Rotobox Carbon Fibre Wheels

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MrMeeseeks

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Just came across these on another forum. Definitly very polarizing style but interesting innovation. I'm not well versed enough on the principles of motorcycle handling to make a +/- analysis (other than light weight = better everything) so discuss at your leisure.

http://www.rotobox.si/

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Interesting, but not feeling it. And not real confident about them being airtight.
 
Shaman said:
Interesting, but not feeling it. And not real confident about them being airtight.
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I should think holding up a big powerful bike at 250 kph would be the big challenge; holding air not too tough!
Just the clear resin should seal it 100%... but they're kinda fugly.
They look expensive though.
 
BST kinda has this market in it's grasp.
 
The BST's for my bike are 5.6 and 5.9 LBS

These guys say 15 -15.5 LBS for a set without hardware so, they are ~ 4 LBS heavier.
 
BST have also been giving alotof problems. I know of a guy that cracked one on a drag bike. I have also seen threads with spokes ripping off BST wheels. I was to get them but once I started seeing these issuse I said forget it. Best wheel for your money is Carrozzeria fully CNC I have had a set andbounced my front wheel off a concrete island, wheel was straight the powder coating didnt even come off.
 
Safe and strong has a very different meaning between street driving and top tier racing
 
I have abused my BST wheels for two years (17K) on Ontario back roads, dropped 200km/h wheelies, hammered into potholes, rode up onto sidewalks (shortcut to Timmies!), locked the front wheel once or twice, done lots of top end runs... no issues so far. This is what most people with them have found too... just remember that when someone says they had a wheel break on them and it caused them to crash, sometimes the crash happened before the wheel broke... people are kinda funny about telling what really happened.
 
Structural carbon stuff makes me very nervous. I'd wait a good while before buying something made of carbon. I'd only buy the expensive, well-engineered stuff. Sometimes people throw carbon at problems that aren't really well-suited to carbon. I've seen a lot of blown-up bicycle carbon stuff and it makes me afraid.. :-(
 
Shaman said:
people are kinda funny about telling what really happened.
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Why must you ignore the brotherhood of motorcyclists and call everyone a liar?

ALL motorcyclists are completely truthful at all times when speaking of top speeds, lap times, lean angles and causes of crashes.

Anyone that states otherwise is not a true motorcyclist and should be shunned in parking lots,,, globally.
 
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Shaman said:
I have abused my BST wheels for two years (17K) on Ontario back roads, dropped 200km/h wheelies, hammered into potholes, rode up onto sidewalks (shortcut to Timmies!), locked the front wheel once or twice, done lots of top end runs... no issues so far. This is what most people with them have found too... just remember that when someone says they had a wheel break on them and it caused them to crash, sometimes the crash happened before the wheel broke... people are kinda funny about telling what really happened.
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Tis is what I love to hear as I want a set BAD But It may just come down to you got a good set, I dont wanna be the guy with a set that wasnt made proper
 
invictus43 said:
Structural carbon stuff makes me very nervous. I'd wait a good while before buying something made of carbon. I'd only buy the expensive, well-engineered stuff. Sometimes people throw carbon at problems that aren't really well-suited to carbon. I've seen a lot of blown-up bicycle carbon stuff and it makes me afraid.. :-(
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Interesting and I agree to a certain extent. At the very least, I would up the inspection intervals when carbon materials are used. Let's not forget that under hard use/race conditions and where actual race teams are concerned, the bikes (or cars for that matter) are given a thorough once-over before and after each race, whereas I'm betting most people would regard a rim as an install and forget item (except for the occasional retorquing).
 
padu said:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/bmw-r1100s-r1200s-tech-forum/585349-bst-wheel-junk.html

One must think if carbon wheels are so safe or strong why dosent F1 use them?
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Because currently....


12.3 Wheel material :
All wheels must be made from an homogeneous metallic material.

F1 wheels get bashed together in racing which is probably another reason. Motorcycles, not so much.

Formula SAE is using CF wheel sets. Admittedly they aren't the ultimate formula :) but they a light like motorcycles...

If there were no broken Magnesium wheels in motorcycle racing it would be one thing but that's simply not a fact.
 
DeAd-EyE said:
Interesting and I agree to a certain extent. At the very least, I would up the inspection intervals when carbon materials are used. Let's not forget that under hard use/race conditions and where actual race teams are concerned, the bikes (or cars for that matter) are given a thorough once-over before and after each race, whereas I'm betting most people would regard a rim as an install and forget item (except for the occasional retorquing).
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True true. Inspection is important. Some wear that would not be an issue with most metals can cause serious weakening of carbon. Any impacts on a carbon piece can cause serious damage..which is understandable. But it's not like steel where you can take a little dent and carry on. I'm especially wary of any metal that is bonded into carbon or any solvent that comes in contact with carbon joints. I think a lot of the bicycle issues were with poorly engineered parts and incorrect application. To this day however, I try very hard not to think about the alu/carbon steerer connection on bicycle forks... :-(
 
D23 said:
Because currently....


12.3 Wheel material :
All wheels must be made from an homogeneous metallic material.

F1 wheels get bashed together in racing which is probably another reason. Motorcycles, not so much.

Formula SAE is using CF wheel sets. Admittedly they aren't the ultimate formula :) but they a light like motorcycles...

If there were no broken Magnesium wheels in motorcycle racing it would be one thing but that's simply not a fact.
Click to expand...

Formula SAE has been running carbon wheels for a long time now. It was hot stuff maybe 8 years ago.
 
If any of you have ridden downtown Kingston, if a wheel can survive that, it can survive anything.
 
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