Topic: Ebay spokes, would you do it? 1676 750F

[Vreihenmotor6]

okay, so I want to replace my rusty spokes on my 76 750F

the front spokes are easy to find from a bunch or resellers, but the back ones are hard to find

what do you guys think of this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-CB750F-CB550F-1975-1976-F-R-JAPAN-SPOKE-80PCS-C-/360433896654?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item53eb88ccce

pic of the bike

[Stev-o]

If I was planning to sell the bike, yes I would.

If I was planning to keep the bike, I would go here:

http://www.buchananspokes.net/products/spoke_kits_honda_cb.asp


Not that much more. Heard the eBay spokes are thinner.

[Vreihenmotor6]

I'm planning on keeping it, I'd like Buchanan but they are twice the price

and I'm looking at about a grand of parts to buy to finish the bike if I figure on spending around 100 on spokes

is there any other choice?

[70cbk0]

I've used these spokes, fit well, no issues......cheap as well. Mine arrived in a couple of days, but I'm in Canada as well...
http://www.vintagecb750.com/products/2/chassis-brakes/61/wheel-spokes

[70cbk0]

oops, I just realized your's is an F...not sure if these work

[RickB]

You may have already seen this thread from a while back from someone asking the same question but I'll re-post my response to that for you here.

I bought a set of cheap spokes for my CB400F from eBay from a seller based in Thailand. When they arrived, one set of nipples was a different shade of chrome than the other. I complained and they sent me out the correct matching set. I had the wheels laced up and everything was great. Until...



A couple months later, I've finally been able to ride the bike. It was time for a wash so I took it down to the local car wash. Well within seconds of giving the bike a once over with the high pressure blaster I was in trouble. The chrome on the spokes peeled right off! It's terrible. Now my spokes have the chrome flaked off in places and showing the bronze plating underneath.

After a couple of month it's finally getting to the point where I'm doubting their strength as the rust has crept in. I've taken both wheels off, found someone to take the rubber off, packaged the rims and hubs up and have sent them off to get relaced in stainless.

Given the hassle in having the wheels laced by a professional, I really wish I'd paid the extra money and bought stainless steel spokes and done it right the first time.

The poor man pays twice. Chrome that flakes off from giving them a wash?! That's not for me.

Rick.

[Vreihenmotor6]

thanks for the real world experience, thats not what I'd like to deal with

is there any other choice for stainless?

also, my goal was to do the lacing myself, I build bike wheels, I figure its the same, any thoughts on that?

[tlbranth]

Have you tried Sudco?

[RickB]

Well the stock Honda spokes, at least for the CB400F, weren't stainless. They have a dull, almost galvanized finish. They are a similar price to the cheapo chrome ones I believe.

If you're confident lacing them yourself, that will certainly save you some money.

Rick.

[Stev-o]

I believe the stock spokes were zinc coated. I plan to rebuild some wheels on a future project and will upgrade to stainless.
If you've built bicycle wheels you can do it, same basic principle.

[messeduptriple]

Great....I ordered a set of these for my 550...haven't gotten them in yet. I got the spokes in black.. I'm now scared to put them on after that posting( eBay)

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[dave500]

yeah thats a dissapointing suck alright rickb,have you contacted the seller of that rubbish?

[RickB]

Dave,

Nah didn't bother. Figured there's little chance of getting my money back a year later and at the end of the day, it was $80 plus shipping. I'll just take that as a lesson learned.

Rick.

[dave500]

yeah i guess a year,if it was a couple of months though?

[greenjeans]

thanks for the real world experience, thats not what I'd like to deal with

is there any other choice for stainless?

also, my goal was to do the lacing myself, I build bike wheels, I figure its the same, any thoughts on that?

If you can lace and true a bicycle wheel, you can do the same to a cycle wheel.   Just need some sort of truing stand.    I have a couple magnetic dial indicators that I use in combination with an old swing arm.   

[grcamna2]

It helps when buying certain spokes from unknown sellers to ask them directly what O.D. Gauge size the thickness of the spokes are and then try to at least match the O.E. Stock gauge/thickness of the spokes you're purchasing to that of the Originals.It wouldn't hurt to go just a hair thicker in gauge/thickness..and to look carefully at the design of the "head"(the curved section that holds strongly into the hubs)to be sure they are designed and manufactured with plenty of strength in that area.A spoke that sits loosely and is designed very narrow where it fits up inside of the hub holes will break very shortly down the road..and will need lot's of re-tightening,plus they will only ride on part of the holes inside you're hubs.There are lots of spokes sold generically that are too small for larger bikes and some folks don't know it until after they've spent the Big $ to have them all purchased and laced up.
Buchanan Spokes are very well designed and are made to last the life of the bike..if properly built and maintained. I would just get O.E. for the Best deal $. 

[Vreihenmotor6]

is there any special place to get oem spokes? I've seen them between 2.78 and 3.48 each which makes them more pricey than the Buchanan ones

[Vreihenmotor6]

I bit the bullet today and ordered spokes from Buchanan's both wheels, + a spoke wrench and shipping as something like 250 or 260 but I hope not to ever have to worry about them again

[Really?]

thanks for the real world experience, thats not what I'd like to deal with

is there any other choice for stainless?

also, my goal was to do the lacing myself, I build bike wheels, I figure its the same, any thoughts on that?

If you can lace and true a bicycle wheel, you can do the same to a cycle wheel.   Just need some sort of truing stand.    I have a couple magnetic dial indicators that I use in combination with an old swing arm.   

True Dat!  The biggest obstacle on this is intimidation.  You will probably get it tighter than OEM spec and be good for well over 100mph+. 

When I did mine, I have only ever done one, I asked the Honda dealer that mounted the tire to double check me.  I did good.  This forum helped me through lacing and truing.

Trued with a magnetic stand on the swing arm with a digital gauge I got at HF.

[Vreihenmotor6]

I love Harbor Freight, I'll probably get a dial indicator for there, and I have the rear swing arm off the bike now, can I use that for a stand for the front wheel to?

[grcamna2]

thanks for the real world experience, thats not what I'd like to deal with

is there any other choice for stainless?

also, my goal was to do the lacing myself, I build bike wheels, I figure its the same, any thoughts on that?

If you can lace and true a bicycle wheel, you can do the same to a cycle wheel.   Just need some sort of truing stand.    I have a couple magnetic dial indicators that I use in combination with an old swing arm.   

True Dat!  The biggest obstacle on this is intimidation.  You will probably get it tighter than OEM spec and be good for well over 100mph+. 

When I did mine, I have only ever done one, I asked the Honda dealer that mounted the tire to double check me.  I did good.  This forum helped me through lacing and truing.

Trued with a magnetic stand on the swing arm with a digital gauge I got at HF.

+1 on getting them a little tighter than O.E.M.spec..it's good when you get them all evenly "drawn up" and get the wheel true...side to side & Up and down......;then,slowly give each spoke little turns... a 1/4  turn at a time on each spoke...gradually in small increments. It's good when they are all torqued to the same spec within 10% of each other for the final torque value when you're finished.The last thing is to keep re-checking the "True-ness" of you're wheel....and check them again at 500 miles to re-torque them to that "feel" your fingers remembered when you gave them the first final torque..& re-check the "True-ness" again. Then enjoy the Nice Sharp Tight Handling for a Long time  .

The Threads about this here on the Forum will definitely get you Home...& have a Beer or 2...to Relax & Pace yourself;for the first time it's good to take plenty of Rest Breaks.Do one wheel at a time so you can use the other one as a guide to match up w/ the same spoke pattern...they are similar that way...and take some good pictures First.

[Psychonaut]

Vmotor6, the spokes you linked to are zinc plated. The ones that are pealing in the pics are chrome. I bought the Ebay ones from the same seller you have a link to. I would buy again. What I saved on spokes I used on something else for it.

[Vreihenmotor6]

update:

I finaly got around to building the wheels tonight

heres what they look like as of now



it was actualy quite easy to lace them up I intend on truing them shortly , I just did one wheel at a time and used the other wheel as a guide for the pattern

[camelman]

I had good luck with those eBay spokes for a 350 twin build I did.  No evidence of pitting or flaking after 6 months of ownership.  I wonder if RickB just got a bad batch (sorry to hear about that!).  In fact, I just bought another set, although considering the plan for this build, I might go ahead and get some Buchanan spokes instead.

Camelman

[grcamna2]

They look nice all laced up and ready for your next steps..have you checked you're wheel bearings for wear or need of re-pack ? Nice pool table BTW; I'd LOVE to have use of one again  ...I NEED the practice.