nc21/24 16 inch front wheel why ?

[mrsheerline]

i have a nc21 my brother a nc24, i have allways wanted to know why honda put 16 inch wheels on them not 17 inch like on 99 percent of sports bike ?

[Neosophist]

It's all about the way the bike will handle and steer.

Dont' forget the first fireblades also had 16" front wheels.

The NC2x however uses an 18/16 combo.

The use of a 16" front wheel makes the bike feel like it 'turns in' a lot quicker than a 17", you also have a reduction in unsprung weight with a 16-inch (410 mm) wheel over a 17-inch (430 mm) further improving turning ability.

A lot of people find 16" fronts 'twitchty' especially on the blade.

Personally I love the 16" / 18" combo, the NC2x's are the most chuckable of all the vfr's in my oppinion, very very easy to throw around the bends. Pity the brakes, frame and suspension arn't quite upto the standard of the NC30 off the rack :/

There is some more fancy maths to it but i'm a little past my bedtime to go into it :-)

[mrsheerline]

thanks for the reply, the combination is good, not as stable as my nc30 but i think this could be because the 16" front tyres are cross-ply this is what i have been told any way and they do look differnt to 17" tyres, i think its the tyres that let them down not the combination of 16/18" ,what do you think ?

[Neosophist]

Yes... cross-ply tyres are not the best.

Also the 37mm forks are very 'soft' (typical 80's Honda)

The NC30 has much better suspension, as well as better tyres and frame design.

Overall the NC24 is a lot of fun but it's not as good as a racing bike as the later NC30.

Even tho both bikes make the same power, with the same rider lap times on an NC30 would probably be quicker

Have you ever ridden one of the earlier 16" fireblades? They were quite fun, a lot of people didn't get on with them though.

If you do want better tyres on the 24 you could fit a CBR400 aero 17" wheel which would give you 110/70/17 tyre which i think you can get a pirelli sport demon (radial touring tyre) and you can get a 130/70/18 pirelli for the back too..

[jim157]

A large percentage of sportbikes had 16" fronts in the mid 80's, a few even had 16" rears too. I suppose it was a seen as a progression from the more common 18" as it sharpened up the steering a fair bit. By 88 the switch to 17" fronts was in full force and (with a few notable exceptions) has become the standard ever since.

[duncan]

Some of this was fashion.Up to the early 80's bikes tended to have 19 or 18 inch front wheels and then Honda came out with their radical V4 racing bike the NR500 which had 16 inch wheels on both ends.Some of these radical new ideas,including 16 inch front wheels,found their way on to the road bikes notably the VF and VFR series.Other manufacturers copied the idea including even Moto Guzzi of all people.Eventually it became recognised that a 16 inch front wheel could make the steering too quick or too twitchy and today 17 inch is the norm.I have now had three NC21/24's and I personally think they handle great as long as you have got decent quality fork springs ie Maxton in them

[veefer400]

Was'nt keen on the 16" front of my NC24 at all! Bearable in the dry, wet weather gave the impression the thing was greased?? No real option of modern-day tyres in 16" either...

The small contact area afforded by a 16" didnt help, arguably minimal difference compared to that of a 17", but smaller nevertheless!

Not a fan...

[Neosophist]

Probably why the blade had a 130 width front 16 :0

I'm a fan.

They handle well for what they are but the newer bikes are miles ahead.

Even the NC30 feels like a next generation.

I don't know if i'd say that 16" was a 'fashion' as opposed to a development.

Like said, it's how the racing bikes were going and the road racers were based upon these developments.

The NC24 being based on the 85 RVF400 racer.