Would a lighter wheel make much difference???!

Depends what you're looking for. Lightening a spinning load such as a wheel certainly helps handling alot, and obviously shaves lbs off your bike. I'm just not sure if there's a big diff between your deltas and an aluminium wheel.

I had virtually no loss in power and I think I might have even gained a little more top speed when I went from 24" to the 27" tires. Don't know if that was due to the very light tire and wheel combo or the low gearing and excellent torque in the 400. Got to believe the weight made some difference. Those SS wheels are much lighter than the steel.

You gained top speed because you increased the perimeter size of your tire but the tires still spin at the same speed as before. Therefore you are covering more real estate per rotation.

QUOTE ("jjn56":2rudl36z)

You gained top speed because you increased the perimeter size of your tire but the tires still spin at the same speed as before. Therefore you are covering more real estate per rotation.

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I know I gained top end speed because of the larger tire diameter resulting in a taller overall final gearing. The point I was trying to make is that a very heavy or agressive tire and wheel can limit the ability of the bike to increase or even maintain its top speed without adding performance or gearing mods. I didn't notice any significant power loss with the light weight tires and wheels I installed. I'm pretty sure I would have noticed a difference if I had gone with Outlaws and steel wheels for example.

Your right, a heavier tire could definitely keep you from getting to top speed as fast as before but I would think that you would still eventually hit your rev limiter and at that point your engine and wheels would be reving/spining as fast no matter what tire is on it. You could have a hard time maintaining top speed depending on the amount of drag/weight the tires put on the machine though. I still have stocks so I guess I really can't say. Sounds good in theory.

Ride Red

Is there a rev limiter on all the Honda bikes? Does it start cutting power to the engine like those on cars and trucks? My bike really screams when I run it wide open at just over 45 mph. I thought that the only thing limiting the revs was the gearing on the bike.

as far as i know there is a rev limiter on all honda bikes but it takes a long time to hit it at top speed, if you pinned it in neutral or in one of the lower gears you would definetly hit the limiter.

QUOTE ("jjn56":275asihq)

Your right, a heavier tire could definitely keep you from getting to top speed as fast as before but I would think that you would still eventually hit your rev limiter and at that point your engine and wheels would be reving/spining as fast no matter what tire is on it. You could have a hard time maintaining top speed depending on the amount of drag/weight the tires put on the machine though. I still have stocks so I guess I really can't say. Sounds good in theory.

Ride Red

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the bigger the tire you put on the slower it will turn compared to your engine rpm, but will be going faster because the tire will be covering more ground due to a larger tire circumfrence.

With factory tires I hit the rev limiter at 59mph goin down a long hill

How do you know when you hit the rev limiter? What does the bike do? I'd need a 100 mph tail wind and a 70 degree hill to get 59 mph out of my 400.

I also hit the rev limiter at about 59-60mph but I have to be on a flat to slightly downhill surface. I just sounds like the gas gets resticted or cut off to me. Not sure what is on a 95 - 400.

It seems like thats all shes got and the motor is spinnin about 37575498934832rpm's ! I was goin down hill and It bumped 60 for a very very short second and then went back to 59. Now with the 28"s I cant get the speedo above 52 on flat ground but I aint worried bout that I was just thinkin that the lighter wheel(think SS 112) would help me spinn the tires better in mud!!