RX3 Rear Wheel Rebuild with Warp9 Rim

[SpudRider]

I have changed the rear tire 3 times on my Zongshen RX3. The first time I got a flat, and seized the opportunity to switch from the stock rear tire to the Shinko 244 tire in size 5.10-17. Because of the very wide, 3.00-17 rim, and the sharp edges of the steel rim, I never had a more difficult time removing a tire from a motorcycle wheel. Also, even with the sprocket carrier removed, the rear wheel was very heavy.

The second time I got another flat, and the Shinko rear tire was even more difficult to remove from the steel wheel than the stock CST tire. Here is a photograph of the stock rear wheel, with the tire removed.



Since removing the tire from the wide steel rim was so difficult at home, I knew it would be even more difficult to remove the tire during a roadside repair. Therefore, I decided to rebuild the rear wheel with a Warp9 alloy rim, size 2.50-17. The narrower rim facilitates removing the tire, and the alloy rim has a more rounded edge, which doesn't dig into the tire bead. In addition, the smaller, alloy rim is lighter in weight, and the size 2.50-17 rim also allows mounting a smaller, 4.60-17 tire. The smaller tire lowers the seat height about 1/2-inch, and also weighs less than the larger, 5.10-17 tire.