81 WHEELS ON A 80

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:02 pm

Will the front and back wheels off a 81 "X" fit on a 80 "X"? Are they the same wheels and look the same?
Thanks.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:37 pm

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:45 am

The wheels will fit, but I am not sure that they are the same wheels. 80 rear was 2.50x18 and Prolinks have 2.75x18. Also, the 80 wheel, as far as I know, was a lighter material (stamped) than the Prolinks (cast)

daves79x · Post by **daves79x** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:12 am

The late model wheels will bolt right up. The front is a 2.5x19 vs a 2.15x19 for the '80 and the rear is a 2.75x18 vs a 2.50x18 for the '80. Both sets of wheels are made of exactly the same (heavy)material. Your complete rear wheel/hub/disc/sprocket weighs almost 50 lbs.

You can bolt up your '80 front and rear brake rotors to the '81 wheels to keep the same brakes.

Dave

Mike Barone #123 · Post by **Mike Barone #123** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:45 am

On the subject of rims.........
I have always wondered if non CBX Comstar rims and spoke assemblies could be bolted up to the CBX hubs. The point ofcourse is there are wider Comstars available and this could be the route to very cheap, wider rims that infact will look stock. The follow on question is if this could be done....what width and diameter non CBX Comstars does anyone know about and what Hondas models were they on originally.

Long Ago......
I think I looked into this and someone stated that the Comstar hub bolts can be removed but if you do this they are not useable again since Honda was adamant on this process was not allowed......however another CBXer said he/she checked the parts available and found these same bolts for sale by Honda.

Will they fit?
I never actually did any measurements to see if for example a Goldwing Comstar of any size or diameter would bolt on to the CBX hub. I will try to do this the next time I am at a rally or bike show where other bikes with Comstars are there. Yupppp wish I had thought of this last week at Vintage Days......hundreds of opportunites to do this. So if you get a chance to do this or own another a non CBX would you give it a try for all of us.

Thanks

Mike

Mike Barone #123 · Post by **Mike Barone #123** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:57 am

Bump on my above post.

GOAL
Use rear CBX rim and spoke assembly on the front to fit a 110 x 18 front tire. Then find 4" non CBX Comstar rim and to bolt to the CBX rear hub and fit a 150 x 17 rear tire. Outcome if it can be done...cheap, retains Comstar CBX look, wider rims, wider tires (no bicycle tire look on the back), better handling and CBX is lowered by 1/2 inch or so (big difference)....

Front Statistics/Options
Stock CBX Front
100/90-19
26.1 Diameter
3.9 Width
(2.50) 2.15-2.75 Recommended Rim Width Range

Stock CBX Front Rim Widths
Early Model = 2.50
Late Model = 2.75

Bolt rear CBX rim and spoke assemby to front to get a 110/80-18 tire
24.9 Diameter
4.2 Width
(2.50)2.15-3.00 Recommended Rim Width Range

Yeas: Cheap, retains stock Comstar CBX look, wider rim, wider tire on front, wider contact patch, CBX is lowered by 1/2 inch or so (big difference), specs proven...been done before with 1100f fronts on the CBX

Nays: Above 110x80x18 is 3/10ths of an inch wider and would require half that on each side for clearance. Can a non CBX Comstar rim and spoke be bolted to a CBX Hub?

Rear Statistics/Options
Stock CBX Rear
120/80-18
25.6 Diameter
4.8 Width
(2.75) 2.50-3.00 Recommended Rim Width Range

Options
150/70-17
25.2 Diameter
5.9 Width
(4.00) 3.50-4.50 Recommended Rim Width Range

140/70-18
25.7 Diameter
5.7 Width
(4.00) 3.50-4.50 Recommended Rim Width Range

Issues: Anyone know another Honda that has a 17 pr 18 inch Comstar 4" wide or wider

Yeas: Cheap, retains stock Comstar CBX look, wider rim, up to 1" wider tire on back, wider contact patch, CBX is lowered by 1/2 inch or so (big difference), no more bicycle tire look on the back, specs proven...been done before with 1100f backs on the CBX

Nays: Above 150x70x17 is 1 inch plus wider would require half an inch clearance on each side. Can a non CBX Comstar rim and spoke be bolted to a CBX Hub?

Final option for the rear if non wider Comstars are avail would be send another CBX rear to Kosman and have them widen it to the Max that will fit the stock swingarm

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:30 am

One should not mess with the Comstar rims and try to take them apart and put them together again with a different hub. Just my opinion.
Widest Comstar I know of in a 17 or 18 is the 3.00" gold boomerang rear from the CB1100R. 18" diameter.

Mike Barone #123 · Post by **Mike Barone #123** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 3:09 pm

EMS wrote:One should not mess with the Comstar rims and try to take them apart and put them together again with a different hub. Just my opinion.
Widest Comstar I know of in a 17 or 18 is the 3.00" gold boomerang rear from the CB1100R. 18" diameter.

If 3" is the widest this KOs my entire approach of bolting any wider rear Comstar spoke and rim to a stock CBX hub as the path to a cheap wider rim set for the CBX.

As far as messing with things like this.......you are right........especially given how much of a issue a failure could be for the rider and passenger. Plus in this case the bikes are 30 years old and what is the point really.

On the other hand the spoke is held to the hub on Comstars with a threaded bolt and nut.....and Honda assembled them at the factory the first time without issue.....so it seems to me if there was a wider Comstar rim and the spokes actually would line up and fit the CBX hub...the chance of success would seem to be high......butttt me saying this would certainly doom to failure.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 6:59 pm

Why would you need to bolt a rim to a CBX hub? Unless it is a shaft drive hub, the wheel most likely fits the CBX. The CB1100R wheel does.

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 7:41 pm

I maybe wrong but aren`t some of the comstar bolts or nuts also pinned in place making disasembly close to impossible ?

new shorty · Post by **new shorty** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:28 pm

To the best of my recollection, these bolts are not round, but more like a rounded off triangle.
The best idea that I can come up with right now, is that these bolts and nuts are some kind of a â€œmore than self lockingâ€

Don #6141 · Post by **Don #6141** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:41 pm

EMS wrote:Why would you need to bolt a rim to a CBX hub? Unless it is a shaft drive hub, the wheel most likely fits the CBX

I think that was what he was going for - A 4 inch or wider rim from a Goldwing or such which could be fitted to a CBX hub as a source for a cheap, wide wheel for a CBX . . . . even a 3 inch wheel on the back of a CBX isn't 'big'

Don

Mike Nixon · Post by **Mike Nixon** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:49 am

Interesting thread. The nuts are triangular shaped, taking presumably a special tool used by the orginal manufacturer. I remember however when with American Honda there was some input that in non-U.S. locations comstar wheels did in fact loosen up, necessitating their replacement. I wouldn't mess with them either. A shaky deal in my opinion.

daves79x · Post by **daves79x** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:47 pm

As far as US Honda models with comstars, the best you can do is a front 19"x 2.5 from the Pro-Links, or even better, a 18x2.5 from an '82 Gold Wing. For the rear, you are stuck with the 2.75x18 from the Pro-Link. Kosman (sp) will widen Comstars, but it's pricey.

Dave