Tyres, Brakes and Suspension » Replacement Front Wheel - Options?

My front wheel got buckled a few years back whilst riding around Scotland, the tyre wasn't damaged and it still maintained pressure. The buckle caused an oscillation in the bars, but at the next tyre change they were able to balance the wheel effectively enough to remove the oscillation.

Last winter I sent the the wheel to Motoliners in Maidstone. They were able to take out the worst of the buckle but not all of it, they wouldn't push it any further as they'd reach the limit of what the metal could bear without fatiguing it. But when I got it back at legal UK motorway speeds (70mph) and with no luggage the improvement was so good it felt smooth, but this is comparative to a year with a buckle. This summer I did a lot of riding in Germany including the autobahn, with both panniers loaded and a camping gear on the pillion seat.

At high speeds 85mph+ the bike wasn't smooth, there was a hammering feeling in the bike. And now I've experienced those few times I'm noticing it during other riding situations. I'm not sure it is the front wheel, but it is so close to the feeling you get with a very slight warped brake disc (not that I feel anything under braking) that it makes me want to replace the front wheel.

I've replaced the rear shock and the drive shaft got done (for free), the wheel bearing were new after the straightening took place (all before the Germany trip), the rest of the bike has done nearly 60,000miles. I'm going to get the forks serviced this winter and at that point look at the headstock bearings too.

However I also thought I'd look to see if there were any second-hand front wheels, but just like when I looked last winter, there are a few out there but all have crash damage evident on them or are stated as being buckled already.

Apart from super expensive carbon rims, has anyone found a source of replacement wheels. I'm looking to replace rear as well as the coating has bubbled in numerous places and in one place has come off and the alloy under it is now turning powder white :-( I ride during the winter in the UK and the rear has been subjected to salt, so no surprise.

I intend to ask a BMW dealer if new ones are still available (so I don't yet know the cost if they are), but would prefer an alternative - but if available this currently maybe my best option.

I did find these tubeless Kineo Spoked Wheels that claim to fit, they look great as a wheel but they may look totally wrong on the RS and at nearly £2,300 for the set that's too much of a risk

Anyone any other alternatives?
Cheers. Jason

In the US your wheels are still available at $2,850 US for the set.
The Option 719 wheels are available for $2,280 US for the set.
As far as I know, the light weight BMW forged wheel option is not available for the R1200/1250RS.

This is what the optional 6" forged wheel looks like for the K1300S.
Forged wheel.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

..... As far as I know, the light weight BMW forged wheel option is not available for the R1200/1250RS ......

I'm not sure it matters but I was able to get the forged wheels on my 22 RS. They also have some machining on them. It cost 1000 extra but i'm sure the set would be spendy if bought separately. They should be at least somewhat stronger and i've heard lighter. CO has some rough roads I sleep a little better with those and the GT's tires ...
I had no idea the wheels were that spendy. When he was describing them being straightened i thought why not just replace it. wow they are expensive ....
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Zitat von paleolithictech im Beitrag #3

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..... As far as I know, the light weight BMW forged wheel option is not available for the R1200/1250RS ......

I'm not sure it matters but I was able to get the forged wheels on my 22 RS. They also have some machining on them. It cost 1000 extra but i'm sure the set would be spendy if bought separately. They should be at least somewhat stronger and i've heard lighter. CO has some rough roads I sleep a little better with those and the GT's tires ...
I had no idea the wheels were that spendy. When he was describing them being straightened i thought why not just replace it. wow they are expensive ....
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I have to disagree, my wheels are forged and it was a separate option from 719 options. i remember it well because it cost 1000 or 1200 on its own. Big Rock Moto got forged wheels on his 1300 GS. He said they were quite a bit lighter than the spoke wheels and made more sense to him .... I spent at least 3000 on the 719 options and the forged wheels .... and I got the tire and wheel insurance too ....
On my air head I had sun rims laced up to Woody's Wheel Works true spoke stainless job. It made a new bike out of it, noticeably more solid .... And recently I had them lace a new front brake drum as the old one was throbbing real bad .... wheels are a big deal in the mountains, it is real easy to trash the stock bmw wheels as they are very soft and really hard to straighten ...

Zitat von paleolithictech im Beitrag #5

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my wheels are forged and it was a separate option from 719 options

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You right Lee, that 1200 dollar option is just for gussied up cast wheels. I'm not sure where or why I had the idea they were forged. I knew I paid a lot of extra money for wheels and must have just assumed they were forged. Apparently they don't think the R or RS needs forged wheels. Maybe due to the lighter weight. Although according to big rock moto they do make some for the GS probably with the 19" front.
Well this thread is a case for forged wheels for the RS as at least one guy has trashed his. I know all to well what that is like and if I could have got forged wheels I would have. I need to check through my paper work still just to see for sure what i bought ....
The 79 r100 that I had briefly came with a trashed front wheel, one of those honey comb looking ones and I had Woody Works build a spoke wheel for it. it cost about 700 at the time as they had to get a different hub and all that. And I dinged the stock wheel on my /5 and had the stainless spoke sun rim job done for that as I mentioned before .... might be able to get an after market set on discount as the RS gets older .... wow

Zitat von paleolithictech im Beitrag #7

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You right Lee, that 1200 dollar option is just for gussied up cast wheels. I'm not sure where or why I had the idea they were forged. I knew I paid a lot of extra money for wheels and must have just assumed they were forged. Apparently they don't think the R or RS needs forged wheels. Maybe due to the lighter weight. Although according to big rock moto they do make some for the GS probably with the 19" front.
Well this thread is a case for forged wheels for the RS as at least one guy has trashed his. I know all to well what that is like and if I could have got forged wheels I would have. I need to check through my paper work still just to see for sure what i bought ....
The 79 r100 that I had briefly came with a trashed front wheel, one of those honey comb looking ones and I had Woody Works build a spoke wheel for it. it cost about 700 at the time as they had to get a different hub and all that. And I dinged the stock wheel on my /5 and had the stainless spoke sun rim job done for that as I mentioned before .... might be able to get an after market set on discount as the RS gets older .... wow

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Zitat von paleolithictech im Beitrag #7

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Apparently they don't think the R or RS needs forged wheels.

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So after studying this more, as too the forged versus cast, it is complicated but I came to the realization that the forged wheels for the bmw S series are lighter and perform better handling wise but will probably bend in hard hits just the same. Where as the ones built for the big touring bikes are probably stronger but not lighter than cast... I'm guessing ... There are also different types of forged wheels but most tend to be for being light and maybe just as strong as the cast or stock. Some more info would help. I almost wonder if the cast wheels being heavier are stronger than the lighter better handling forged wheels. its kind of similar to the carbon wheels which seem to be great but just one deep scratch and they are no longer trust worthy. I went thru all this with bicycle wheels. I have some of the first enve carbon wheels for mountain bikes that came out and I never used them in the dirt. I still have them but I am running high end AL wheels as they are far more practical and more durable and easier to fix to get home, and just as good for the most part. That is a whole nother matter .....
I went thru a few of the old threads from this site and I'm pretty sure that in some of the wheel damage photos forged wheels would have also bent from those hits likely. imo. And I seen a thread from 2019 where another fellow claimed that the 719 wheels on the new 1250 were forged but I don't know if that was true .... And it prolly doesn't matter too much anyway.... 1200 bucks is chicken feed when it come to wheels ... the forged are likely just too spendy in most cases especially if you ding one and need to replace it as i'm pretty sure they are just as likely to be damaged imo ....

Contacted a Dealer in the UK and a like for like replacement comes out at £795 (inc VAT) and I found a place on-line selling same original new BMW wheels for the same price bar loose change.

I need to give this some more thought - figure out if the time I spend at speed and don't want to feel mildly uncomfortable is worth £795 + say another £150 for bolt disks and bearings... Hmmm.

Jason.

Wouldn't surprise me if nobody ever bought them because they are so f***ing expensive, but BMW think they are just an unpopular option so dropped them from the catalogue.