GS wheels on a Rockster.

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trickytree
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by trickytree »

Hurray!
Image

Boooo!
Image

The crossover/left hose is perfect, the right hose is an inch too long. I'll order a 125mm hose online, should be with me by the middle of the week.
I've gone for a single hose to the master cylinder, no problems there although it will need a couple of guides fitting to keep it in the right place.
The mudguard mounting is a bit of a pain, it's about half an inch to far back to line up with the upper caliper bolt. If it did line up I could use a hex head bolt and drill and tap a hole in the end and then use the stock stepped washer......but it isn't, and if I push it forwards to line up the rear of the mudguard hits the tyre.
I could modify the mudguard slightly and make a ally bracket to bolt onto the lower caliper mounting lug but I want to keep the 'guard standard if possible.....and I think that option would look a little 'messy'. I'll have to give this a good dose of looking at.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by kirby »

1
Last edited by kirby on Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
mike Mojave CA
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by sweatmark »

Thanks for the photos - looking forward to project summary and riding impressions.

Help me catch up: are the Rockster and GS brake rotors different diameter?
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trickytree
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by trickytree »

Yes, Rockster discs are 320mm diameter, GS are 300 or 305mm, I forget which.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by kirby »

Looks good, mine same color, burnt orange..go figure.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by sweatmark »

Forgot to mention, bike looks good with the spokes. Thanks again for posting your progress.
trickytree wrote: 1. 63mm rear wheel bolts as the alloys use 55mm bolts. I reused the original cones.
2. rear disk so that went on with new shorter disc bolts (15.5 as opposed to 20mm long).
3. Rocksters original wheels came with the thin washers between the disc and wheel so I reused those and fitted the 320mm discs.
4. Bobbins and wave washers [REUSED}, original bolts are too long (25 as opposed to 20mm) so have a new set.
5. used pair of Brembos from a 1150RT... fit perfectly.
6. refit the Rockster/1100S sliders.
Pardon me, I'm making a shopping list.

Thin washers both sides, between disc and wheel = non-ABS R1150R.

Despite the challenge for brake bleeding, I'm thinking about doing the 2-line, over-fender setup:
Image
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trickytree
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by trickytree »

Even by my low standards the fork bottoms and lower yoke were pretty bad so an hour with wire brush in the leccy drill had them looking quite spiffy. Went on the RS Paints website and they wanted a eye watering £46 for a rattle can of Ferro Blue and satin lacquer, they can feck off at those prices so a hunt around the garage turned up a new can of gloss black one coat epoxy and a smidgeon of satin in another tin. I'll build up with the gloss and with a huge slice of luck I'll have enough satin left for a final coat. We all know I won't have enough don't we.
First I need to pop out and buy a new fan heater for the garage then I'll let loose my legendary painting skills....or lack of.

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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by sweatmark »

Those parts cleaned up nicely.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by riceburner »

Very interesting re-work!

The washers on the rear-disc mounting bolts are to replace the speedo/ABS sender ring that was fitted on some other models - but for alignment with the calliper you need the washers (as I understand it).

With the brake hoses, extra length isn't an issue - it's only when they're too short that you get problems! ;)
Last edited by riceburner on Mon Feb 13, 2017 10:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by riceburner »

sweatmark wrote:Forgot to mention, bike looks good with the spokes. Thanks again for posting your progress.
trickytree wrote: 1. 63mm rear wheel bolts as the alloys use 55mm bolts. I reused the original cones.
2. rear disk so that went on with new shorter disc bolts (15.5 as opposed to 20mm long).
3. Rocksters original wheels came with the thin washers between the disc and wheel so I reused those and fitted the 320mm discs.
4. Bobbins and wave washers [REUSED}, original bolts are too long (25 as opposed to 20mm) so have a new set.
5. used pair of Brembos from a 1150RT... fit perfectly.
6. refit the Rockster/1100S sliders.
Pardon me, I'm making a shopping list.

Thin washers both sides, between disc and wheel = non-ABS R1150R.

Despite the challenge for brake bleeding, I'm thinking about doing the 2-line, over-fender setup:
Image
I went for '2-lines-alternative' = makes life a LOT easier (no chance of air bubbles in that over-the-wheel loop.... ;) )
Non quod, sed quomodo.

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trickytree
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by trickytree »

Some black paint on the forks....for now. Hopefull it will last the year out until a winter spruce up.

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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by riceburner »

nice.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by sweatmark »

Looking forward to ride report.
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trickytree
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by trickytree »

Getting close now, hopefully tomorrow will be ride time.
Re greased the pins on the rear calliper and new pads fitted.
The replacement hose for the front arrived so fitted that and bled the front brakes. Tried something that I've heard mentioned many times and that is to seal the threads on the bleed nipple with PTFE tape. Wow! What a difference it makes! Took me well under half an hour to fill and bleed the system from dry, and with no mess.
Tonight I need to finish mounting the front mudguard and extend the side stand and it's job done.
Both wheels just skim a level floor when on the centre stand so I'll leave that for now but ideally it could do with extending a tad.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by trickytree »

Done for now. Turned up a black nylon disc to fill the original mounting hole for the front mudguard and drilled a new hole to line up with the centre of the upper caliper bolt which I had drilled and tapped a 5mm hole in the end off. I then just fitted a flanged screw to hold the mudguard in place. Works a treat and I think it looks acceptable.
Used one of the redundant ABS sensor ring mounting holes to take the magnet for the Acewell speedo pick up so that's up and running.
Ideally I wanted to extend the side stand as it was too short before I fitted the new front wheel and is even more so now. Unfortunately to extend it the required amount meant it would foul the centre stand, so I need to do that first. I'll resort to the faithful lump of wood for the time being.
This morning I was greeted with mild weather and dry roads so went out for a bit of a ride. Delighted with how things have turned out. I was expecting to have to wrestle the bike round corners and have to put up with slower turn in. I experienced none of that, turn in was wonderfully light....its as if the bike is suddenly a 100 lbs llghter. I've gotten all my bumpy mid corner stability back that I lost when I raised the rear end with the shorter GS torque arm....I never did like the steeper steering head angle it produced even though many people do. Wether this lightness of foot is a result of the narrower tyres front and rear I'm not sure, but I very much like the result. The Metzler Tourances felt great on the dry roads even though they were brand new. Towards the end of the ride I was more than confident to start attacking roundabouts and corners with real enthusiasm. Be interesting to see how they cope in the wet and what sort of life I get from them.
So, overall my first impressions of the wheel change is a very positive one. Roll on tomorrow for another ride, this time with Mrs.tree with me.

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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by sweatmark »

Nicely done, inspiring. Tire choices for the GS wheel sizes could really expand Rockster offroading.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by trickytree »

Did another 100 miles today with Mrs.tree on the back and am struggling to find any drawbacks handling wise to this conversion.
The GS bottom fork clamp actually has more offset than the Rocksters so will in effect give more rake to the steering head, but even so it doesn't seem to slow down the steering at all. I was slicing dawdling Sunday drivers on the ring road after visiting my parents....some on the inside, some outside....really getting into the groove when a gentle prod to the ribs reminded me I had a passenger to consider :lol:
I was thinking about this the other day before I had my first ride post wheel swap. Although the Rocksters miles ahead of my old Harley FXR handling wise it's chassis geometry is still pretty conservative. With a long wheelbase and raked out front forks very little you did to the FXR could actually harm the handling! To a lesser extent I think it's a similar story with the oilheads, loaded up with luggage and pillions it would take a nuclear explosion to knock one off course mid bend but the trade off is it won't change direction in a blink of an eye. Like the Harley, shift your weight and use counter steering and these things can hustle, but hit a pothole while cranked over and it won't end in disaster. I'll take that sort of handling every time thank you 8)
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by riceburner »

Looking and sounding good!
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by kirby »

Happy to hear that its working good. Having put more than a few miles on GSs' they are no slouch when it comes to mixing it up on curvy roads.
The rockster has the geometry of the R1100S as it has the front and rear of same.

The spokes look great but after a few cars and bikes with spokes I will pass...too hard to clean.
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Re: GS wheels on a Rockster.

Post by sweatmark »

trickytree wrote:Did another 100 miles today with Mrs.tree on the back and am struggling to find any drawbacks handling wise to this conversion.
The GS bottom fork clamp actually has more offset than the Rocksters so will in effect give more rake to the steering head, but even so it doesn't seem to slow down the steering at all. I was slicing dawdling Sunday drivers on the ring road after visiting my parents....some on the inside, some outside....really getting into the groove when a gentle prod to the ribs reminded me I had a passenger to consider...
So, a few months of springtime riding later, any feedback about your GS wheels conversion?
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