I want to do something with the wheels on my SAPPHIRE BLUE 14 over the winter. Its time for some suspension upgrades so while the wheels are off, the timing is right. I found chrome plated factory wheels on Ebay for a decent price. I think they would look good. Any negatives about the chrome with the bearing surfaces or how they hold up? Another option would be powder coating the centers and polishing the lips. My old ZX11 had grey centers and polished lips that looked pretty good.How does the polishing hold up? Last and probably the coolest would be the BST carbon fiber 5 spoke wheel. I know the weight saving is killer. I`d like to see them on the bike before I spend the bucks. I would appreciate any feedback/photos, etc. so I can decide. Thanks, LD

the timing is right.

Contact Somefun on this thread he put up yesterday.

REAR BST 4 SALE

All I know about chrome is it makes some nice bling but it has a reputation for pealing if it is not high quality.

BST CF wheels will be a terrific performance enhancement as well as appearance upgrade. I'd go that way if you have the $$$

* Last updated by: Rook on 10/30/2013 @ 5:39 AM *

I have the polished rim lips and while they look good IMO, they do require some maintenance polishing from time to time. Stripping the old paint off with aircraft stripper is pretty easy and the surfaces underneath are pretty well ready for final polish, unless you decide to polish the spokes, too, in which case you are in for a lot of sanding and polishing.
Clear anodizing would be a good solution to the maintenance issue. Not sure how durable that would be.

Chrome looks great, but it makes the wheels heavier and sometimes there can be problems with it adhering to aluminum. If your plater or wheel exchanger doesn't guarantee the product, I would avoid it.

BST wheels look fantastic, and are very light, but expen$e a$ide, I would have to be tranquilized at each tire change.

Have you considered a forged aluminum wheel like Carrozzeria? They are lighter than stock, come in many anodized or powder-coated colors and they look good, too.

If you just want a change you could look at performance machine or rc components. i currently have two bicke with performance machine wheels

BST are awesome! I love mine big time!

I have Carrozzeria wheels and they are the Bomb! About 30 pounds lighter and the reduction of rotational weight is the biggest plus. Rotational weight is about 4 times as significant by reducing torque demand! I could feel the added performance moreso than most other upgrades.
Carbon fiber is popular for this effect also, but CF is brittle, or so I've heard. Racers use them but they have lotsa $
Anyone with CF wheels have any problems with scratching or chipping?

I had Carrozzeria's on my 07 ZX14 and I currently have them on my 2012. Great wheels. Never had any issues with them. I ride exclusively on the street so BST were not in the cards since Im in the northeast with pot holes and other road hazards which I would worry about hitting with the BST's. I like the forged aluminum for durability. Heres a few pics from both bikes.

2007 ZX14-Notice the older style Carrozzeria's 12 spoke- heavier than the newer style 10 spoke design

How can you lose 30lbs by just installing different rims!?

* Last updated by: nasty on 11/3/2013 @ 10:47 AM *

Thanks for the pics. Those are 2 beautiful bikes. Unfortunately, I can`t see those gold wheels on mine. My local dealer has a set of black Galespeed forged wheels on his silver 14. They look good. They also come polished. The rear wheel has a smaller hub to cut down on weight. Anyone familiar with these?

Ahhhh 30 lbs lighter than stock.....Not even close. Here were the weights of the 2012 stockers VS the Carrozzeria's when I swapped them over. Overall its about a 7-8 pound difference.

Wheel weights as follows:

2012 Stock rear wheel/tire combo with stock sprocket and rotor: 36 lbs

Carrozzeria 6.25 V-track with tire, stock rotor and Super Sprox 40T 32.5 lbs

2012 Stock front wheel with Rotors 26.5 lbs

Carrozzeria V-track front wheel with stock rotors 23.5 lbs

Not sure how accurate the old scale was but theres the weights

Galespeed forged wheels on his silver 14. They look good. They also come polished. The rear wheel has a smaller hub to cut down on weight. Anyone familiar with these?

Polished Galespeed. I will look for the exact weights.

* Last updated by: Romans on 11/6/2013 @ 4:46 PM *

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f25/unsprung-weight-vs-rotating-mass-26490/
Added 11-16 1500Hrs.
This is the best description of the weight thing. You can't just weigh a wheel vs another wheel like in 3rd grade. The world is much more complex.

I still say 30 lbs difference.

Sometimes I wish I hadn't studied engineering... it makes everything more complex...
It's all about how you see it.

* Last updated by: Sharkey on 11/6/2013 @ 7:59 PM *

Well no matter how you say it, if you are saying 30 Lbs difference between wheel weights you are wrong!

Neil

CZ Tri-r front 7 lb 5.5 oz

CZ rear + sprocket carrier 12 lb, 6.3 oz

I do not have the weight of the Gen 1 OEM rims but i would be surprised if the dif was not AT LEAST 20 lbs. The rear OEM is over about 18 lbs without spacers, rotor and sprocket lbs.

Maybe about a 33% reduction in weight.

BST is a lot lighter.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/6/2013 @ 5:41 AM *

CZ Tri-r front 7 lb 5.5 oz CZ rear + sprocket carrier 12 lb, 6.3 oz

Lowest non BST #'s I have ever seen. Still Best bang for the buck out there, if you can get them ????

THE WEIGHT DIFFERENCE SHOWS UP WHEN YOU'RE MOVING. Less rotational mass equals less HP consumed making them move foreward. I don't really care how much they weigh when the bike is parked. Dead weight difference is only a factor in the calculation of the improvement from lighter wheels. I guess the post I put up was a little too complex for most to read. But like I said, the world isn't very simple.

Still not 30lbs dude...

My mistake. I shouldn't have said difference in (static) weight.
Should have said the difference of the inertial mass weight changes with time and speed (like HP and Torque change on a Dyno Chart), so that there is no finite weight value unless you pick a point in the acceleration curve from which to deduce your value. Therefor, if you pick Zero as the point in time, you will get the static weight differential you feel when you lift your bike off the ground. I think it was 7-8 LBS. I don't think anyone would pay for the Carazzonni wheels so their bike would weigh 8 LBS lighter, and be easier to lift. But when you start accellerating IT WILL FEEL LIKE the bike is 30 LBS lighter due to the difference in innertial mass, and how much energy it takes to start it into motion, and continue keeping it in motion, or accellerating. You also get the benefit of faster stopping because of the lower force needed to stop the lighter mass and lower inertia values. Required braking force is another thing you can't just stick on a scale and get a value.
The benefits of lighter wheels are far greater than if you remove a luggage rack which weighs 8 LBS. So I am trying to make it simple by using 30 LBS as an example of the benefits.
Yea... I know... still ain't 30 LBS...

This is the site I was referring to about the in depth description of rotating weight.
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f25/unsprung-weight-vs-rotating-mass-26490/

It didn't appear on my previous post up there...
No wonder everyone didn't understand whatI meant.

Sharkey we understand what your trying to say and your half right. For every pound of rolling mass you save it feels like much more when riding. Going from stock gen 1 wheels to a set of carrozzeria's feels like 30lbs less but its not even close. Romans i looked at the tri r but was strongly advised that those wheels are not a good choice for the zx14 because of the 14's weight. Dealer mentioned something about coming down hard off a wheelie on a 14 with tri r's and bad things could happen. So i stuck with the heavier v tracks. Love them!

* Last updated by: zx14rider345 on 11/6/2013 @ 8:16 PM *

That makes a lot more sense. I can agree with you on that. Lol

* Last updated by: nasty on 11/6/2013 @ 8:18 PM *

Romans i looked at the tri r but was strongly advised that those wheels are not a good choice for the zx14 because of the 14's weight. Dealer mentioned something about coming down hard off a wheelie on a 14 with tri r's and bad things could happen. So i stuck with the heavier v tracks. Love them!

I Agree with what your saying and sounds like it makes sense, but over the years I have heard that story about almost every after market rim made. Magnesium Rims pics & video, yes I have seen, Aluminium rims Some but not as much, BST's 600 hp some guys killing them pics and video to support but I could never find any evidence to support the TRI -R's were not safe. No video, No pics ZIP. They came with Brake rotors(wow$$$$$$$$$)and are by far the best bang for the buck for what you get in all area's of weight saving performance I have ever seen. Sales just not there = Gone.

I would not hesitate to install a set of those based on facts, dealer BS is a mile long. I don't listen anymore. missed op

Romans I have a question for you since we are on the subject of wheels. I have been looking for an extra set a wheels to pack some spare rubber on for special occasions. Would you know if the older rims would work on the newer bikes without any issue? Would I be able to transfer the sprockets and rotors right right to them?

* Last updated by: nasty on 11/6/2013 @ 10:23 PM *

Guys I can't speak about the aluminum rims but as far as the BST wheels they are hands down the best improvement I've done. I was going to do some internal engine mods for some more power but decided to invest in the wheels instead. Mostly because not only would my acceleration improve but the braking also....then I rode it for the first time and holy crap the handling was like riding a 750! I do some track days every year and I'm not saying I'm Rossi but in ride in an advanced group and I pride my self with staying up front against tons of 1000's with kids riding them... We get off the track and the kid come up and looks the bike over and then sees the bar risers on it and is like WTF you blew by me and there was no way I was gonna catch you....lol. Honestly it greatly helps with your turn transitions BIG TIME. As far as wheelies I love them and do them every chance I get. The rims are extremely strong and I've had zero issues. Don't buy wheels for looks buy them for how they feel! And let me tell you these wheels make the bike feel like an older mild that just got a boob job!

Guys I can't speak about the aluminum rims but as far as the BST wheels they are hands down the best improvement I've done. I was going to do some internal engine mods for some more power but decided to invest in the wheels instead. Mostly because not only would my acceleration improve but the braking also....then I rode it for the first time and holy crap the handling was like riding a 750! I do some track days every year and I'm not saying I'm Rossi but in ride in an advanced group and I pride my self with staying up front against tons of 1000's with kids riding them... We get off the track and the kid come up and looks the bike over and then sees the bar risers on it and is like WTF you blew by me and there was no way I was gonna catch you....lol. Honestly it greatly helps with your turn transitions BIG TIME. As far as wheelies I love them and do them every chance I get. The rims are extremely strong and I've had zero issues. Don't buy wheels for looks buy them for how they feel! And let me tell you these wheels make the bike feel like an older milf that just got a boob job!