TOPIC:

I'm considering getting my rear wheel widened. I would like the wheel to accept a 165mm tire.
Looking how the wheel sits in the swing arm I noticed its offset. So my question when getting the wheel widened should I have it widened more to one side to compensate for the offset?

I'm considering getting my rear wheel widened. I would like the wheel to accept a 165mm tire.
Looking how the wheel sits in the swing arm I noticed its offset. So my question when getting the wheel widened should I have it widened more to one side to compensate for the offset?

The wheel isn't off-set Kenny. Just appears that way due to the larger fabricated drive-shaft tube relative to the left side of the swing-arm which is forged. "Off-setting" as you indicate will put the front and rear wheel on separate tracks which will likely give you some horrible handling issues - especially on "crowned" and other uneven surfaces. Not to mention the expense of the endeavour. The other concern is being able to get the wheel on and off. A "150" which I've been running on for many years can be re & re'd easily. A wider tire (and/or rim, may not fit between the differential and the left side of the swing-arm !
Then there's the technical concerns.
I "Googled" the topic and there's more to widening a rim then simply cutting and welding! Research this thoroughly !

The first thing is relatively simple - a notched swing arm. It can only go so far, as issues with needing to move a wide tire towards center will happen, so further fabrication might end up with having an offset and needing to move the brake caliper and using spacers. And you still end up with some offset, which is fine if not to much (1/4 - 1/2 inch) - you wouldn't know the difference and it wouldn't affect riding (speaking from experience).

This 'borrowed' photo is not KZ1300 but another bike. Behind the scenes it's all similar.

Other things are bracing the swing arm for added stability (visible in the photo), extending it (might require extending the drive shaft), installing an aftermarket wheel of different size which might require shimming.

With stock or notched swing arm, to change a tire might require installing it with no air in it and removing the final drive.

I'm no fool, I know it's not that simple to just widen the wheel and VOILA! Right now I'm just researching the topic. Well that's good to know that the rear wheel can be of off set max 1/2 a inch without issue.

I do recall there was a guy a while back selling a 180mm wide kz1300 rear wheel on Ebay. I spoke to him on the phone and he claimed there were no clearance issues?

So how wide can I go without major modifications to the stock swing arm?

Please don't treat what I said as coming from authority, haha A dealership would ask you to sign a paper that you accept full responsibility against their advice not to do that. I am talking from personal choice and experience, following what a few who I consider a 'pro' told me. They implement this and personally told me they comfortably have ridden thousands of miles with even more offset without adverse effects on other than KZ1300 bike. A KZ1300 would not be different from my observation.

From my research, 180 is right there on the edge. I want a radial, so there is a limited availability for those in the desired geometry. I gave up on 180 for two reasons - it wild affect speed reading too much, plus too wide. I am talking a swing arm WITH a NOTCH. Without, I'd say 150 is top and I also didn't choose that because of implications. I chose 140 and that's how far I will go.

With a notch, I narrowed my choice to Continental Conti Motion Sport Touring Radial Rear Tire - 170/60ZR-17. When I get the swing arm things sorted out, that includes getting a new one and notching, this will be it as far as it goes for wide tires for me with the cheapest mod available - a notch on the swing arm. You can't keep on ding it on the shaft side! The other side as well. That's why there is a limit and wheels need spacers and become offset.

In my particular example, I have a Vmax 1200 - my daily crazy machine with V-boost (at 6000 rpm's you get two carburetors supply one cylinder instead of normal one-to-one). Stock rear is 150, now I am running 180 without notching the swing arm. That's how far it can go. KZ1300 seems to have room to about the same, but by observation and all taking into the equation, I want go higher than 170 and that one particular tire. It has good reviews as well.

That's me and what I chose! LOL

Cheers!

So what I'm gathering is that I can go 165mm and may have to do some grinding to the inside of the swing arm ? If any? And that I can go over about 1/2 offset without major issue?