Motorcycle Repair: Wheel Fitment, wheel fitment, stock wheels

Question
I have a Honda 1982 CB450SC and would like to replace the stock wheels with 1982 CB450T Wheels. The 450SC has the same size front wheel, however, the rear tire is a 16" and the 450T is 18".

Is is possible without compromising safety and an easy swap?

Thanks.

Steve

Answer
What size tires do these models take? I am not familiar with the CB450, but the CX500 %26 GL500 came with 18" %26 16" wheels respectively so the situation may be similar: Honda recommended a 3.75/18 (110/90-18) for the CX and a 130/90-16 for the GL. When you calculate the outside diameters of the two tires they were within a couple of percent - less than the difference between worn tire and a fresh one, or even between different manufacturers' versions of the same size.

If that's the case, and assuming that everything else (brakes, axle diameter %26c) will work, it should be possible.

BTW: In the case of the CX %26 GL, these bikes were notoriously undergeared (you always find yourself trying to shift it one gear higher) but since they are shaft drive changing the overall gearing is not a simple matter of installing a different sprocket. A common way to raise the gearing is to install a CX wheel with a 120/90-18 tire (a 130 will fit, but there isn't much clearance and the tire's profile is somewhat altered by the narrower rim). This results in something like 500 RPM lower at highway speeds and several percent better fuel economy.