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New Front Wheel (TO DO LIST)

3K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Slaab1 
#1 · (Edited)
I am changing up the look of my 900 Custom by swapping out the front wheel with one from a Classic. The wheel is used from Ebay and came off a 2008 Classic from Florida.

My question is what are some things I should do/know when switching out wheels. The bike it came off of was running and driving when it was disassembled. There was a video of the actual bike running and driving in the Ebay listing. So I would guess that it is straight.

Should I grease the bearings?
What is the toque for the axle nut?
What is the toque for the fork Allen bolt that locks the axle?
What is the toque for the brake rotor?

I mounted it up with no rotor just to make sure it rolls smooth. It was a bit sketchy driving without a front brake, but everything seemed good. The new wheel was an INSTANT attitude adjustment. I am going to disassemble it tomorrow and clean everything and mount the rotor and paint my lower forks. Tell me what you guys think.











The seller was Fallen Cycles, they part out motorcycles for online sale. I got my wheel in 3 days. From Florida to Iowa that is fast. If you need OEM parts and don't mind used ones check them out.
 
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#3 ·
What fender are you going with for the new front wheel? I like the fat front wheel look. But honestly, with that solid rear wheel, and the spoke front, it needs a spoke in the rear now.
 
#5 ·
Ya I will be getting the spoke rear soon. As for front fenders I am not sure yet. This winter I am planing on putting a custom rear fender on the bike. Something like a Fatbob rear fender maybe, but I'm not sure yet. Whatever I get for the back I will try and match to the front the best I can. It might just end up being a simple round fender that fits the tire radius. Kind of like the BCB front fender.

The old school look. Love it. Big fatty on the front.
Ya me too. I like the 21" front wheel but I just wanted to change it up. I think it makes the bike look tougher. I painted the lower front forks last night and that really accents the fat front tire. I may also get the wheels powder coated too.
 
#4 ·
The old school look. Love it. Big fatty on the front.
 
#6 ·
Well I went on Ebay just to see how much I could find a rear wheel for and I fount a listing for a brand new ZERO mile wheel. It includes wheel, tire, axle, spacers, sprocket, and crush drive for $125. It came off a new bike that was converted to a trike. So I had to buy it. I needed a new rear tire anyway and this is cheaper. Jackpot!!!! Today is my lucky day. Here is the listing for anyone interested. Kawasaki VN900 Rear Wheel Complete 41025 0062 Take Off Zero Miles Tire Axle MW | eBay
 
#7 ·
Wow that's a hell of a deal! Good job finding that. As for the rear fender, I did the same thing only went for a tail dragger fender. I have to say the look was worth the work. I may have to seek out a fat front wheel and fender now. It just looks cool.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ya it was a lucky find. As you can see in the pictures they cut the end of the frame right off. I have been watching your post closely ever since I decided to change the rear fender. Not many have chosen to change fenders on the 900. I would like the incorporate the stock seat latch into the new fender and see if I can get it to work with my Mustang Day-tripper.
 
#9 ·
I'm sure it can be done with a little ingenuity and careful planning. I found out yesterday that the Granucci seat I put on mine is by far not an all day rider. After 12 hours and over 380 miles of sub 55 mph roads, my tail bone was toast. So I'm going to be looking into making my stock seat work since I know I can ride all day on that one. And then switch out when going on rides longer than an hour.
 
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