NX250 wheel swap

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scrambler
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NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von scrambler »

The 16/19’’ wheels are fine for low seat height but the tire selection, especially for off road use is very limited. For that reason larger wheels are a common tune-up. But one should consider that the NX has a very short wheel base and only 87mm front wheel trail (something no other bike except maybe scooters got). That's why the NX is extremely handy, but if you lower the front or heighten the rear, the NX will become unstable at higher speed. No fun, really - the handlebar sometimes shakes so badly that it’s hard to control. That’s why I always try to maintain the original balance.


Front wheel alternatives

The 240mm brake disc of the NX250 is Honda’s offroad standard, so potentially, many Honda 21'' wheels may be adapted. The front wheels of the XL350R / XL600R will fit plug and play. The XR250/400/600 hubs (not XR650L which got an NX650 hub) are identical, but the axle diameter is larger. So with NX250 bearings, seals and collar a XR wheel should also fit.

The front wheels of XL600LM, XL600RM and NX650 will not fit plug and play because they got a different hub für 256mm brake rotors.

With an 21'' front wheel the speedo will read a bit too less (about 5%), but since with an 19'' wheel it reads too much (also around 5%) it is no necessary to swap the speedo drive too.

Rear wheel alternatives

There is only one rear 17‘‘wheel that will fit plug and play: the 84-87 XL250R and XL350R wheel http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/h ... 0-000.html , but you should use the NX250 cushdrive and brake panel http://advrider.com/index.php?threa...a ... st-8142712 . Earlier XL250, XL600R or XR600 have different hubs and won't fit. XL600R rear wheels fit with modifications with XL600R cush drive and brake panel viewtopic.php?t=2024.

And something else: make sure that the brake drum is ok - most got little cracks http://forum.nx250.de/download/file.php ... &mode=view which lead to deceleration near nil (same applies to the NX drums).

Since the XL250R rim is somewhat too narrow anyway (2.15-17) for a 120/90-17 the wider XL600r (or other DID rims with 36 spokes) rim (2.50-17) can be laced to the NX250 hub. The spokes are custom made (stainless steel), because there are no OEM spokes that will fit. But any wheel builder can do the job and usually the custom spokes are cheaper than OEM.

The XL250 degree however has an even better solution with 18/21’’ wheels.

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There are lots of KTM or XL (the old xl250/500s) 18'' DID rims on Ebay, which may be fitted with new spokes (36) to the NX hub. I actually like the 18” with a 110/80 - 18 better than a 120/90-17 or 130/80-17 (somewhat smaller diameter and better in terms of weight and handling). The bike to the right got a 110/80-18, to the left a 120/90-17.

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On my 2016 project “KTN(-ixie)II I used a XL600R front wheel and a KTM DID 2.50-18 rim on a NX250 Hub.

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With a larger rear wheel the already a bit too long secondary transmission should be shortened. The easeit way is to use a 12th front sprocket - just make sure to get the ones from the CRF250L (JTF1321-12 http://forum.nx250.de/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=377
. A rear sprocket with 45 teeth would also work, but then you need a chain with two more links.

Since the Bridgestone AX41 has been around, this is my favorite combination - 16'' at the back and 21'' at the front
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Petrus
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

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Great information, as usual!

I was looking for a 17’ rear wheel and found nothing here so I decided to buy the expensive Continental TrailWing. A few days later found a rear wheel (and tire) from a XL 350 for the same price! Grrrrrr :evil: :evil: :evil:

So, imho, it depends how much you want to spend with your NX and what are you going to do with the bike: If you plan to do some more off-road use... change both wheels is the way but now you have to change front mudguard and so on.... :oops:

If your bike is just a commuter and you are on low budget (like me) update rear and front suspension, buy the expensive tires from Continental, Pirelli… and just enjoy your little thumper. :mrgreen:
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Yongüein
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von Yongüein »

First of all, hats off! for the amazing works and transformations you make, Scrambler66. They are simply eye popping.

That KTM style Nixie is stunnigly gorgeous

And in a more personal issue, that perhaps should have been stated in first term, I wish publicly to thank you for all the tips, information, good advices, offerings and warnings you have given me trough private channel.

And now back to bussines:

I am running around the idea of swapping wheels. It is a shame the short range of more oriented off road tires available for NX's wheels. No big problem for the 19" front rim but the 16" rear is a real pain in the ass.

Based in Spain as I am, is almost imposible to find the direct fits of XL250R and XL350R rear sets of rim, spokes and break drum so I am forced to comb the internet for pieces and information (Danke, Michael, noch ein mal). It also will be hard to find around my place and old school wheel builder to make any investigation for me. I guess they will want all the work pre done for them and to have all the needed spares produced by me.

I can afford to buy a complete wheel from XL250R as they abound in the web and they are a direct fit, just a plug and play matter. The things that make me doubt is that I have been warned about the posibility of rust or corrosión in the inner side of the brake drum that would reduce considerably the effectivity of the rear brakes.

Imagine I buy a complete rear wheel set from a XL250R and the inner side of the brake drum is in bad shape.

And now my question is: could I use these old rim and spokes, discard the defective XL250R break drum, and use the original NX rear hub (I already have a spare) with the XL250 rim and spokes?

In this case I could take all to a wheel builder to mount the whole set and the problem would be solved.
Zuletzt geändert von Yongüein am Fr Jan 05, 2018 11:22 pm, insgesamt 1-mal geändert.
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scrambler
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von scrambler »

Yongüein hat geschrieben: Sa Dez 30, 2017 2:44 pm First of all, hats off! for the amazing works and transformations you make, Scrambler66. They are simply eye popping.

That KTM style Nixie is stunnigly gorgeous

And in a more personal issue, that perhaps should have been stated in first term, I wish publicly to thank you for all the tips, information, good advices, offerings and warnings you have given me trough private channel.
you are welcome :) . Its always nice to get appreciation.
Yongüein hat geschrieben: Sa Dez 30, 2017 2:44 pm Imagine I buy a complete rear wheel set from a XR250R and the inner side of the brake drum is in bad shape. And now my question is: could I use these old rim and spokes, discard the defective XR250R break drum, and use the original NX rear hub (I already have a spare) with the XR250 rim and spokes? In this case I could take all to a wheel builder to mount the whole set and the problem would be solved.
First of all - we are talking about XL250R /XL350R - the XR250 wheels are different (no cush drive and only 32 spokes as far as I know)

Your plan should theoretically work - since XL250/350 and NX250 hubs are identical, the XL spokes and rim should fit. But its very tough to loosen old, corroded spokes - I've tried this a couple of times and failed. But maybe you got more luck ;)

But, as said, I can keep my eyes open - maybe I'll find an affordable and usable wheel.
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Yongüein
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von Yongüein »

Is this set worth to have a look at?:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-XL250R-1 ... HO&vxp=mtr
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scrambler
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von scrambler »

Yongüein hat geschrieben: Di Jan 02, 2018 11:25 pm https://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-XL250R-1 ... HO&vxp=mtr
I thought of that rims too - but the problem is, that you won't get them legalized in Germany. So I never tried them and can't say anything about the quality.
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Yongüein
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von Yongüein »

scrambler hat geschrieben: Mi Jan 03, 2018 7:22 am
Yongüein hat geschrieben: Di Jan 02, 2018 11:25 pm https://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-XL250R-1 ... HO&vxp=mtr
I thought of that rims too - but the problem is, that you won't get them legalized in Germany. So I never tried them and can't say anything about the quality.
That would not be a problem here while on the road. Given the fact that 21" / 17" set will not be legal from the very start no road policeman will check the country oforigin of the rims. Here you only need to have a Street legal set for every two years ITV (TÜV)
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Yongüein
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von Yongüein »

I am beggining to check japanese auction pages and the XL250R rear rims seem to be slightly diferent an the model reference is MD 03 instead of MD 11

Here an example:

https://www.jauce.com/auction/l397206291
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scrambler
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von scrambler »

Yongüein hat geschrieben: Mi Jan 03, 2018 10:50 pm I am beggining to check japanese auction pages and the XL250R rear rims seem to be slightly diferent an the model reference is MD 03 instead of MD 11

Here an example:

https://www.jauce.com/auction/l397206291
Yes, very early XL250 got different hubs and spokes and I guess the rims are also drilled differently. Its best to look at the pics - the later Xl hubs look exactly like the NX250 hubs.

If your authorities don't care about rims maybe the stuff from taiwan might be an option. You could buy a XL600r https://www.ebay.com/itm/LG3843-HONDA-X ... Sw8gVYAGf~ set (and re-sell the front rim) and I can try to get another set of stainless steel spokes (about 80€) - but I don't know if the taiwan stuff is really 100% identical to the OEM XL600R rims.
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Re: NX250 wheel swap

Beitrag von Yongüein »

Hello, it has been a while since my last post.


Finally I made the rear wheel swap to a 17" and very happy whith the result. I mounted an XL rim with custom spokes provided by Scrambler66. Thanks, Michael, it has been a great deal for my and feel very grateful.


I also fitted a Pirelli MT21 what it looks to me a full knobby tire, as I am a complete novice to realoff road tyres, and it display goreous on the bike. On road its preformance is great and I have not noticed any strange feeling like bouncing poor grip or vibrations of any kind at high speed so far. Off road the main advantage I think is psicological as I am a very calm rider but I am pretty sure they have already save me from some unnotices mistakes I surely must have commited. Besides I still have the ordinary OEM semy knobby and have neither reduced pressures so I never try to find my or her limits.


I must say this modification is not Street legal here and I keep the factory set up to pass the compulsory bianual inspection
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