I see threads dealing with changing 16" wheels to 17". Is the problem with 16" wheels their effect on handling or their limited availability? They must have seemed like a good idea at the time. What changed?

just availabity of tires. Other than with 17" wheels with 16" you`re limited to 130/60 or 120/70 in the front and 160/60 in the rear, (the rear size being offered only from Michelin, the M59X). There`re "experiments" with 150/80 or other sizes on the rear though.
17" are common sizes and available in a wide range.
I didn`t ride a 907ie yet, but I have another bike with 17" wheels and handling/cornering is lighter than with the smaller wheels. You need to get used to that.

G.

17" wheels improve greatly handling, especially in hard bends and 300/320 brake rotors can give you a very better feeling when you need a secure braking

I have had a 906 Paso (16" wheels) and I have now a 907 IE (17" wheels).
The 907 IE has a very better handling and braking.
Ciao

IMO the 16" tires are a bit harder to get to turn in. This can be helped with getting the suspension set up properly will help a lot.

The other effect is the bike really wants to stand up in the corners if you use even a little bit of brake. This can also be tuned away by working with the air pressures.

Keep in mind that the 750 was designed 25 or more years ago so it's not "modern" by any means. The 906 and 907 are evolutions of the 750 so keep that in mind if your looking for a truly modern bike.

The 16' wheels were one of those marketing driven things. It was a phase that motorcycling went through. The GP bikes ran 16" wheels, so they must be better, or so the thinking went. Almost every manufacturer made street bikes with the 16" wheels at the time. Remember that before 16" wheels, almost everything had a 19" front, and an 18" rear, so 16" wheels were pretty radical when they came out.

Then we discovered that what was good on the track, wasn't so good on the street, and 17" wheels came into vogue. Some GP bikes run 16" wheels, some 16.5". If you ride really really fast, and on a track most of the time, the 16" wheels are grand.

And that's the way I see it.
Cheers,

No matter, the 16" Paso wheels, above all the front tire, are too much wide for the bike.
The first 851 tricolore, that had many common parts with the Paso and also had the 16" wheels, had a smaller front rim.
I don't understand because Ducati didn't modify its choice until 1990, while the 851, by the time, already had many modifications to improve the handling.
Ciao

This is very interesting about rim size and handling, I notice is little hard to turn sometimes.
My question is why an Italian Bike with a metric system use inches for rim size
Sal.

Good, Frankie!

Michelin tried to build metric size automotive wheels in the 80's!
They were installed on Alfa Romeo 33 and Ferrari 308.
Tyres weren't so good compared to traditional and cheaper standard size
So many people switched back to 14" and 16" rims and to Pirelli or Goodyear

Paso 750 is ALSO very good bike in corners, but it have to handle totally different way, as 907 with 17" wheels. I am very satisfied also to Paso with 16" wheels, but that behave totally different way. I cant explane it closer, but i havent had any problems with 16" wheels. Ok, one point must to tell: If brake in MIDDLE of corner, then 16" want to "stand up". 907 with 17" wheels is "turning to corners" more easier. Those are not so big difficulties, if know, how they handles. I would put much more pressure to front brakes, what are in 907 from "another planet" compared to 750 and 906(what is worst with much higher weight, than 750 and same awfull brakes)

And what was once old will be new again..........
desmocedicci wheel size is???????? 16 inch rear
I am not sure about the front. bridgestones anyone?