I had to make a quick choice on a remote twisty back road: Either drop into a very deep, sharp-edged pothole, or kiss the grille of an oncoming truck. Of course, there was really no choice. The bike hit the far edge of the hole with a muffled report and the shock reverberated through my arms while my helmet mass turned me into a bobble head. Luckily, I stayed upright, but wondered if my bike survived unscathed. Alas, it did not.

Back up at speed on smooth roadway, there was a noticeable vibration. My hefty rim looked okay, but on close examination, I noticed a slight flat spot and one loose spoke. This, I was to learn, is a repair best left to an expert. At the same time, I began to wonder, what if my bike had cast wheels? Would they have survived the impact and not needed repairs? It was time for a bit of research.

There are generally two types of wheels on motorcycles: cast and spoke. Cast wheels are typically found on road bikes, which are less likely to experience sudden, high-impact loads than off-road machines. They are cheaper to manufacture and can be—but not necessarily are—somewhat lighter in weight. (Ultra-high performance sport bikes may offer an option of forged wheels that are lighter and stronger, but at a very stiff premium.)

Some bikes, such as the GS series BMWs, offer either cast or optional spoke wheels. Aside from the lower cost, cast wheels have the advantage of being easier to clean and are relatively maintenance free. Spoke wheels have better impact resistance and will flex a bit on a hard impact, absorbing some shock before getting to a point where they’ll bend. On a remote off-road trip, a bent rim can even be hammered back into a usable shape with a rock if necessary. On a hard impact, a cast wheel will crack and break before it bends. For really bad hits, the spoke wheel can either be straightened, by a few select craftsmen, or the rim only replaced. Another possibility with spoke wheels is the use of heavy duty rims and thicker spokes to provide even greater strength. For the ultimate off-roader, even heavy-duty hubs are available for many bikes.

Custom fabricated for an F800 GS, this wheel sports a heavy-duty Excel rim with thicker spokes and an extreme-duty hub. Unless you’re an aggressive rider, the stock wire wheels will typically suffice, just be sure not to run your tire pressure too low.

The biggest down side of the spoke rims is that they’re more expensive and harder to clean. Maintenance includes checking that all the spokes are tight. This is easily done by tapping each spoke with a screwdriver or wrench and listening for a relatively uniform pinging sound; if you get a dull “thud,” that spoke needs to be tightened. Most bikes have a simple nipple on the end of the spoke that gets tightened, similar to a bicycle wheel. BMWs have a barely visible 2mm set screw in the pocket of the Torx socket used for tightening the nipple. A slightly loose spoke can be tightened by the average do-it-yourselfer; if several are loose in the same area, and the wheel has a wobble, that is a job best left to a wheel expert with a truing stand.

I experienced a hit on my bike that was just barely fixable; a bit harder and I would have needed a new rim. If, like me, you have a BMW GS, there’s only one known source for repair of their complex spoke pattern: Woody’s Wheel Works (WoodysWheelWorks.com) in Denver. Although my repair was pushing a hefty $400 including shipping, it was far better than the $1,500 for a new wheel from the dealer.

Although not a task for the typical mechanic, a skilled craftsman can straighten a spoke wheel rim that is not too badly mangled. If unfixable, a new rim is much cheaper than a complete wheel.

Cast wheels are plenty strong for most riding. I even saw a pair of rental F700 GSes in Alaska that had the cast wheels. For me, I’m keeping my spoke wheels… but if you know of a pair of cast rims for my road tires….