Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Project - Ep.3 The Art of wheel building
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- čas přidán 16. 07. 2024
- The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 project episode 3 has been a while coming and I hope it was worth the wait. I'm still waiting on a lot of parts to be delivered, but in the quest for some fatter tyres, I decided to change the rear rim on the bike. I enlisted the expertise of Chris Willis at Willis Wheels, who in this video takes you through the full process and shares some of his wheel-building secrets.
As part of the change, I fitted some Dunlop Mutant tyres, which I think look the business and they should perform better than the OEM Sports Phantoms.
To take a look at more of Chris's work and to get in touch visit www.williswheels.co.uk
For plating or anodising contact Frank at Action Plating at www.actionplating.co.uk
To check out the full Dunlop range of tyres visit www.dunlop.eu/en_gb/motorcycl...
00:00 - Intro
00:21 - Why make the change?
02:20 - Removing the rear wheel
03:35 - Tyre Comparison
04:12 - Measuring for the new rim
07:35 - Punching the spoke holes
10:37 - Positioning the valve hole
11:50 - Rebuilding the wheel with the new rim
13:59 - Truing the wheel
19:31 - Summary of job and prices
20:20 - Refitting the rear wheel and bike walkaround - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Anyone who has ever just tried to true a spoke wheel will sit in amazement at the skill and knowledge displayed here 😃👍. (And the project bike is coming along nicely too 😉!)
Indeed, cheers!
It's a pleasure to know that master craftsmen still exist, but sad to know that they're becoming so rare.
Yes and yes also :(
Wow absolutely magnificent scale
Amazing work im stunned
Very nice Tony! It's a joy watching someone apply their craft to create something that leaves you wondering how they did it. I am glued here and await anxiously for all your upcoming vids!
Glad you enjoyed it
Amazing skills!
Outstanding video Tony, really informative and a great production.
Thanks
Been waiting for the next vid in this series.great stuff 👍
Glad you enjoy it!
A great skill, workmanship to die for very interesting to watch . Nice one Tony
Cheers
Fascinating video. Great content.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video. As a bicycle mechanic and wheelbuilder myself, I was watching that (as I do all your content ) with great interest.
Wheelbuilding is a craft, something between a science and an art. You need to decide on what sort of spokes and rim you want, measure, cut and thread spokes. The higher the number of crosses the spokes make, the stronger the wheel - as long as the angle isn't too acute.
And finally, trueing itself has three components - lateral, radial, and dishing. Again, great video and full marks to you for going with a hand - built wheel, and to Willis Wheels for their craft.
Fabulous video Tony. Chris is a master
Thanks Lloyd, yep it was a pleasure to watch him do his stuff
Excellent video Tony, it's definitely an art form. I've never been able to live with the rapidly corroding spokes fitted as standard on various bikes I've owned, and always get them rebuilt using heavy duty stainless spokes, rims anodised etc . Your Enfield is looking great, the new size rim is spot on! Cheers, Steve
Cheers Steve
amazing skill
wow Tony what a great idea to film the process of wheel building, bike is coming nicely together, but have to tell the wheel builder is par excelant, what a craftsmanship in full display, always appreciated "how its made" stuff, looove it, cheers V!
Cheers Bud
Artisan at work. A very labour intensive job👍
It definitely is
Great to see such skill and craftsmanship at work here, this lovely gentleman is an absolute master at his game and not a computerised machine in sight. Reminds me of the consequences as kids when we decide to tighten your bike wheel spokes, especially when you have to tell your dad that you've just knackered your bike wheel. Never tightened a spoke since that day. Loved this Tony thank you.
Yep, I really enjoyed my time there filming.
Another excellent vid. Will seriously look into doing the same when I need to change tyres.
Glad it was helpful!
What a skill. Great to watch an expert at work.
It was a fascinating day spent with Chris and his team
Looks nice that Tony, big improvement, love watching craftsmen in action 👍
Cheers, it’s subtle but much better
This was fascinating! Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Your bike looks great. Congratulations.
I Will go on with your ideia for my bike .
Great upload and insight into wheel building, I love learning about new things and would have enjoyed this video if it was twice as long 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow that’s a real skill very impressive
Sir Paul McCartney in the background @Willis Wheels… I like it! Watching the wheel rim being punched and then straightened was pretty interesting. I’ve never seen this before. Thanks for showing the process. It’s amazing to see how he keeps tweaking the spokes until perfect. To me, the length of the video was no issue. Educational entertainment takes what it takes. Well done! The new tire looks great! Happy riding.
No problem, it was really interesting to see what’s involved rather than just dropping the wheel off and picking it up a week or so later.
Wow, building a wheel is clever & interesting... I wouldn't have the patience for that. Loved the vid.
Cheers, I thought it would be an interesting process to document.
That thread rolling machine gave me goose bumps, wouldn't want to get my fingers too close, though! Very informative video, Tony, thank you. It didn't seem long at all.
Yep there seems to be lots of places to lose a finger in Chris’s workshop!
Hi T WHAT A REALLY INTERESTING VIDEO REALLY INJOYED IT.
Hey, thanks
Looks great, always good to have a wider rear. Fair play to Chris, it looked terrible to begin with but persistence got there in the end. Enjoy!
The bike definitely needed it. It amazing to watch how he just kept tweaking the wheel and then boom, straight as a die
Thanks for this video. I was going to try this myself but have now changed my mind!
After my initial chat with Chris, it was obvious this was something I needed to hand over to a professional
@@mancavemoto - How much did the job cost?
Great video
Cheers
Always fascinating, watching an accomplished expert at work. Is he a mechanic, an artist or a craftsman? All three perhaps? plus he can easily mix inches and millimeters.
yes, i think mixing inches and millimetres is a traight of English people of a certain age. Mind you Chris is normally working on wheels from the 1920's to the 1960's!
Fantastic insight into wheel building.. would love to do this conversion myself as the 17” rim makes sense.. might need to use your links!
Drop Chris a message, he’s now got all the measurements 😉
The new wheel and bBike looks fantastic. I am also interested in how this will change the bike's handling characteristics.
So far i've found its improved it! but there will be a follow up video coming soon
Loving the series Tony and can’t wait to see what more you do to your interceptor. I did something similar to my interceptor but went slightly more extreme 17” rims front and back with 3” 150/17 tyres 😬😬
Cheers Mike, I was considering the front too, but I could get the tyre I wanted in the right size, so it saved me some money
How did the fatter front tire affect steering quickness?
@@daveinwla6360 on the 17” front?…it made it turn in slower and for the first 30-40min it felt very odd but it didn’t take long to get used to it. For me, the fatter front end has given me a bit more confidence in the front end. Not a big fan of the standard Pirelli’s ..HTH.
@@madhouse074 - Not unexpected from a standpoint of basic physics. In this case, the fatter tires give greater angular momentum - resulting in more resistance to turning and being harder to slow down and accelerate.
@@daveinwla6360 in my experience the fatter tyre hasn’t had any adverse effects on acceleration or braking
Jesus, that looks awesome, what a skill that wheel building is… great vids, keep em coming 👍👍
Thanks, will do!
Watching that fella build that wheel was pure witchcraft.
Interesting, having built wheels for bicycles it's very similar process is involved except I didn't have to punch holes in the rims or cut spokes and make the treads on them. Definitely looks good on the bike interested on how the bike feels now with more rubber on the back.. Cheers mate
Cheers, there will be a follow up riding video looking at how it’s changed the ride
This is fascinating, equal parts science and art. Thanks for sharing the process. I wonder if he'd take work from US customers? Love the idea of a wider 17 inch tire
Possibly! worth reaching out to him
That is Voodoo, what a craftsman
vidéo très intéressante 👍🏻 merci pour le partage !
Pas de souci
Wow what an ld school type skill that is probably fading out now.?really nice tastefully done job.
I just love how Chris switches from metric to imperial and back again, measuring the angle of the spoke prior to punching - "7mm over 6 inches"
Yeah I know, he was jumping back and forth all the time!
the lenght of spokes used is 6 inches??? im trying to make my wheels too
I'd put a larger wheel in the front as well but, to each their own ;) it's looking great
I thought about it, but I couldn’t justify the extra cost.
It’s an art
It sure is
Lovely work there both on the bike and in making this video. Glad you retained the workmanship and no problem at all about the longer video. Have subscribed, guess I posted a question on your other video already about height and ground clearance. This video made me ask another question, is the rim width the same or more than the 18"?
Cheers!
Thanks again. The rim was slightly wider the accommodate the 150 section tyre better.
Will be interesting to hear how it handles now. For the looks it's a great mod, just hope that it hasn't made any difference to how it rides.
So far i've found its improved it! but there will be a follow up video coming soon
@@mancavemoto I did not like the Pirelli Phantoms on my 2017 Triumph Bonneville Street Cup. They would follow uneven cracks filled with tar to correct the road surface. I installed Conti Road Attack 3's on the bike and ran over the same roads with the tar snakes and the Road attack 3's were just great. I have confidence in the Contis that I never had with the Pirellis. When it first jerked my wheels the handlebar all most came out of my hand. Scared the shit out of me. HaHa. Nice choice, I like the new wheels and tires. Take care and ride safe.
Hi Bill, yep I had the phantoms on my street twin and didn’t like them. The problem is that they are an OEM tyre that’s not as good as a Phantom you’d buy off the shelf. They are made in a different factory to a lower cost. Seems a strange thing for Pirelli to do
Guess im ditchin my hole punch&hammer idear 😥😭...just kidding,great vid mate,shows what a pro will do&talkabout in a shop convo to you if you wanted a shop in say aus or us/euro ..vs a jocky chasing $$ talking crap just to get some money..
Great watching the wheel builder at work..Sure is an art truing the wheel.... No wonder cast wheels are predominant nowadays..Just one question, namely because I went for a wider rim on my Triton years ago. Did you check the available space between the swinging arm before deciding on a wide profile tyre....
Indeed it is. Yes I measured up to make sure the wider tyre cleared the chain and would have no issues with the swingarm. I had the benefit of seeing a bike with a 150 rear tyre, although that retained the 18 inch rear rim
Wheely interesting 😜
Heheheheh
Great idea, another thing to add to my "to do" list. Question, Have you got plans to change indicators and a rear light? Maybe from motone?
Thanks Tomasz, yes all of the lights will be changed, plus the bars, foot controls , exhausts etc
Very interesting video, and great results! Does the 110 on the front affect the speedo accuracy?
Thanks, and no it’s the same overall diameter, so no change
Looks great. I would commit atrocities just to get my hands on a set of spokes to convert mine to 17s.😂🤣
Love to watch an expert ply their trade.
me too it was fascinating stuff
Wow great job done by you and your team. Now what is your riding experience on different speed as there are so many persons have change the stock dimensions but they aren't successful specially in the higher speed the bike have wobbling issues. s
The tyres are a bit wider, but the overall diameter is the same as stock. You can see my feedback in Episode 3.5
It really does make a big difference to the looks. I had an inkling that building up spoked rims was tricky, but if it takes 100 or so tries to get the knack of it, it really doesn't make sense to DIY, does it?
Cheers, yep no definitely something to leave to the professionals
Great video mate really enjoyed watching it , has it changed the feel of the bike in any way ?
The tyres are a massive improvement over the stock ones....theres a folow up video where I report back on the changes....
@@mancavemoto cheers I`ll take a look , cracking content buddy 👍👍
Did you note down the before and after weights at all Tony? Wheel Vs Wheel and Tyre Vs Tyre?
I didn’t no, but there will be very little difference.
What a great contribution, a question about how much was the final size of the spokes (in millimeters)?
Length or diameter?
Length and diameter please…
Great job Man… unfortunately you can’t do this job in Italy.. 😢
Local law don’t allow to change tyres size different from the motorcycle registration document… 😢
Sorry to hear that
man whats the lenght of the spokes/??? please help meeee
Are there any aftermarket hubs for the Interceptor 650 ? or any hubs from other bikes that will fit? I’m looking for a slim hub for a chopper build
I haven't found any so far, but you could try Fastec Racing in Newmarket, who could probably build one to your spec. I've seen their CNC work and its incredible!
I'm surprised you didn't take the opportunity to have a tubeless set-up.
Going tubeless would have been A LOT more expensive and I wasn’t that bothered about it
@@mancavemoto - Would going tubeless involve sealing the nipples or mounting them in the rim's shoulder?
my local wheel guy wanted to know what width rim was used 3" or 3 1/2". From Australia Thanks
the new rim is 4.5 inch
Will it work if I just get a set of 17 inch alloy tubeless rims? Do I need to change anything or watchout for anything?
You can use tubeless rims, they are just more expensive and a little bit more work when it come to lacing apparently. If you switch the front to a 17, you'll have to ensure the speedo still reads correctly
Can you make a tubeless tyre with spokes??
You can, but you’d need to use a different rim to this one.
Perhaps I missed it on the first (and second) viewing but how was the final spoke tension set ?
Nice idea for a video mate.
Chris did it by feel as he was truing the wheel
@@mancavemoto Thank you for the explanation.
Fascinating, sadly I suspect a dying trade
yes, there are not people people doing it any longer, but Chris has a long list of jobs, so it'll keep him busy for a long time yet i suspect
So how did the fatter tires affect the quickness of steering and leaning?
czcams.com/video/ps-0ZWxzNOg/video.html
Hello Tony! Sorry if I missed that. Did you use a tube or did you make a tubeless conversion?
Hi, No problem I stuck with a tube, it was a cheaper conversion and it seemed pointless putting a tubeless on the rear but not the front.
@@mancavemoto Thanks, Tony! So you put a tubeless tire with a tube or Dunlop Mutant is available as tubed tire as well?
Yep, no problem putting a tube in a tubeless tyre
@@mancavemoto thanks for getting back to me! Ordered my new wheels. 17 font and rear. Will see!
So if I put a fatter tyre to the oem rear wheel,, the tyre won't bulge??
I’m not sure I fully understand your question? You are limited to how wide a tyre you can fit on the stock width rim yes.
Why would you need a new Rim? I think the OEM Rim could support up to 150 as well.
The rim could possibly squeeze a 150 on it, but then the overall diameter would be larger, which changes the bikes angle and more importantly gearing. Moving to a 17 inch rim allows the wider 150 tyre and retain the same overall diameter.
@@mancavemoto ah, yes, so in order to retain the overall diameter you would need a smaller Rim. But why do you need to change the gearing with bigger wheel?
Correct, if I put the 150 tyre on the 18 inch rim the overall wheel would be taller, effectively changing the gearing slightly. The rear wheel has to rotate further, which would give a higher speed for the same revs. So 70mph would now be 74mph. It’s not much, but it also robs acceleration a little. Secondary to that is the availability of certain tyres in 18 inches and there would be some clearance issues too 👍
@@mancavemoto wow, thanks alot for the explanation.
Well, I didn’t realise that there was so much science behind it, that guy completely lost me.
How’s it handle now Tony?
Lovely, just having better quality rubber has made a big improvement. It still feels manoueverable, but a little more planted and it rolls into bends much nicer now
What is the rim width? I am guessing 4.25" !
yep, correct
Was this an expensive exercise?
No, it cost around £450 including the tyres and their fitting.
Why do RE put 2 18” on ? Seems daft to me
I'm guessing because it was a very popular size on a lot of classic 'brit bikes'?
im guessing you had to lose the centrestand?
I took the centre stand off in Episode 2. I didn’t want it on the bike
4.25" x 17" rim????
Yes
Witchcraft.
Outex tubeless kit?
Too unreliable, I’m happy sticking with tubes
@@mancavemoto Had problems in the past, or just suspicious? I'm about to replace my tyres and thinking I might try the kit. Everyone I know that is running the kit is pleased with the results..
Qual a medida dos pneus novos??
150/70-17 Traseira e 110/80-18 dianteira
Muito obrigado por ter respondido!! Um abraço
Hi,
What’s the rear wheel rim size ?
4.25 x 17
Thanks for your reply. I am trying to buy 17x3.50" (120/70-17 front tire) & 17x4.25" rear (for 150/70-17 tire). Can you please advise, these setup will work on interceptor 650 without any issues?
The rear is the same as on mine, so no issues with that, just keep an eye on the clearance on the chain guard. It appears that they don’t all fit the same on these bikes, but it’s easy to trim. Not sure about the front, sounds like it will be ok
What?!
What..I..what??!!
Wonder if he has a young apprentice to pass on the skills?
Sadly not at the moment
Shame a pot hole would kill all that hard work
but at least Chris could fix it! If it was a cast wheel it would need replacing
I understand English, I'm a native speaker, but ol' mate might as well have spoken Arabic or Mandarin. I would have understood just as much. 😆 Love his passion and competence!
I'm not a native speaker and I understood every single word....
@@Tomasz.P___b I think what Jimmy B is saying is that the technical explanation of it all is not easy to grasp. I heard every word also but not being wheel builder it was all gobbly gook to my brain.
So many people spending too much time and way too much money on overcapitalising their interceptors with what they consider their preferred aesthetic.
Also everything a bit technical gets done by some expert at great cost, do it yourself
Obviously you blokes spend far more time looking at your bikes rather than riding them.
I've been riding here in Australia for 45 years and always do all my own work including making custom parts.
I have a near new interceptor with which I hunt down and blow away Triumphs on the many great bike roads around Armidale NSW. So stop looking at your tyre size or getting the brat stance and get out and ride the thing!
Regards,
Brian
At any point have you checked the milometer on this bike? Brian maybe you’re spending too much time writing these type of comments on CZcams videos instead of riding your bike? Wheel building is also a highly skilled speciality and one which is rather entrust to an expert.
No offense but I can't stand people like you who tell others what to do or assume to know what they do, there's nothing wrong with changing stuff on your bike because we all have our own preferences, and tbh this is something id be er attempt on my own, rims are one of the most important parts and have to be fine right for safety so it's worth spending on it if you do it. Also nothing wrong with spending more time doing the bike up than riding it, each to their own.