE-WASHER-SS-BGof100/dp/B00KSJSFQ
51IQvq7WJ-L.jpg
 
I haven't, but I have an idea. Depending on what body size the motorcycle nipples are vs the bicycle nipples. You could chuck up your motorcycle nipples in your lathe and drill them out to slip (or press-fit) the bicycle nipples into the motorcycle ones. That should leave you with a proper sized nipple that will fit the motorcycle rim spoke holes.

Jason
 
RustyGold said:
I haven't, but I have an idea. Depending on what body size the motorcycle nipples are vs the bicycle nipples. You could chuck up your motorcycle nipples in your lathe and drill them out to slip (or press-fit) the bicycle nipples into the motorcycle ones. That should leave you with a proper sized nipple that will fit the motorcycle rim spoke holes.

Jason
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Great idea!
Hopefully the M/C nipples are not hardened steel...
 
I have read that using tires rated as thorn resistant, along with large enough down hill inner tubes, and ATV Slime ( with chunks in it ) works well. Too small of a tube will stretch thin when inflated.
 
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I haven’t done moto to bike hub. But I have done a worksman hoop drilled for 10g spoke nipples to 12g nipples, spokes, and hub. A bit of measuring, and I found just the right washers.

There’s hubs out there drilled for 10g spokes. May be easier to use them and the spokes to a mc hoop
 
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SkyknightJohn said:
The folks over at endless-sphere have run 19” mc wheels a lot for e-bikes. some good, lengthy threads there about them.

Holmes Hobbies makes 12ga spokes & moped nipples for bike hubs. https://holmeshobbies.com/bike-and-moped/spokes.html
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Dizzle Problems said:
I haven’t done moto to bike hub. But I have done a worksman hoop drilled for 10g spoke nipples to 12g nipples, spokes, and hub. A bit of measuring, and I found just the right washers.

There’s hubs out there drilled for 10g spokes. May be easier to use them and the spokes to a mc hoop
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information Guys!
Sorry for the late acknowledgement, big storm took out our internet for a while...
 
Followed up on a few ideas, I can get 10g spokes in the right length but not for under $100 all in, plus rather heavy, could get those cool spokes that are described on Endless Sphere, also expensive, could machine up spacers from brass stock, but decided to try @RustyGold's idea first:
RustyGold said:
I have an idea. Depending on what body size the motorcycle nipples are vs the bicycle nipples. You could chuck up your motorcycle nipples in your lathe and drill them out to slip (or press-fit) the bicycle nipples into the motorcycle ones. That should leave you with a proper sized nipple that will fit the motorcycle rim spoke holes.

Jason
Click to expand...

It appears I lost the old nipples from the rims, so bought some cheap new 10g nipples from eBay, they are slightly smaller than what the rims had (8g maybe?) but don't pull through the holes, and could run a brass washer for more security, then drilled to just barely fit a 14g nipple, cut it down with a grinder and forced it on, looks like I have a solution that only cost me $12 all up! (Still need to buy correct length 14g spokes, but they are much cheaper than the big stuff!)

IMG_20190103_125935396.jpg


Can even still easily tighten the spoke from the outside which I was a little worried about:

IMG_20190103_130003011.jpg


I foresee a cool build in the future, if we have a mild winter here I might join in the big build-off this year!
:dance2:
 

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