Warp 9 or wheeling cycle?

Does anyone have the R wheel set for the X from Warp 9 or Wheeling? I am interested buying from warp 9 because of the price but not sure of the quality. I am sure the rims are fine but what about the rotors and sprocket? How much did you guys spend total after tubes and tires and everything?

I have a YZ 250 for messing around offroad, but I want to take my WR on some adventure rides this spring/summer. I could probably manage with my X tires but, I would feel much better with off road tires for non paved roads.

Just some info on a ride few months back on my X with couple of 600 super sports. As I was riding leisurely through the mountains in Colorado, couple of sport bikes passed me on a straight like I was standing still. I was like well should I play or just hang back? Decided to play and see what my X was capable of. Few miles down the road there they were caught behind by some cars. They saw that I was behind them and they took off and I followed. Lots of tight corners here, I actually had to slow down on some corners so that I didn't run into them. They kept looking back to see if I was still there but I was just having fun riding behind them. Off course they pulled away on the straights though. All in all it was pretty fun

Anyways just a little story, but I appreciate the feed back on the wheels. Thanks!

matt675 -

I've got the Warp 9 R wheels on my X, was planning on making a more detailed post regarding their purchase, my tire choices, installation and subsequent performance (still working on a few things) but since I just saw your post thought I'd let you know where things are at thus far.

I went with the Warp 9 wheels based on their price and that they are drop ins requiring no other parts. I placed a phone order and was told that they'd "Ship in three days." and as soon as they did my CC would be billed. After a little over a week and no notice I gave them a call and was informed they were in the middle of moving their entire operation but they'd go out in a day or two, this was frustrating to me as it would only make sense to have informed me of this when I first place the order (how can you not know you'll be moving your factory in a couple of days). Another couple of weeks and still no wheels or bill. I made yet another call and was prepared to cancel the order, was informed they would be right out.. Finally after just over a month from my first call the wheels showed up.

My Pirelli MT43 rear and MT21 front tire as well as new tubes and rim locks had been ordered/locally purchased the same day or so as the initial wheel order so they were happy to finally have the wheels in company. I got everything together in pretty short order then was hit with the bomb shell that the rear sprocket size I ordered was not on the rear wheel, in fact it was a size that was not even reflected by the Warp 9 web site. Yet again I called Warp 9, they were very surprised by this and offered to expedite the correct size to me as well as include a free spoke wrench kit for my troubles. I wanted to ride so much that as soon as got off the phone with them I drove across the street and picked up a rear sprocket (49 instead of the 47 I ordered). Also during this final conversation I asked about spoke tightening during break in (during the whole wait for the initial order I started hunting down Warp 9 info and came across a tightening schedule they had related to a customer). I was happy to get the same info again from their service rep (that I'd seen online) but found it odd that there was no paper work informing me of this nor had anyone mentioned this on the phone prior to my asking. The replacement sprocket did indeed show up a couple of days later with my fancy spoke wrench kit.

So my Warp 9 wheels bullet list -

- Black rims and hubs, spokes are stainless as "they don't hold color very well due to their alloy composition."

- I'm glad they were honest about this because I really wanted black spokes. Also, due to the rim/hub size these spokes apparently come from a higher end manufacturer.

- The rear wheel has three holes, one for the valve stem and two almost 180 degrees across from the first - the rim lock went in one and a plug in the other. This wheel and tire dropped right in (with my new sprocket on it) with no problems. There was a small lump which I think is a weld near the bead. I was a little concerned when I felt it but the tire has been on for a couple hundred miles now with no issues.

- The front wheel only has two holes, both near each other so the valve stem in one, the rim lock in the other. My understanding is that this makes it easier to change the tube/tire but I don't like the idea of the extra weight all on one side which leads me to..

- The W9 front disc is a tad wider than the factory version so it went in a little snug. My wheel assembly dropped in quite easily but there was a slight rub while rotating. I presumed that this was due to pads with 2k on them and/or the slightly wider disc. Right now when I'm on the tarmac there is a little wobble/bump in the front end. No vibration or shake but an out of round feel. I presumed this was the valve/rim lock proximity (and would be remedied with a balance) but have recently read of the W9 brake rub causing this problem. My next move is to get the bike off the ground and check the rotation of the front wheel and freedom of movement around the disc/pads. I've only got about three hours on the whole new set up (and have followed the spoke tightening schedule finding loose spokes along the way as everything settled in).

- I do like the look of these wheels and the build appears very good.

- The Warp 9 folk were always very pleasant on the phone and the free spoke wrench kit was a nice goodwill move, I just wish they could have been more realistic about the turn around time.

I've not seen the Wheeling wheel set first hand but can tell you I've made a couple of orders for other parts from them and the service has been great (one slight delay on a tank). Forrest (Wheeling owner) has been great to speak with and very responsive to my questions. I may be wrong but am of the understanding their wheel set requires the purchase of some extra front brake parts to make it a complete drop in set up. I hope all this helps!

Don't forget the longer kick stand. I'm living with the short X stand but it's not ideal.

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On a different note, to parallel your ride story - I also live in Colorado and started with an R, my wife decided she wanted one as well.. I found a near mint X for a very good price and decided to convert it. While we were waiting for parts she was using the X for work, she's spent years on a Ducati 750 SS but was quickly falling for the new ride. I took it up and down some great Rocky Mountain twisties (Boulder Canyon, Flagstaff to name a couple) and couldn't believe how much fun the Super Moto vibe could be (now I want one!).

We're setting up for some adventure riding as well this upcoming Spring/Summer/Fall. Colorado's a great place for that sort of fun. Good luck!

matt675 wrote:

Does anyone have the R wheel set for the X from Warp 9 or Wheeling? I am interested buying from warp 9 because of the price but not sure of the quality. I am sure the rims are fine but what about the rotors and sprocket? How much did you guys spend total after tubes and tires and everything?

I have a YZ 250 for messing around offroad, but I want to take my WR on some adventure rides this spring/summer. I could probably manage with my X tires but, I would feel much better with off road tires for non paved roads.

Just some info on a ride few months back on my X with couple of 600 super sports. As I was riding leisurely through the mountains in Colorado, couple of sport bikes passed me on a straight like I was standing still. I was like well should I play or just hang back? Decided to play and see what my X was capable of. Few miles down the road there they were caught behind by some cars. They saw that I was behind them and they took off and I followed. Lots of tight corners here, I actually had to slow down on some corners so that I didn't run into them. They kept looking back to see if I was still there but I was just having fun riding behind them. Off course they pulled away on the straights though. All in all it was pretty fun

Anyways just a little story, but I appreciate the feed back on the wheels. Thanks!

I posted over here about doing just the Warp9 front 21" wheel from the ebay guy for $345 shipped if memory serves. Ordered it Monday the week before Xmas and had to follow up 3 days running to finally get it shipped by the boss himself, but it got here before Xmas.

I found it appears to be good quality and took not very much weight to balance

Lightfoot,
I did not do anything to the front rotor, just dropped the whole set up in. So there in lies the rub (pun intended), I don't know if the pulsing I feel is from the rotor or a byproduct of the wheel/rim lock/tire set up. I really need to just get the front end off the ground and see how it spins (after the first couple hundred miles of riding). I'll try to check this out tomorrow then report back.
Joe
Walsenburg - I love southern Colorado and wish I could spend more time there!

LightFoot wrote:

I posted over here about doing just the Warp9 front 21" wheel from the ebay guy for $345 shipped if memory serves. Ordered it Monday the week before Xmas and had to follow up 3 days running to finally get it shipped by the boss himself, but it got here before Xmas.

https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/t8323-xmas-gifts-for-your-wrr-x-post-em-up

I found it appears to be good quality and took not very much weight to balance - though that can be tire related, too. I went with it because of lower price. I'm liking the wheel a lot.

Some people have said they have a "pulsing" problem with the Warp9 rotor that goes away by scuffing it with a scotchbrite. So I cleaned the rotor very carefully as it looked oily or maybe coated with a preservative and also scrubbed it clean with a scotchbrite and green brake cleaner drying it with a clean dry cloth - before I installed the wheel. No pulsing yet though only a few hundred miles so far.

I've read that Wheeling Cycle's wheels are made from premium top shelf expensive components and people like them. I've not seen them myself but have been treated very well by Wheeling for other products over the past 2 years. I found Wheeling to be very friendly folks and they always shipped my stuff super fast. I'd have bought the wheel from them but again, needed to do it low buck.

sanluissound, did you do anything special with the Warp9 front rotor or it just wasn't a problem?

Micke S.
outside Walsenburg

Hi, Joe.

If it is pulsing that only happens when you apply the front brake you might try scotchbriting and cleaning the front rotor. One guy in here said that he didn't even do that; just did a few fairly hard stops from highway speed and it was gone.

If it is shaking all the time: I use a Marc Parnes wheel balancer these days as I started getting some really out of balance knobbies.

Hey guys thanks a lot for the info on warp 9 wheel set. Seems like you guys are pretty happy with the purchase, minus some balancing and the minor front rotor issues.

I didn't know I had to tighten the spokes as I went along, good to know.

sanluissound - Its pretty cool that you ride with your wife. Sumo's are pretty fun to ride around town and in the mountains and light off road stuff (actually its fine as long as its not too muddy or sandy) I take mine off road all the time. They are just so light and nimble and so versatile, its a great fun little bike. I do miss highway speeds though. I am considering a R6 or triumph thruxton for smoother higher speed riding, I am not sure yet. I guess it depends on how much money I have. Where do you live in the rockies? Maybe I could tag along if you guys go for a short adventure ride.

Lightfoot - I appreciate the front rotor info about using scotchbrite. I will do that to mine when I get a set.

Spokes-

The spoke check routine from Warp 9 is - ride 45 minutes then check spokes, tension any that are loose then ride a half hour or so, recheck and tension as needed. One more half hour interval is recommended with periodic checks a good part of your maintenance routine.

When I first installed the wheels I checked the spokes and all were snug, after my 45 minute break in there were clearly loose spokes. I snugged them up and put another half hour or so on. There were a few more lose spokes on each wheel - now all seem fine.

This methodology was corroborated by a local bike mechanic I trust. He said skip the torque wrench and use common sense. All new wheels sets have some breaking in to do - there is some "settling" as he put it. So far I don't see any run out and the wheels sets feel snug.


The balancing issue -

So, I got the bike off the ground last night and spun the front wheel (this is the first time I've done this since the install, after about 120 miles or so) and while there was a slight rubbing in the pads/disc region it was minor and certainly would not be contributing to the out of round/balance sensation I get on tarmac. I did give the disc a little cleaning with a denim rag and carb spray (please don't laugh) just to see how much residue there was - a little but nothing gratuitous.

Today I will break the front axle pinch bolts and axle loose then torque back up. There is a possibilty I didn't properly release the pinch bolts on one side when I was first installing the axle, this could result in a slightly out of true fork alignment giving me the odd feel on the road.

All that being said, I doubt I screwed up the Warp 9 install and feel it's most probably a wheel balance issue. There are only four spokes between the valve stem and rim lock, I've a heavy duty tube and who knows where the low weight spot is on my new tire - I think this is a balance issue. I'm leaning (no pun intended) towards the Marc Parnes balancer (thanks LightFoot), it just makes sense to have because I plan on putting one zillion miles on the bike this year. I'm also thinking that tapping a new hole across the rim from the valve stem would be a better place for the rim lock (and then to still be balanced). I will call Warp 9 today to get their thoughts.


Location, location, location -

I'm in Broomfield on the west side. I can get into the foothills in about 15 minutes and can hit dirt roads in the mountains in about 30. Until weather prevented it I was running up above Boulder into the Indian Peaks Wilderness for my off road fun. This upcoming year I'm planning on as much back country/Colorado Mtn madness as I can manage!


LightFoot - Up until recently we owned a few acres in the northern San Luis Valley. I've been traipsing around that neck of the woods for the last 20 years. Camping, hiking, climbing, etc. I love it down there and though I miss the snow it's pretty nice that the valley is part of the banana belt. I've been rock climbing in a t-shirt in December with not another soul in sight - there's a lot of hidden magic down there. It was only about four years ago that I finally made it to the other side of the Sangre's and was blown away by the Wet Mountain area - the Westcliffe area is really nice! The precip is night and day over the Sangre De Cristos with the valley so dry and your area so, well, wet. I will definitely plan some rides into that area this year.

matt675 - Yes it is great that my wife and I ride together - though after her first off road ride she said "We need helmet comm so we can talk while we're riding!"
I only just got back into off road riding the middle of this last summer. This is just the beginning for my wife though she has 20 or so years of street experience. We are gearing up for some adventure riding together this year with the focus of being off road as much as possible. I agree with you about highway speeds and prefer a proper street bike for that task (I think we'll sell her Ducati this year and get something newer). I share your desire for the Thruxton, that's a great looking bike! PM me and we'll talk about some rides together - sounds like a lot of fun!

Joe

Hi again, Joe.

Thank you for the spoke maintenance info; I'll check 'em tomorrow.

just my 2 cents, but I went with warp 9 wheels and went through 3 front rotors they just didnt work for me, however, I went opposite and have an r and went with x tire/wheels, the pulsating really sucked when hitting the front brake, no problem with the rear at all I just couldn't take the front, I ordered my stuff through motoxindustries.com Jim the owner has the absolute most amazing customer service I have every dealt with. He is now just buying me a all new stock rotor so that I have one for my r set of tires/wheels since we couldn't get the front warp 9 rotor to work after 3 different tries. He answers every email, he shipped and shipped back all those rotors offered to pay to balance the wheel if I was not satisfied with the ride, like I said amazing customer service.
I have been more than pleased with my warp 9 purchase, I have had an ex supercross mechanic tighten the spokes for me and give the once over on mine and said they are a really great wheel, he never had problems with them on his racer's bikes.

Just read a thread in SMJ about the pulsing problem.

A guy from Motostano posts in saying he thinks it's from used pads on new rotor; pads bedded to a different rotor.

I found that to be exactly accurate in my case. ymmv

edit; superfluous text removed

dammit, gettin' too long winded. fixed

rotor research removed; the warp9 rotor is fine

jeebuz, musta' been crocked posting so danged much!

more alternate rotor research removed. again, w9 rotor is just fine if new pads are used and properly bedded.

To be clear - my front end issue is not brake related, at this point I'm quite positive it's a balance issue (more on balancing below). I'm not getting any pulsing or vibration when braking with the front - There was a little softness when I first dropped the new wheel set in, probably due to the light residue we've noticed on the Warp 9 discs and the fact that my pads had to re seat to the new rotor.

When I was researching the Wheeling vs Warp 9 wheels for X to R conversion one of the things I liked about the W9 set up was the retention of the larger rotor from the X (LightFoot - I think many folks purchasing the Wheelings end up with that DR set up you found). My bike is set up as an adventure riding machine - oversized tank, saddle/tank bags, etc. My feeling is that the bigger rotor will help with all of that in mind.

I have not even priced new pads but since I've only put about 130 miles on the new wheels and the bike had about 2k before that I may drop new ones in front and rear just to be safe. If things do get bad (hopefully there will be signs of trouble before a catastrophic failure!) I'd consider something like this

http://www.galferusa.com/brake-rotors-off-road-mx-motorcycles/

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I had a nice conversation with Rob at Warp 9 last week. Without a doubt he knows my front end problem is an issue of balance. He said I'd never get enough weight on the opposite side of the wheel to balance out the rim lock. I offered the idea of adding another hole directly across to add a second lock and he said that's what most of their customers do. He was quite comfortable with me using a hand drill to tap my own hole with a 3/8 bit. If I go this route then I might as well add a second lock to the rear wheel (a third hole is already provided). If I go this route I'll be pretty bomb proof in the event of a flat because two locks are not going to let a tire get off the rim very easily (if at all). Of course I can remove the front rim lock all together and probably have just a minor balancing to perform rendering a smooth ride up front and less weight, as well as easier tire changes. Sigh.. need to think through my options.

I also asked about the front rotors and was told Warp 9 was having no major issues with failure. I was also told they're made for W9 by another company.

r6realtor - Thanks for the motoxindustries link. They don't seem to have a very big product line and everything they carry I've seen elsewhere but that sort of customer service is so important to me. I'll definitely give them a call when the need arises!

LightFoot - Re your earlier query about spoke tensioning. Yes, the ringing note is a good place to start - if you tap it and it sounds dead or dull then it probably needs a little tweaking. But there are enough variables in this approach that I'm not sure it's for everyone. I've been a musician/recording engineer for about thirty years and have tuned a lot of different instruments, especially a lot of drums. I've rarely concern myself with the pitch and get them %99 dialed in by feel - that's what I do with spokes. Just work my way around the rim with the correct size spoke wrench and feel where the tension is off. I think this is the best, simplest approach for most who want to maintain their own wheels. Of course if money is no object a trained mechanic with the right tools is always very nice!

Up into the 50's here by weeks end. I'll try to get somewhere with the front wheel (and maybe rear) as far as my balancing issue goes then will test ride and report back.

Joe

Hi, Joe.

Valuable input there.

Glad to hear your front brake rotor is working well.

I was gonna dial indicate w9 rotor runout, but since it's working great, screw it.

Lightfoot - sounds like you are having a lot of rotor issues. I am not sure but how much trouble would it be to remove the stock X rotor and mount it to a Warp 9 hub? Are they the same hub? would the bolt patterns line up?

nope; since installing new EBC sintered HH pads and bedding properly, no problems. Nada.

Oh okay, yeah i guess that would of been too easy! :)

I wonder if the front hub is the same from Wheeling Cycle? If it is, maybe I will buy the front wheel from Wheeling and use the stock front rotor and just buy the real wheel from Warp 9.

I guess I will find out.

I'm not sure on that. Someone with the Wheeling Cycle setup will hopefully post in.

Surprised the thread has not yet been moved to the Wheels, Brakes 'n Stuff section over in Technical area...

Yeah, me too.

After speaking with my local mechanic and conferring with Warp 9 I'm going to skip the extra rim lock (so just one on each wheel) and focus on balancing. From some intel I've gathered on this forum the low weight locks I'm using should balance without too much weight. I don't like the idea of being stuck on the trail side with a flat and two rim locks to deal with. (though to play devils advocate - you can ride on a dead flat with two rim locks.. probably ride a good distance if you were careful)

I took a ride up into the mountains last weekend, first tarmac then dirt. Magnolia Rd. is purported to be the steepest paved road along the front range of Colorado.. in any event it's steep! I road up beyond pavement passed where it turns into dirt and further back in the sticks to pick up a trail I like (this was to be my wife's first ride over terrain rougher than a dirt road - unfortunately there was too much snow). On the ride back down I knew where all the ice and gravel patches were so felt comfortable pushing pretty hard. I had no brake vibration or pulsing but felt like my stopping power was not optimum. So with that experience behind me I'll be following LightFoot's advice and will install new pads to properly seat with the new W9 rotors. I will also clean the rotors with Scoth Brite/brake cleaner as well as change my fluid (my mechanic insisted).

Next up the DIY balancer..

Joe