Spoke Wheels vs Alloy Wheels: Pros and Cons

Track-oriented riders prefer alloy wheels, but off-roading fan-boys always prefer spoke wheels. In addition, some patrons buy these wheels either for aesthetic purposes or task purposes. 

Motorcycles evoke strong emotions for riders, and to utilize them effectively, they must comprehend the functions of various parts. This is because some brands prioritize aesthetics over practicality, with wheels serving as the foundation of any vehicle. 

Alloy Wheels vs Spoke (or Wire) Wheels

Spoke Wheels: They are made of steel, making them heavier and harder to remove than alloy wheels. Wire spoke wheels are attached with drum breaks. Earlier, this type of wheel used to come with tube tyres, but these days, brands are giving spoke wheels with tubeless tyres, so that repairing them doesn't get difficult. 

They are also less expensive than alloy wheels. 

Alloy Wheels: These wheels are famous for their appearance and low weight. They are mostly made of aluminium or magnesium. Nowadays, manufacturers are making titanium alloy wheels, but they are only offered in high-end vehicles.   

Brands typically provide two to eight thick alloy rods joined together in a motorcycle's rim. These rims, however, are prone to cracking and are expensive to maintain and repair. Also, these wheels are expensive to buy.

Track-oriented bikes typically use alloy wheels, but KTM has included them in the KTM Adventure 390 and Adventure 250. However, KTM does offer spoke wheels and a tubeless tyre as an option on their adventure bikes.

Spoke Wheel with Tubeless Tyre: Benefits

Combing spoke wheels with a tubeless tyre gives you the freedom to repair punctures, instantly. Compared to alloy wheels, these rims are flexible, rugged and can absorb shocks seamlessly, ergo, used for off-roading purposes. 

As for two-wheelers, spoke rims are mostly offered on adventure tourer bikes. 

Traditional spoke wheels with a tyre-tube combination required a long process and were time-consuming to fix a simple puncture. That made repairing punctures tedious, whereas a tubeless tyre can be conveniently fixed. The latter doesn't require any expert. 

Spoke wheels are easier to repair than alloy wheels. If you accidentally hit your bike's rim against a kerb or divider, you can easily replace the damaged spokes (steel wires) with new ones. In contrast, a heavily damaged alloy wheel requires a full replacement.