Spoke wheels VS Lesters

[beemersanducs]

What do the experts say about pros and cons? Currently I have Lesters on my cafe but was thinking of building a set of SS spoked wheels.

[Garnet]

As long as you use aluminum rims the wires will be lighter. Light is good. The Lesters are much less flexable, and that is good.

I rode my /7 for many years and miles with Lesters, but I don't have the skill to tell if they handled better than the stock wires.

For me it was asthetics.

[DanielMc]

I'm no expert, but I fitted a set of Lesters to an R100 and I liked the look - much prettier than snowflakes. They are also compatible with the '81 - '84 Brembo equipped forks, which need a rare two rib hub if a spoked wheel is to be fitted.



Snowbum doesn't rate them very highly though: http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/lesterwhls.htm

[Major Softie]

Generally:

Lesters heavy and rigid. Rigidity that is good for steering precision, but unsprung weight that is bad for suspension performance, and a lot of "moment of enertia" in the heavy rim.

Alloy rimmed spoke wheels far lighter at the perimeter: which is where weight affects steering "quickness" the most.

So, neither is all good or all bad, although some individuals have a very strong preference. Cast wheels became popular because they looked like the magnesium wheels of the factory racers, even though they did not have the light weight of the real mags. Then, when tubeless tires swept the industry, they almost all switched to cast wheels for street bikes. It took quite a while before aluminum cast (and then forged) wheels became the lightest alternative, but now you can buy such wheels far lighter than spoke wheels - and, of course, carbon has achieved a whole new level of light.

[vanzen]

A well worn topic fraught with tangents ...
A search might reveal more info than you ever wanted !

Simply, succinctly, and relating to objective criteria:

Spoked wheels are lighter which translates as "unsprung mass" benefits –
Less mass equals lesser rider input to effect control of the MC
and more efficient braking (from any given braking system)

Older cast wheels (as Lester & the Flake) will have a weight penalty
but are stiffer laterally and run more accurately than a spoked wheel.
Less lateral flex especially in the curves equals greater stability.

The choice between the two will be a balancing act
based upon (among others) personal preference and riding style.

[chasbmw]

I once weighed my snowflake front wheel fitted with dual cast iron discs......... It was really really heavy. Pity I can't remember what the figures were, but much heavier than most modern bikes.

The cast iron discs are also quite a lot heavier than the stock stainless ones.

Charles

[Major Softie]

I once weighed my snowflake front wheel fitted with dual cast iron discs......... It was really really heavy. Pity I can't remember what the figures were, but much heavier than most modern bikes.

The cast iron discs are also quite a lot heavier than the stock stainless ones.

Charles

Yes, and modern brakes have gone to very thin discs to save the huge weight penalty of those big thick discs.

[vanzen]

From my archives, info courtesy KIO:

Stock spoked wheel = 9 pounds 10 ounces
Snowflake wheel = 12pounds 3 ounces
Lester wheel = 12pounds 0 ounces

[She'llbe]

I have Lesters on at the moment and I"m rebuilding the original spoked wheels. I like having the choice of look. I can't feel the difference between the 2.

[Major Softie]

I have Lesters on at the moment and I"m rebuilding the original spoked wheels. I like having the choice of look. I can't feel the difference between the 2.

Course, just to stir up the hornet's nest: if you run the Lesters tubeless, then your total weight comes out about the same as spoke wheels with tubes, but you've removed the tube weight from even further out toward the perimeter than the rims.