Sport Classic wheels on a 620

[Buckethead]

Since you have an 05 then you don't even have to worry about the rotor change since you already have the same 300mm 0mm offset rotors found on all of the Sport Classics. 

Sport Classics use 320mm discs. All of them.

Also, and I realize this is picking nits, the 2-piston calipers on the Sport Classics are not the same as the 2 piston calipers on the later 620 and 695. They look the same, but they use a slightly larger brake pad with a different part number.

[Travman]

Sorry Ollie,  I didn't mean to give you wrong info.  Listen to yuu and Obsessed.  This is just a project I was interested in about 2 years ago which never got further than the discussion phase. 

Obsessed, even though the discs on his 05 aren't the same as those on the Sport Classic.  I have been told that the 05 and later 620s and the 695s (Monsters with 2-piston front calipers) will accept the SC wheels without problems.  Do you think this is true?

OK, I'll stick to pictures. 

[Buckethead]

Obsessed, even though the discs on his 05 aren't the same as those on the Sport Classic.  I have been told that the 05 and later 620s and the 695s (Monsters with 2-piston front calipers) will accept the SC wheels without problems.  Do you think this is true?

Asssssssolutely.  It's the same axle size and the calipers will should clear the spokes with no problem.

Also, 4 piston calipers can be modified to work with the spoked wheels. Just to muddy the waters a bit more.

[Travman]

Alpina also makes a carbon fiber version of their tubeless spoked wheels.  These wheels have carbon fiber rims and spokes.  I don't know what these weigh, but these have to be the lightest spoked wheels possible for a Monster.  Jeff at MonsterParts can get them.  He quoted me something like $2,600 for the pair this past spring.

You can see what these look like on the last pages of this Alpina catalog from 2008.  Sorry I didn't find anything more recent.
http://pakbikes.net/PS1000LE/ALPINAtubeless2008.pdf

[BlackKat]

I was wanting to do this too. I know you mentioned it on my retro cafe thread trav, but I have a set of Paul Smarts already promised to me for very little cash when the snow falls here in ohio. Will I too have caliper clearance issues on a 99 750? Sorry to thread crash..

[ollie]

Crash away, I'm Interested to see if anyone has a set a paul smarts on a monster. I can't seem to find any info on what they weigh.

Travman, those carbon alpinas look great from a weight point of view  but carbon doesn't quite fit with where I wan't to go with my bike - that gold bike that you posted a pic of before is awesome and is more along the lines of where I want to head, any more info on it, or is a board members bike?

[Duck-Stew]

I had a pair of SC aluminum hooped wheels and the rear SC wheel weighed at 12.5# and the front was around 11# (IIRC) (no rotors, no tires, no tubes, no sprocket carriers).

A benefit to adding rotational weight to your bike (here comes all the flame-throwing 'net bashers):  It will track more smoothly through corners w/additional wheel weight.  Basically, if you're in your line and rolling through the corner and hit a bump...the bike will track better than if you've got lighter weight wheels on the bike.

TO ALL THE 'LESS IS MORE' CROWD:  I get it...you're right...less rotational mass is a damn good thing for Ben Bostrom, Nicki Hayden and the ilk. 

Sometimes though, more is better on the street.  And besides, they look the hawt-shiz yo! 

[Raux]

I can see that logic. it's like the old bicycle tire trick on the spinning seat. use the spinning wheel for a benefit instead of fighting it.

if you aren't in a situation where you NEED to change direction quickly that makes sense. where I live... it doesn't. the roads to my house... are like a racetrack. lefts and rights on top of each other, tight turns with rises, switchbacks. long sweepers and tight 180's... oh yeah i missed my ride.

[BK_856er]

I had a pair of SC aluminum hooped wheels and the rear SC wheel weighed at 12.5# and the front was around 11# (IIRC) (no rotors, no tires, no tubes, no sprocket carriers).

A benefit to adding rotational weight to your bike (here comes all the flame-throwing 'net bashers):  It will track more smoothly through corners w/additional wheel weight.  Basically, if you're in your line and rolling through the corner and hit a bump...the bike will track better than if you've got lighter weight wheels on the bike.

TO ALL THE 'LESS IS MORE' CROWD:  I get it...you're right...less rotational mass is a damn good thing for Ben Bostrom, Nicki Hayden and the ilk. 

Sometimes though, more is better on the street.  And besides, they look the hawt-shiz yo! 

This is very true!  Super-light flywheels and wheels are not for everyone and they do come with certain drawbacks.

BK

[Travman]

I had a pair of SC aluminum hooped wheels and the rear SC wheel weighed at 12.5# and the front was around 11# (IIRC) (no rotors, no tires, no tubes, no sprocket carriers).

Thanks Stuart, this is what I have been wanting to know for a while now.  Compared to my stock wheels the Paul Smart front would be around a pound heavier and the rear would actually be almost 6.5# lighter (not including tubes).  So overall these alumimum rimmed spoked wheels from Ducati are close to the the stock wheels found on most classic style Monsters (maybe even lighter).  Does this sound right?

[Travman]

Travman, those carbon alpinas look great from a weight point of view  but carbon doesn't quite fit with where I wan't to go with my bike - that gold bike that you posted a pic of before is awesome and is more along the lines of where I want to head, any more info on it, or is a board members bike?

Sorry, I have don't have a lot of information on the gold bike.  I know the bike is named "Goldie".  It is probably in Italy and there are a few YouTube videos of it.  I would like to know more about those pipes.
Goldie Sound

[Duck-Stew]

If I remember correctly (which is big...b/c I don't remember all that I used to these days), the SC rear was 12.5# and my Road-Racing wire was 13.5# and I thought myself stupid for staying with the RR wheels.  I don't recall exactly the weight of the front actually...

Perhaps someone should make a trip to an SC board....

[JEFF_H]

Alpina also makes a carbon fiber version of their tubeless spoked wheels. 

Those are gone.
Alpina is now only using Excel hoops on their street wheel builds
(like the last batch duck-stew used on his flat-track build)

[weemonster]

slightly OT but what the part numbers for the Alpina wheels that fit a monster?
I'm struggling to find them here in europe.

Pages and pages of off roader wheels but no monster ones.

[jcpakbikes]

Hi
JC here from Alpinawheelsusa.com
or better known as PAK Bikes.
Let me try and answer a few questions
Here is a chart based on the Aluminum alloy wheel on the Paul Smart

The GT wheels are a lot heavier then the Alloy
The Alpina's have most of the weight towards the center so when the wheels spin they are lighter.
The static weight loss is not much but these wheels are stronger then forged wheels as they flex more.
Most Supermoto guys like Alpina spoked wheels because the spoke wheels do not crack like forged wheels do whne Bashing about.

Also There is no Carbon Fiber Rims or wheels available for the Monster or the Sort Classic right now.
This wheel from alpina are called the Carbon Matrix Tubeless STS system wheel from Alpina.
The STS System is very Different From the Tubeless-A-System.
The "A" System is only available for the Ducati Monster, Ducati Sport Classic, Honda Hornet and Motoguzzi V11
The STS uses the stock Hubs from the models that these are available for, or in some cases depending of the model Talon or Kite hubs are used. These kits or builds come with the alpina spokes, Alpina STS nipples, and Specially alpina Machined rims made by Excel, GLM or in some cases Behr. The STS wheels are tightened and trued at the rim and sealed with the STS Nipples
The A System has a fixed nipple that seals at he rim and are tightened and trued at the Hub. The hubs are only available from Alpina made from a solid chunk of billet.


The "A" version for the Monster comes in two different rear axle sizes and  has a slightly different Hub from the Sport Classic.
The front Wheel Does not have a 4mm Rotor Spacer option as the Sport Classic version does. This 4mm Spacer, when used, will run the stock caliper. When removed the wheel accepts the Brembo Gold like 4 pad or 2 pad Caliper.
They will fit all Monsters that have the standard Swingarm.
I have heard that you can use Stock Sport classic wheels on the monster. It seems that the Axles size and the wheel spacers are what is different.

If I can help in any way or if you have any more questions regarding Alpina wheels please email us directly
jc@jcpakbikes.com


regards
JC

Good to know that the change would only necessitate a rotor change for the later 620s & 695.

Thanks for the link.  I remember that article which I read when researching new wheels a while back.  Just like the author I opted for Carrozzerias from DucPond.  I too weighed my wheels before and after.  The stock front 3-spoke Monster wheel from my 2005 1000 weighed 10 lbs w/o the rotor.  The stock rear weighed in at just under 18lbs w/o the rotor or sprocket.  So those GT100 wheels are definitely a lot heavier than stock 3-spoke Monster wheels.  Looks like he would add 7.25lbs to the front wheel alone by doing the switch.  

I would still like to see the weights of the Alpinas and also the aluminum-rimmed SC1000 and Paul Smart SC wheels.