What wheels are people using?

[hjennings]

I have a 1981 XS 400 with wire wheels and drum brakes. I'm wanting to swap to mag wheels with disc brakes. I am wanting to go with the bobber/brat/cafe' look. I included a few pics to give you an idea of what I'm looking for. Here is the problem I'm running into....

Looking for mag wheels, all I'm finding for the rear are 16" wheels. Everything bigger (17" and 18" rears) that I'm finding have the shaft drive wheel. I need a chain drive. I thought about trying to convert a shaft drive wheel to chain drive, but scrapped that idea. The center hub of the shaft drive wheels are much larger and gives the wheel a different look. So need chain drive.

When I look through various bobber pictures to get some inspiration, the ones I like look like the front and rear wheels are the same (or very similar) diameter. It looks as if they are using a taller diameter rear wheel. Also, the 16" wheels that I am finding have a very large rear rotor (that seems to take up most of the wheel diameter). Yet the bikes I'm looking at look to have a smaller diameter rotor. Is this a swap or what?

Needing some help here to know what wheels I need to look for.

Thanks!

 

[LuckyEight]

Not sure about the last pic, but first two have 18" rear wheels. 18" was stock on models imported to Europe (I am not sure about US models). So if you want to go with 18 rear, try to search on german ebay. But the shipping costs will be high. I have opposite problem - it's impossible to find a 18" wire wheels here in EU.

 

[xschris]

The 77-79 xs400 18" ( mag or spoke) rear wheels are becoming very hard to find. All I can say is keep looking at your local craigslist ads for ones to come up.

 

[hjennings]

Thanks! I picked up an 18" wheel from Germany.