Help me with an idea. Motorcycle spokes.

[pickardracing]

Picked up a couple old enduros this weekend, one of which is in damn nice shape but in pieces.

Here's my idea.

I like the Supermoto look with the fat street tires and whatnot, and this bike has an 18" rear wheel, and a 21" front wheel. Both of the rims on both bikes are 36-spoke rims. I've got a parts bike that I can steal stuff off of, so my thought was this- take the rear 18" rim off of the parts bike, and put it on the front hub of the 21" wheel.

My only problem is that obviously I would have to shorten the spokes. Is there a place that could do this, or someone around that has experience doing such things?

I imagine that I would just shorten the spokes from the existing front wheel 1.5 inches due to the 3" in diameter difference and be set, but any input here would be slick.

[WickedSix]

If you have a complete rear wheel doesn't it have spokes of the correct length already? or are the front and rear hubs differing diameters?:confused

btw matched 18 front and rear would look saweet :headbang

[pickardracing]

Hubs are different sizes. Rear spokes are too short, fronts are too long.

[SSDude]

Is the diameter of the treaded portion of the spoke the same size or larger? If memory serves me right they are roll formed threads and not cut so you wouldn't be able to shorten and rethread them. Otherwise you'll have to find the right lenght either at a cycle shop but more likely a cycle catalog like denniskirk.com .:thumbsup