1974 XS/TX650 rebuild

[Rikk]

I've ordered some stainless spokes, should be here this week. Can only get front spokes at the moment for some reason, seems to be a shortage on rears. As soon as they arrive I'll repolish the hub and rims and spoke it up.

Have you checked with Buchanan? They can usually make spokes for anything they don't stock them for.
Buchanan Spokes - Spokes Category

[th62]

Front spokes arrived from Geoff's this afternoon, so I laced up the wheel. The spokes for the rear wheel are coming from Heiden Tuning, so they probably won't be here for a while. Much better looking than the mags I think.

[Frank S]

Spoke wheels rule on a bike .but on a car unless it was vintage 1930s not so much

[IntheGroove]

My '67 MGB would not look right without wire wheels...

[Frank S]

My '67 MGB would not look right without wire wheels...

Admittedly there were exceptions, just like the old Kreger 5 spoke mag wheels on a select few cars they looked good on others they just looked ridiculous.
I saw an Excalibur kit car that almost looked good with the 26" rims but 22s with a little more sidewall would have looked a lot better. 19" wire spokes and white walls may have made it pop.
A lot depends on the body lines of the car. When it comes to bikes I've seen 1 or 2 with a 16" solid disk rear really set the bikes above the bar, however both sported 21 or 23" fronts on spokes. 18s in the rear and 19s in front for heavy cruisers possibly a 21.

[th62]

Just watch who you get your spokes from. The thread on the spokes I bought is longer than stock spokes, so when trued there is about 3mm of thread visible between nipple and hub. Probably wouldn't bother most, but I'm not most! If you blow up the picture you'll see what I mean, the dull grey ones are stock. Not happy, I complained to the seller, GeoffsXS , he now says he wont deal with me and sent me a number of abusive texts and emails. Not that I need him, there are a plethora of XS accessory shops around.

[IntheGroove]

You are correct that that is unacceptable. I will not do business with GeoffsXF if I ever need spokes...

[th62]

Spokes arrived from Heidens this afternoon, so laced up the rear wheel. What a difference, no exposed thread on any spokes.

[th62]

Some progress shots. Looks much better with spoked wheels. I've taken the carbs off as one diaphragm has been holed, so, I'm tossing up between VM round slides or fixing the BS38 carbs. Not real keen on vacuum carbs, so leaning toward the VM round slides. Damned expensive though at $600. It's come a long way from such a humble beginning.

[asterix]

Changing the diaphragm on the carb that you already have put time and effort is the way to go. The money saved will surely be used for completing the project. Spoked wheels are definitively the way to go. Nice job !