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nomad wheels on a classic

9785 Views 23 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  brianmac
I am considering putting nomad wheels on my 2002 1500 classic. I understand the issues with the front wheel. I also understand the rear wheel is supposed to be a direct bolt on. The question is..... What year nomad wheels will work? Looking on ebay, not all nomad rear wheels look the same. Your input is needed and appreciated.
Dave Rose
Dayton, Ohio
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I did as much research as I could and I bit the bullet and purchased wheels from a 2004 Nomad. From what I found the rear is a direct bolt up but the front will take some massaging. So I will update as I go.
I did as much research as I could and I bit the bullet and purchased wheels from a 2004 Nomad. From what I found the rear is a direct bolt up but the front will take some massaging. So I will update as I go.
Very interested on how you make out! I have a Drifter which I believe has similar front end dimensions as the Classic. I picked up a set of Nomad mags many years ago with the intention of fitting them to the Drifter but haven't got around to it yet.
Here it is a nomad front wheel on my classic

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Very interested on how you make out! I have a Drifter which I believe has similar front end dimensions as the Classic. I picked up a set of Nomad mags many years ago with the intention of fitting them to the Drifter but haven't got around to it yet.
The Drifter, both 800 and 1500, use the same front forks as a Fuel Injected Classic of similar years. As for wheel fitting, I'll send you a PM to a page that deals with that specifically.
Here it is a nomad front wheel on my classic
Nice! Man that looks sharp!
VERY I treated in this myself. Get rid of the spokes.
Please don't leave us hanging, how'd you make the front wheel fit?
Here it is a nomad front wheel on my classic
Thanks for posting white buf!

Looks really nice! Seem that you made up a plate to cover the disk bolt holes on the right hand side of the wheel????
Spent time researching spacer dimensions and spent time machining the right hand brake rotor mounting lugs off and a final wet sand and polish. I had some extra machining to do because I started with a Nomad wheel that was for an electronic speedo and I have a mechanical and I wanted to keep a functional speedo and had to machine the speedo drive as well. Here are the latest pictures as it sits now. If I have time this winter I will pull it back a part and takes pictures and measurements of all the work that was done.

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Here are some more pictures

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Hi,
I hope this is not a dead thread now ,
I have a 98 classic 1500 single carb with wire wheels, I went and got a puncture when out riding in the hills, I was shocked at the speed it went flat and almost out of control, (lucky the speed was a bit less then 50 mph!).
I have never had this happen with alloy wheels and it really is dangerous so I would like to get nomad wheels to go on my classic.
I know the rear is straight on but the front needs work, is it just a different bush ? or do I need to rub off the disc/ rotor housing on the right side? do I need to alter the speedo drive or can a wheel be purchased with the old drive type?.
Do I need to machine the disc housing or is that just cosmetic?
Thanks for any input given as I would like to keep the old lady but as is she is dangerous.
Cheers.
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Front wheel fitment

Hi,
I too wanted to get rid of blow out prone spokes on my 1998 classic 1500 so read the thread by wytbuflo and after talking to my local bike shop and them telling me they could do the lathe work I went ahead and purchased 2 wheels from a 2004 nomad , however after offering up the rim to my bike I found that the rotor mounting surface seems to be much further out than on my spoked rim, the rim width is the same but the rotor looks like it will be too far out and not line up with the caliper, the spoke rim is still on the bike , could someone who has done this mod please tell me if this is really possible and still keep the wheel in the centre of the forks.
any more info on this topic would be taken very gratefully.
cheers
Hi,
I too wanted to get rid of blow out prone spokes on my 1998 classic 1500 so read the thread by wytbuflo and after talking to my local bike shop and them telling me they could do the lathe work I went ahead and purchased 2 wheels from a 2004 nomad , however after offering up the rim to my bike I found that the rotor mounting surface seems to be much further out than on my spoked rim, the rim width is the same but the rotor looks like it will be too far out and not line up with the caliper, the spoke rim is still on the bike , could someone who has done this mod please tell me if this is really possible and still keep the wheel in the centre of the forks.
any more info on this topic would be taken very gratefully.
cheers
What's the 'lathe work' you're referring to? Is it removing the disk bosses from one side of the wheel? Is that absolutely necessary?

To get the caliper lined-up with the disk you could either get the brake dis bosses on that side of the wheel turned down or adjust the caliper position with a spacer (although that may interfere with the fender).

I haven't got around to doing this mod yet myself so this is purely speculation on my part.
Hi, thanks for the reply,
the lathe work would be to reduce the spacer on the spindle and possibly the speedo drive. the right side rotor housing can stay.
The problem I found offering the wheel up was that with the wheel centred the disc was very close to the left fork leg and the caliper is already as far out as poss , putting spacers on the caliper housing would bring it into the hub when I need the caliper out, the left side rotor housing is way further out from the centre than the rotor on the spoke wheel, there might be something I dont know but without changing the triple tree to widen the forks it doesnt seem to want to fit.
comments and advise very welcome.
cheers
Surely taking away the size of the boss to be able to centre the wheel to line the rotor with the caliper would be taking away a lot of strength from a part that already carries all of the weight of the bike under braking, these bikes are as heavy as hell and all braking is done through one rotor, I wouldnt like the boss bolt holes or the rotor bolts to shear off under heavy braking so I think I will add gunk to my inner tubes to slow down any potential puncture and call it a day.
Anyone in uk looking for a set of nomad wheels?
Surely taking away the size of the boss to be able to centre the wheel to line the rotor with the caliper would be taking away a lot of strength from a part that already carries all of the weight of the bike under braking, these bikes are as heavy as hell and all braking is done through one rotor, I wouldnt like the boss bolt holes or the rotor bolts to shear off under heavy braking so I think I will add gunk to my inner tubes to slow down any potential puncture and call it a day.
Anyone in uk looking for a set of nomad wheels?
I would think 'moving' the bosses closer to the wheel center-line would reduce the brake torquing force on the wheel. In any case, you should wait for wytbuflo to chime in before abandoning the project - he got it to work somehow.
Hi, thanks for replies, I see the point you are making but I am still not convinced but I am not an engineer so will presume you are the correct one.
My other thoughts are what the outcome would be of an insurance claim, here in the UK insurance companies want to know every little thing done to an insured vehicle , right down to what colour you have changed the paint work to, so taking chunks of hub off a wheel might be seen as altering what the manufacturers deemed as a necessary part of the wheel construction therefore rendering it dangerous, in this case making the wheel swap insurance void, not the end of the world if I come off and take some weeds out but if I destroy someones top notch Mercedes then I think that the bill would come straight to me along with her majesties boys in blue, (cops).
So I think this is a good time to bow out of this project, the breakers will take back the front wheel and I will sell the rear on eeeebay.
Thanks for your input anyway, I will be pouring a jug of slime ? gunk into my tubes very soon and hope that prevents any fast deflation. I am also thinking of just trading the 15 in and walking out with a mean streak.

Happy biking.
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I am considering putting nomad wheels on my 2002 1500 classic. I understand the issues with the front wheel. I also understand the rear wheel is supposed to be a direct bolt on. The question is..... What year nomad wheels will work? Looking on ebay, not all nomad rear wheels look the same. Your input is needed and appreciated.
Dave Rose
Dayton, Ohio
Hey just put an 04 nomad rear wheel on my 07, it just bolts on.
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