Black wheels

[bikemiser]

I forgot how quickly black wheels get dirty. I put 300 miles on 013 and back wheel is filthy. If I had my druthers, I will take unpainted aluminum. Am I alone on this?

Jim

 

[kman09]

Yes,but when clean there's nothing like it. Black that is....

 

[odot]

Sounds like a problem to me.....you may have some kind of mild oil leak which is attracting dirt to the rims. I'd be changing out fork seals and stator covers if I was you. Maybe even check and make sure the pumpkin oil isn't over filled.

 

[michaelsphoto]

I think more of us WISH we had that problem...LOL

 

[Fred W]

Honestly, the grayish colored wheels on my 1st gen are great in that regard. Don't show the road grime nearly as much as the black hoops on my other two bikes.

Why Suzuki thought that black rims would be a good idea on the V-strom is beyond me. I should just paint them muddy brown, that way they would always look clean.

 

[Mr Bill]

I should just paint them muddy brown

Fred,

For a smart guy you have that screwed up pretty bad. My 690 has black wheels and I don't have any issues. Stop washing the thing and they'll have that ruddy brown patina all the time with no paint!

 

[RedPorscheKilla]

Well Bikemaster,

I concur. I can't stand dirty rims and foremost black rims to begin with. So far any bike I owned, which had rims in black, got powder coated...... Nothing beats a shiny silver powder coated rim, easy to clean and it won't get so quickly dirty.

So I know I will have one day a GenIII FeeJay, first order of business, rip those rims off, carry them to a powder coating shop, turn the silver.....

V

RPK

 

[garyahouse]

Here's an idea to fix your problem. Just trade your 13 for an 05 with those beautiful gray wheels, and you'll be all set.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[Hotboot]

FJR's just have that vacume static zone that sucks brake and road dust to the rear wheel, I wipe the silver rim strip down after riding leaving all else grungy and it looks good. Black wheels are sinister-sexy and look good on any bike.

 

[Chuck35]

I have contemplated yellow powder coating on wheels and some matching stripes....

 

[CopB8]

Beauty comes at a price! Both my bikes and my car have black wheels. I'm ALWAYS wiping them down but I wouldn't want it any other way.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Not a fan of black rims myself, but ended up with them anyway.

Back wheel is always grungy looking with dust accumulation instantly after leaving the garage...silver wheels just don't show the dirt as quickly. Not worth the effort to do anything about it, although the thought has crossed my mind...

--G

 

[garauld]

I powdercoated my silver wheels black so they would look cooler...

I don't think they get dirty all that fast.

 

[SkooterG]

Well put me in the minority. Not only do I think the black wheels look better, but I think they hide the dirt better. Sure, they lose their gloss, and look a bit dusty, but better than a lot of black on silver which is obvious.

Everyone else in this thread is obviously ********.

 

[SeattleTy]

I like the black wheels, looking to powder coat mine black, unless someone wants to trade their 08 and up for my 08 silver wheels

 

[zenwhipper]

I powder coated my 2008 silver rims black - juz like the 2009 model. Love black bike, black rims. Um, as far as unpainted alyoominium - I can't think of anything worse for rims. Aluminum oxidizes, has pits in it to collect dirt and if you decide - well, I'll just polish them to a bright sheen, you'll be doing a lot of polishing to maintain them as time goes on. Yuck! No thanks.

 

[Fred W]

The silvery gray colored power coat found on the stock wheels of many model years doesn't show dirt the way either polished, chrome or black wheels do. Black does look sexy when it's clean. Chrome or polished wheels just look wrong to me on a sport touring bike, but I also don't like them on sport bikes and lots of other folks do.

 

[PhilJet09]

Part of the reason I got an '09 was because of the black wheels.

 

[rfespinosa]

I don't like black wheels, I am delighted my '08 has gray wheels rather than the black ones used in '09. I have two other bikes, both have black wheels, like most bikes today, unfortunately.