Borrani 18" rim repairable ?

[750S3]

Hello
The front wheel of my 1975 750S3 is not running true, it has a bumpy vibration at around 40 mph (and only at that speed).
 I took it to have it balanced and so it is, the mechanic did say that it balances ok but is not running true, the bump is still there. It may be that the rim is dented. The tire seems to be on properly and is not loosing any air.
My question is : is the aluminum rim repairable. Any suggestions?
Many thanks

[lorazepam]

Yes they are repairable. Google motorcycle rim repair. There is a guy on adventure rider that repairs them as well.

[Triple Jim]

Woody's Wheelworks can do it, and in my experience, they have great customer service.  They can also supply a new Borrani rims, but when I talked to them about that, they suggested that unless I have a specific reason to want one, an Excel rim is stronger and made better.

[Moto]

Watch out for new Borrani rims. I ordered a pair and wound up returning them. The heavy duty rims on our 70's are not being made by Borrani. The model numbers differ. I have details about this recorded somewhere.

Moto

[Sheepdog]

+1 for Woody's Wheel Works. They corrected a lateral runout problem on my Vintage's front wheel for $200 (freight included). Highly recommended...

http://www.woodyswheelworks.com/MotorcycleWheelRepair.html

[750S3]

Great thanks for the info. I did find a couple of shops in Toronto that claim they can repair rims.
I'll get in touch and see what they can do.
Thanks again for the responses.

[canuck750]

Are you sure the wobble that only occurs at 40 mph is from the front wheel? It seems strange that a bent rim would only exhibit a wobble at 40 mph, I would think if the rim is bent the wobble would be felt at all speeds.

Many front end wobbles are caused by other sources, including the rear end. 1st check the tire pressure is correct on both wheels.

Simple enough to see if the rim is put of round, tape a wood pointer, a wood skewer works great, the front forks on line with the inside edge of the rim flange and lift the front wheel off the ground, spin the rim, is the rim consistently aligned with the wood pointer? Do this on each side of the rim.

I would check that the steering head nut is torqued down, it requires a narrow wrench to get under the upper triple clamp and adjust the nut.

After checking the front steering head I would check the swing arm pins, spin the big chrome caps off and then check the tightness of each swing arm pin bolts.

Cheers

Jim

[750S3]

So I took the tire to a m/c shop last week, (Snow City Cycle in Toronto) to have it trued and the rim checked and repaired if possible, just got it back and mounted on the bike. Went on a 100kms run on a variety of roads and highways to test it at all speeds, result : no bumps, wonderfully steady and precise in curves, comfortable and happy at high speed. It's all good.




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[PeteS]

Wow, 200 bucks?!! All you need is a dial indicator and a spoke wrench. Maybe a vise or C clamp. I have always laced and straightened my own rims, borrani, akront, cast, whatever. It just takes some patience, skill not so much.

Pete

[canuck750]

Bike looks great Luca, glad to hear you got it sorted out.

Do you notice any ride improvement on the front end with the FAC dampers and progressive springs? just curios if the upgrade is noticeable or not.

[750S3]

Bike looks great Luca, glad to hear you got it sorted out.

Do you notice any ride improvement on the front end with the FAC dampers and progressive springs? just curios if the upgrade is noticeable or not.

Absolutely, As I mentioned the handling at low and as high speed as I am comfortable is accurate and precise. All curves and bends are handled with confidence. I will wrap a zip tie to the forks to see how deeply do they sink, I don't  plan to race or trash but will expect it to be a faithful and reliable long and short ride companion.
A couple more minor annoyances to sort but it wouldn't be a Guzzi without.