I’ve researched putting the k100 8 spoke wheels on the k1100 but I couldn’t find any info on anyone having done it before. I like the look of them a lot better than the 3-spoke design on the k1100 as well as the retro look they have. As far as I’ve found it sounds like the k100 wheels are a bit skinnier but I don’t know the exact specifications. From what I’ve read, the offset of the k100 rear wheel is slightly different from the k1100 but this could be remedied with a custom spacer. I’m trying to keep the final drive and rear brake the same. As for the front wheel it sounds like the same axle could be used but I’ll need spacers and I’ll have to figure something out for the brake rotors and getting them aligned. Has anyone tried this swap before or done the reverse swap of what I’m doing that could give some advice or specs on the wheels?

Is your bike an RS or an LT?  The RS uses a much wider wheel than the Y spoke wheel.  The LT is a much easier swap, but still may have problems because of the different front brakes.

I got rid of my Y spoke wheels because they were such a Royal PIA to clean.  More than half of the time spent cleaning the bike was spent trying(unsuccessfully most of the time) to clean brake dust out of all the nooks and crannies of those darn wheels.

It's a very good idea to list your bike's year and model, even the VIN, in your signature line so readers understand what model you're referring to.

The front, 18" Y spoke wheel of a K75/K100 uses 285mm diametre disc brakes and aligns with two piston callipers. The 305mm discs of a K11 do not swap to this wheel due to a quite different mounting point spread and the use of four piston callipers. A K100/K75 complete front end would have to be used which changes the wheelbase/handling characteristics, and an earlier K master cylinder would need to be procured. The front axle of an 8v model is not the same dimensions as a 16V model, and spacers would have to be fabbed.

The rear Y spoke slips straight onto a Paralever final drive with no fuss, as spacers can be added or removed based on what you reckon is acceptable front to rear alignment and offset. You would be giving up a fair bit of tyre contact patch as the 110/80V18 doesn't compare with a 120/70ZR17 and the 130/90V17 doesn't compare well with a 160/60ZR18 - assuming you have a K1100RS, not a K1100LT which uses a 140 width back tyre.

IMHO it's a step backwards in many ways, plus Y spoke wheels are more difficult to clean (as stated above) compared to a three spoke wheel if riding, not kneeling to wash, is paramount. All that said, ain't nothin' impossible to do.

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I’m new and haven’t added a signature yet but I have a 95 k1100 LT. I might look into some different options, it sounds like the trade offs may not be worth it if I can find some better wheels to sub in for a bit more work.