Marvic Piuma
Weight: front: 7.16 lbs.*; rear: 11.84 lbs.*
Moment of Inertia: front: 295 lb. in2*; rear: 391 lb. in2*
Price: $2024
Similar to the Penta wheels, the Piumas are one-piece magnesium castings, though with larger, hollow spokes. These examples, in 16.5-inch, are slightly lighter-we estimate the savings due to the diameter difference to be approximately 3 percent in weight and 6 percent in MoI. The powdercoated finish on these test samples is excellent, and-as with the Pentas-the Piumas are available unpainted. In addition to a thin brake-side spacer, the threads for the rear disc in our sample wheel were very rough, and we couldn't install the screws. Fit, otherwise, is fine.* 16.5-inch measurements
O*Z HL02
Weight: front: 8.40 lbs.; rear: 15.54 lbs.
Moment of Inertia: front: 331 lb. in2; rear: 565 lb. in2
Price: $1600
These wheels may look familiar-the same model is used on the Aprilia Mille R Factory. The Italian-made forged aluminum wheels are the only ones in the test that bear correct DOT markings (aside from the stockers), and the only wheels that use the stock cush drive and spacers. This keeps costs down and your drivetrain happy, but it incurs a weight penalty for the rear wheel and means your spacers will fall out when you change wheels. Our samples are powdercoated, and the finish is excellent. Fit, as you'd expect for stock components, is near perfect.
Performance Machine Gatlin
Weight: front: 14.56 lbs.; rear: 19.48 lbs.
Moment of Inertia: front: 509 lb. in2; rear: 688 lb. in2
Price: $1844
Significantly heavier than the stock GSX-R wheels, that extra weight is in the right place-check the MoI numbers compared to stock. The U.S.-made forged aluminum wheels have bolt-on hubs, no cush drive, and a polished aluminum 530 sprocket is provided. As expected for a blingy set of rims from Performance Machine, the Gatlins' finish is extraordinary-the wheels are beautifully polished, and a chrome finish is available. Fit is good, though the rear spacers are a bit tight on the axle, and the sprocket sits slightly inboard from stock.
Performance Machine Revolution
Weight: front: 9.14 lbs.; rear: 13.16 lbs.
Moment of Inertia: front: 380 lb. in2; rear: 498 lb. in2
Price: $1990
Much more performance-oriented than the company's Gatlin wheels, the forged aluminum Revolutions are the second lightest aluminum set in the test-though there are heavier wheels with lower MoI numbers. The wheels have bolt-on hubs, and a polished sprocket (with nuts predrilled for safety wire) and new disc bolts (in titanium!) are provided. Our front test wheel was a bit wobbly, but well within the usual service limit. Typical for the company, the polished aluminum finish is impeccable; a black anodized finish is available. Aside from the rear axle being tight in the bearing spacer, fit is fine.
PVM Forged Aluminum Y5
Weight: front: 7.96 lbs.; rear: 13.44 lbs.
Moment of Inertia: front: 346 lb. in2; rear: 489 lb. in2
Price: $1795 ($1995 with rear rotor)
The lightest aluminum wheels in the test, the forged German-made PVMs have bolt-on brake and cush-drive hubs, and accept the stock Suzuki sprocket. A special floating rear disc is included, though one of the button-head screws on our test wheel had a prestripped head, and we couldn't take the disc off for MoI measurements (the numbers would barely be affected in any event). The weight number listed is without the disk. Powdercoated-and we have no idea why we were sent a mismatched set-the fit and finish are otherwise excellent, and the wheels are JWL marked.
PVM Forged Magnesium Y5
Weight: front: 5.60 lbs.*; rear: 9.76 lbs.*
Moment of Inertia: front: 209 lb. in2*; rear: 290 lb. in2*
Price: $2995 ($3195 with rear rotor)
These wheels tallied the lowest weight (for the set) and MoI of the test, though we were sent 16.5-inch samples. Still, accounting for the difference in size gives MoI numbers almost identical to the Blackstone Tek results. These wheels are another example where the difference between aluminum and magnesium is highlighted-the magnesium examples appeared identical to the aluminum versions (bolt-on brake and cush-drive hubs, rear disc included), though the cush drive is different and a special sprocket is required. Likewise, fit and finish are excellent. Packaging of both sets of PVM wheels, however, could have been better.* 16.5-inch measurements
RC Components Seabring
Weight: front: 10.42 lbs.; rear: 15.42 lbs.
Moment of Inertia: front: 342 lb. in2; rear: 496 lb. in2
Price: $1470
The only spun aluminum wheels in the test, the Seabrings are only slightly lighter as a set than the stock hoops, but posted substantially lower MoI numbers-an interesting result. The U.S.-made wheels have hubs bolted and welded together, a beefy cush drive similar to the stock setup (though we'd be worried about the coarse bolts provided without lock washers coming loose) but a bit smaller, and a polished sprocket is provided. The polished aluminum finish is superb (chrome is available), and fit was hampered by the rear wheel's spacers being too snug on the axle.
Suzuki
Weight: front: 10.28 lbs.; rear: 16.80 lbs.
Moment of Inertia: front: 480 lb. in2; rear: 880 lb. in2
Price: $1394
Among the highest weight and MoI measurements in the test (uhh, no surprise there), the stock cast-aluminum Suzuki wheels have a cush drive that (aside from the O*Z wheels, which use the stock parts) is much more substantial than any of the aftermarket units. The rear wheel's spacers are held in place by dust seals-almost all the tested wheels use oversized bearings and captive spacers with no dust seals-that tend to fall out easily. The front wheel requires no spacers. Our test bike's rear wheel was a bit wobbly, but well within the service limit. The stock wheels are marked correctly for DOT.