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Author Topic: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??  (Read 2998 times)

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Offline AMD500

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Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« on: March 23, 2015, 06:11:05 AM »
Anyone successfully get Kawasaki Mags to work on their CB550/CB750? love the look...would rather not reinvent the wheel if someone has successfully done this.

Cheers,
Alex
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2015, 11:00:49 AM »
I'm interested in what you find out.

This thread would probably be better suited in the bikes board, since this board is focused on builds.
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1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
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"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

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2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline P.abrera

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2015, 10:57:01 PM »
I have what i think to be 1981-1982 KZ750 wheels on my 550 build. The front was pretty much bolt on. I did need to source a larger KZ1000 LTD brake rotor. The rotor on the front rim was 260mm and I needed 270mm to match the stock 550 diameter so the front caliper would line up. Going double disc looks to be easy on this set-up, just add the right side caliper assembly and bolt up a disc on the right-side mount of the front wheel (bigger MC needed for double discs from my understanding)

The rear needed new axle spacers and a tab needed to be welded on the stock 550 swing arm so the rear caliper torque arm could have a mounting point.
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Offline Marco83

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2015, 09:36:58 AM »

Quote from: P.abrera on March 23, 2015, 10:57:01 PM
I have what i think to be 1981-1982 KZ750 wheels on my 550 build. The front was pretty much bolt on. I did need to source a larger KZ1000 LTD brake rotor. The rotor on the front rim was 260mm and I needed 270mm to match the stock 550 diameter so the front caliper would line up. Going double disc looks to be easy on this set-up, just add the right side caliper assembly and bolt up a disc on the right-side mount of the front wheel (bigger MC needed for double discs from my understanding)

The rear needed new axle spacers and a tab needed to be welded on the stock 550 swing arm so the rear caliper torque arm could have a mounting point.
do you any pictures to show with us?
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Offline P.abrera

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2015, 03:39:55 PM »
Work in progress


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Offline AMD500

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2015, 04:52:42 PM »
Thanks for the replies guys. I bought a set of kz650 wheels that I am going to to try to make work. Ill post updates in this thread....so I guess its a project now  ;)
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Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2015, 05:35:32 PM »
AMD, you do know that you can get Lester mag wheels,  thats are what most guys have on their Honda's, they were made to suit the Honda's, no conversion parts needed,  they are almost identical to the Kawasaki mags, in fact, early Kawasaki mags were Lesters... ;)
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Offline scottly

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2015, 07:23:08 PM »
Kawasaki used Morris style wheels, Mick. Yamaha used Lester style. ;)
 
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Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2015, 07:29:40 PM »
Quote from: scottly on March 24, 2015, 07:23:08 PM
Kawasaki used Morris style wheels, Mick. Yamaha used Lester style. ;)

Thanks Scott.... ;)

I wasn't too sure if the OP was meaning Kawasaki wheels or Lesters which are more commonly used....wrong comparison... ;D ;)
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750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline scottly

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2015, 07:36:26 PM »
No worries, mate. :D Lesters and Morris are often confused with each other...
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Don't fix it if it ain't broke!
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2015, 08:21:32 PM »
Many of the KZ rear wheels are 16".   :(
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1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2015, 09:06:51 PM »
Quote from: Retro Rocket on March 24, 2015, 05:35:32 PM
AMD, you do know that you can get Lester mag wheels,  thats are what most guys have on their Honda's, they were made to suit the Honda's, no conversion parts needed,  they are almost identical to the Kawasaki mags, in fact, early Kawasaki mags were Lesters... ;)

Kawasaki mags = easy to find and cheap. 550 Lesters = rare and expensive. A set of Lesters can set you back the cost of a whole bike. I know people stumble on them cheap now and then, but that is becoming increasingly rare.
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Offline AMD500

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2015, 05:38:02 AM »
Thanks guys. yeah I'm searching for a reasonable set of Lesters...the hard part is finding an 18" rear. not really into the 16" rear chopper look.

I recently purchased a set of kz650 mags, 19 front/ 18 rear (disc). going to try to make that work, as I continue to search for a set of "Honda" Lesters.

on that note, anyone know the compatibility of swing-arms on the hondas? I have a 1975 cb750F swing-arm and rear caliper setup, i was thinking about putting on the CB500Four.  It looks beefier, and is already set up for a disc. I can tell by looking at it is shorter than the CB500Four swing-arm. will this cause a problem? Anything else I should be wary of in this swap?


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Offline scottly

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2015, 07:35:12 PM »
You might want to investigate if you can use the Kawi caliper with the 500 swingarm without too much effort.
Just for the record, an '82 KZ550 has an 18"x2.15 rear, with a 260mm rotor.
I also have an 18"x2.5 rear, with a 270mm rotor, but I have no idea what model it came from. Both rear rotors are 2-3mm thicker than the front 260mm 550 rotors.
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Don't fix it if it ain't broke!
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Offline P.abrera

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2015, 08:29:07 PM »
FYI: Getting to the point in my build where im hooking up my chain, note that an offset front sprocket may be needed.


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Offline P.abrera

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Re: Mag Kawasaki wheels on a CB??
« Reply #15 on: April 02, 2015, 07:40:27 AM »

Quote from: P.abrera on April 01, 2015, 08:29:07 PM
FYI: Getting to the point in my build where im hooking up my chain, note that an offset front sprocket may be needed or a little machining off the rear sprocket carrier to bring things in line.


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