Need a wider 17-in rear rim for my Royal Enfield Interceptor

After installing the 17-in wheels, I realised that I needed a wider rear rim to bring out the intended profile of the tyre. So, I got the Royal Enfield Meteor’s 17-in alloy wheel.

Check out this post for information about swapping Royal Enfield Interceptor 650’s stock 18-in wire-spoke wheels with a pair of aftermarket 17-in units.

BHPian man_of_steel recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Why do I need a wider rim.

There was a delay in getting the Excel rims thingy worked out and amongst all the chaos at work, decided to take the easiest way out and plonk in the 17" alloy of the Meteor. Yes, it is a bang on direct fit and wide enough to bring out the intended profile of the tyre.

Yes, the alloy is much lighter than the full rim+spoke+hub of the previous setup.

All the stock Interceptor titbits go in this without any problems whatsoever.

Looking weird? It might, but a huge jump in functionality than the form.

Initial Impressions

• She used to feel too eager to fall into the corner with the previous narrow rim setup at the rear. After the Meteor alloy conversion, as expected, the turn-ins have slowed down but whatever is happening is at a controlled and predictable pace which was exactly what I was after.
• She feels even more planted now than before.
• In line with the above two points, the bike feels a bit lazier to steer but trust me, this is how it should be! Maybe I will drop the front end by 10mm or so and see if I can make her steer a bit more quickly.
• The rear looks so much fuller now as the 150 section Alpha H1 looks almost as wide as it is supposed to look.

The alloy cost me 6k and no other part needed to be ordered. Will do a thorough shakedown ride and update if I discover something new about the setup.

Here's what BHPian r_nairtvm had to say about the matter:

If you manage to get an 18" or 19" wheel for the front, the looks can improve but then slow-speed manoeuvrability will be affected slightly.

Wonderful.

Finalize an alloy wheel for the front as well, please.

Here's what BHPian dinu2506 had to say about the matter:

It looks like a mish-mash of different parts. Maybe it’s just me. On the looks front, the stock 18 inchers suited the INT better. Ultimately, you need to be happy, that's about it. Does not matter how others feel.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.