At last, I've found it! This works for all K1200RS, K1200GT-Brick or K1200LT front wheels.

If a K1200 series, five spoke, 3.5x17" wheel is what you'd like to swap onto your K bike's three-spoke or Y-spoke front end so you can use a 120/70ZR17 tyre and four-piston Brembo brakes, the bearings you'll need are 25x47x14 RH side, and 25x47x20.6 LH side, due to axle diametre and length. You can't get these from a BMW dealership. You use your original 25mm diametre axle.

The industry number for a 25x47x14 sealed ball bearing is 62005-RS

The industry number for a 25x47x20.6 can be made by combining two sealed bearings in the single bearing's bore. They are 25x47x8 sealed bearing which is a 16005-2RS, and a 25x47x12 sealed bearing which is a 6005-2RS.

There is no 25x47x20.6 bearing that I can locate from any manufacturer, even from those Chinese bearing companies on eBay, etc., that claim to have everything.

The .6mm difference is nearly made up by the two bearings being placed side by side in the wheel (spreads the load nicely), and/or one can have their favourite machinist fab a slightly wider (.5mm+/-) replica of the collar to accommodate this miniscule difference. I have seen it work and it is easily done. A mate has just completed this on his R80 using '95 K1100LT forks, axle and both collars over a K12 front wheel. The preload is correct and the wheel spins freely with no discernible or excess free play. The wheel/brakes are centred in the forks.

A 25mm between-the-bearings centre spacer is required, part number
36 31 1 458 419, from BMW for about $12.00. You can use your original axle collars on the later wheel, and they get modded slightly.

No stainless steel axle fabrication is required.

The R1150R/RS/RT series front wheels require different dimension bearings. Further research is required for those wheels.

I am using an earlier 5x17" rear K1200RS wheel on a Paralever final drive and there is no real clearance or offset issue to speak of with a 170/60ZR17 tyre. The 5.5x17" may cause clearance minor issues with a 180/55ZR17 or larger tyre. Add or remove the 2mm shims to your liking.

Nice one, TWB. Another possibility to put on the list when LFB finally gets a clean and rebuild.

The 5.5x17" may cause clearance minor issues with a 180/55ZR17 or larger tyre. Add or remove the 2mm shims to your liking.

I tried this with no success, but then changed the tyre to a 170/60 ZR17 and this works well on the 5.5 Rim.

I also have a 5.0 K12 Rim with a 160 tyre and this also works well.

Dai we can possibly discuss as I have only the need for one rear wheel and I now have 2 x K1200 rears.

Note these K12 wheels only fit paralevers.

and don't forget that the front discs (rotors) need to be 305mm to fit the existing callipers, later K1200's had 320 mm discs.

Ringfad wrote:and don't forget that the front discs (rotors) need to be 305mm to fit the existing callipers, later K1200's had 320 mm discs.

That's right. I am using 305mm discs from an R1150GS, but early R1100S and F800GS work, too. The calipers must not be Evo type.

I purchased a front and rear rim off a 2001 K1200LTABS for the swap. 3.5 front and 5.0 rear, for some new 120/70 17 and 160/60 17 rubber. I found a line on two floating disc 305mm rotors off a 2006 R1200GS, the specs ive found of these rims seem to match up unless im missing something; any confirmation?
http://www.r1200gs.info/misc/specs/

What other parts would I need to order to make the swap complete?
(1) 25x47x14 sealed ball bearing is 62005-RS
(2) 25x47x12 sealed bearing which is a 6005-2RS
(3) 25mm between-the-bearings centre spacer is required, part number 36 31 1 458 419  All three bearings and spacer for the front rim?
(4) Any modifications for the rear rim discs to fit?

Sorry if youve already answered this. Im a newbie.

It's a bit more complicated. Go HERE and locate post 36+ for details.

Not that I wash my bikes very often (except for riding in the rain) but it's easier to clean three spokes than five.

Welcome back Duck.
I have said for ages that the guy who designed the Y spoke wheels should be made to spend the rest of his life cleaning them.

RicK G wrote:Welcome back Duck.
I have said for ages that the guy who designed the Y spoke wheels should be made to spend the rest of his life cleaning them.

There is a special seat reserved for him in Hell. (Right next to the guy who designed the stock seats.)

There are some issues with the course of action recommended in this post.

• There seems to be no industry standard 47 x 25 x 14 bearing that I can find. Catalogues don't list it and bearing suppliers do not even bother responding to my emails. I do however intend to use a 47 x 25 x 12 bearing plus a 2mm spacer.
  

• The 25mm bearing spacer quoted as costing about $12 is no longer available. My BMW dealer informed that there are none in stock in the UK, and then searched further to tell me that there are none in stock worldwide. So, used parts are the only option. It was fitted to the K1100RS, the 16vK100RS, and the K1 - take your pick.
  

So it is not quite as simple as the poster makes out. I have just received a K1200RS front wheel and intend to fit it to my K1100LT after blasting and powder-coating. I shall keep you posted on what happens.

xpc316e wrote:There are some issues with the course of action recommended in this post. So it is not quite as simple as the poster makes out.

As stated in a later thread about another build, I ended up not using the swap-the-bearings-way and instead had an axle made. This was a simple as it could be.

Here's the thread, start at post number 37. Big Block K100 K12 Wheels

I know of a guy who put them on a K11RS.  Custom axle was his approach too.

Worked for me !

Made my own spindle. Simpler and cheaper than all that farting around with spurious bearings