250ES big red Wheels / RIMs question

[ClarkeLeGrange]

Ok Fellas,
Just bought a 85 Big Red 250es and tore it down to frame. Doing a full restore.
Powder coating frame, changing all cables, new bearing throughout, even de-rusting all the nuts and bolts.
I have alot of work ahead of me so I'm sure I'll be on this fourm alot.

my problem is the rims look horrible. I know I can sand blast them and paint them and get the to look like the OEM grey, but I'm open to just replacing them.
they have some road rash and minor bends I could probably fix. The previous owner also expoxyed the valve steems .

I think a shiny aluminum would actually personalise the bike a bit without looking to flashy.

Question:

1. Any recomendations on how to coat the old rims if I do decided to try and save them.

2. Any recommendations on replacment 9x9's. I want to stay original with size and I already bought 25x12x9 tires. I looked all over ebay and the internet and it seems like the rims are 70+ dollars.
(do they have to be a special shape to accomodate the breaks???? what am I looking for exactly.

sorry for the newbie question.

[ironchop]

Powder coating is the most durable but spray can is the cheapest

No suggestions on rims cheaper than what you have already found.

.....edited the rest after hublake pointed out below that I was thinking of the wrong year of big red
Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[hublake]

OEM rims for the 85 Honda Big Red are one piece rims.

[ClarkeLeGrange]

https://www.kandgcycles.com/ams-stan...-hon-1984.html

So would these work? they appear to be the correct offset. I was thinking aluminum so they would be lighter but these are the most affordable ones I could find.

[hublake]

That link says it is for 84 Honda. Check Dennis Kirk.

[wonderboy]

If you have the rims powder coated, you have to be very careful (in my experience) about the powder buildup on the bead seating area. I'd actually request that the beads be left bare, or if anything very lightly coated. My powder guy laid a nice heavy silver on my 250SX rims and I have not been able to succesfully seat the beads on the two new OEM (i.e. priceless) tires I have for them. I'll be stripping the powder from the bead areas and trying again later, but be careful with powder.

With all that said, powder over spray paint any day. Spray paint will only look good once: right after you spray it. After that it is all downhill.

Also, pay attention to the lugnut style required for the wheels you get. I think the Big Red did the same as the SX: 85 used flat nuts, and 86 on used tapered seat (acorn) style lugnuts. Just be aware of this when you start mixing and matching wheels to make sure you are using the proper lugnuts for the wheel.

[350for350]

ClarkeLeGrange. Those wheels in your link are the wrong bolt pattern. They are a 4x150 bolt pattern and you need a 4x110 for your 250ES.

[ClarkeLeGrange]

wow 350for350 thank you so much I was looking at 4x150. A simple google search and I see that was the 1984 model.

Wonderboy thank you for the advice. I'm going to look into new a little more.

right now the bike is in parts while I powder coat the frame black so I have time to decide what I want to do.

[350for350]

Right now, I'm running a pair of wheels on the back of my 85 250SX that supposedly came off of a TRX450R. They are 9" diameter. I can't say how they clear the rear brake. I originally ran a pair of 8" 200X rims and had to put 1.5" wheel spacers for them to clear the brake. I found the wheels with used Mud Lites already mounted. I bought them and left the spacers on since I like the added stability. I just can't picture someone running Mud Lites on a sport quad though. Just so you have an idea.