Author Topic: KZ rear disc mags on a CB550? (Read 6612 times)

Scott S · « **on:** February 15, 2016, 12:58:22 PM »

Saw this on a Facebook group. The owner (who got the bike for $20!) had no other pics and didn't know a thing about the conversion.
Has anyone ever seen the rear disc KZ wheels done on a 550 like this before? I'd love to see the master cylinder mount. And the caliper stay rod. I wonder if that's the KZ or CB swing arm?

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2016, 01:29:10 PM »

Thats quite an easy conversion, looks like a Honda swingarm... I like the Kawasaki mags {morris clones}...

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2016, 01:31:30 PM »

KZ swingarms look very similar to the 550.

Scott S · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2016, 02:10:10 PM »

And you can get the KZ mag in an 18" rear, I'm pretty sure.

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2016, 04:01:54 PM »

Quote from: Scott S on February 15, 2016, 02:10:10 PM

And you can get the KZ mag in an 18" rear, I'm pretty sure.

You can get 18's front and rear, I have 2 sets...

KRONUS0100 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2016, 06:29:46 PM »

not a 550.........but a 750f....essentially the same rear swingarm design and stuff.........

thats an 82 kz750 rear 16 inch set up.....130/90-16 bridgestone spitfire
have obtained an 83 GPZ550 18 inch rear wheel to fix the stance. it will be wrapped in either a 120/90 or 130/90-18 bridgestone.
the kz wheel need the correct size bearings....kz is a 17mm axle and the honda is a 20mm. USA bearing is where i got mine

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2016, 06:35:59 PM »

Kronoso, looks like you used the whole KZ front end...tell us what you had to do

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2016, 07:16:19 PM »

Quote from: seanbarney41 on February 15, 2016, 06:35:59 PM

Kronoso, looks like you used the whole KZ front end...tell us what you had to do

KZ front on the one I posted too Sean, just running Lockheed or brembo calipers...

754 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2016, 07:42:40 PM »

Kronos looks like a 750 F fork..

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2016, 07:56:44 PM »

Quote from: 754 on February 15, 2016, 07:42:40 PM

Kronos looks like a 750 F fork..

maybe, but I don't see that rib down the length of the slider...those are definitely KZ rotors and calipers

754 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2016, 11:18:12 PM »

I can see what looks like the ribs...and the grooves up top ..mainly a Honda thing ..or ?

KRONUS0100 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2016, 06:41:23 AM »

76 GOLDWING FRONT FORKS. running 78 750F front brakes. had a minor rotor diamtere issue......the kz rotors not as large as the 78 F rotors. so i have upgraded to yamaha rotors and have had brackets made to make up that difference, still working on pictures. the rear end is a 82 900f DOHC swingarm with stock pivot bolt......plus the kz 16 inch wheel. i sourced a gpz 550 rear wheel because i couldnt find a kz 18 inch that matched the front....the gpz does...but its red...so it has to be painted, and i need another yamaha rotor to match the fronts for it. got pics, just dont have em loaded yet. not sure how to do a build page.
bike has custom built wiring harness with relays as well

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2016, 10:14:20 AM »

I think Paolo (P.abrera) used KZ mags on his 550:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,135180.0.html

BPellerine · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2016, 12:54:34 PM »

Quote from: KRONUS0100 on February 15, 2016, 06:29:46 PM

not a 550.........but a 750f....essentially the same rear swingarm design and stuff.........

thats an 82 kz750 rear 16 inch set up.....130/90-16 bridgestone spitfire
have obtained an 83 GPZ550 18 inch rear wheel to fix the stance. it will be wrapped in either a 120/90 or 130/90-18 bridgestone.
the kz wheel need the correct size bearings....kz is a 17mm axle and the honda is a 20mm. USA bearing is where i got mine

speedo drive on that bike?

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2016, 01:02:44 PM »

Quote from: KRONUS0100 on February 16, 2016, 06:41:23 AM

76 GOLDWING FRONT FORKS. running 78 750F front brakes. had a minor rotor diamtere issue......the kz rotors not as large as the 78 F rotors. so i have upgraded to yamaha rotors and have had brackets made to make up that difference, still working on pictures. the rear end is a 82 900f DOHC swingarm with stock pivot bolt......plus the kz 16 inch wheel. i sourced a gpz 550 rear wheel because i couldnt find a kz 18 inch that matched the front....the gpz does...but its red...so it has to be painted, and i need another yamaha rotor to match the fronts for it. got pics, just dont have em loaded yet. not sure how to do a build page.
bike has custom built wiring harness with relays as well

dang, I was way off...

KRONUS0100 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2016, 06:28:29 AM »

speedo drive is stock kz750 1982-83. cable matche sup perfectly to honda speedo, same ratio

Scott S · « **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2016, 07:05:45 AM »

This is really neat information to know. I'd like to know more about the KZ swing arm on the CB, or what/how you mount the caliper and master cylinder.

This looks like a fairly easy way to get triple discs and a Morris Mag look.

KRONUS0100 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 17, 2016, 08:21:21 AM »

HONDA CB900F DOHC swingarm. shave 13mm off right side to fit. either drill frame for 900f pivot bolt, or have new bushing made to fit cb750 pivot bolt. used the 900f pivot bearings. will have to make axle spacers to line up and center the wheel....and i had to use an old sprocket as a sprocket spacer to line up front and rear sprockets

BPellerine · « **Reply #18 on:** February 17, 2016, 09:49:48 AM »

nice info!thanks billp

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2016, 01:47:08 PM »

Quote from: KRONUS0100 on February 17, 2016, 08:21:21 AM

HONDA CB900F DOHC swingarm. shave 13mm off right side to fit. either drill frame for 900f pivot bolt, or have new bushing made to fit cb750 pivot bolt. used the 900f pivot bearings. will have to make axle spacers to line up and center the wheel....and i had to use an old sprocket as a sprocket spacer to line up front and rear sprockets

You don't need the 900f arm to do this wheel conversion at all, all this can be done a lot easier with the stock swingarm...

Scott S · « **Reply #20 on:** March 05, 2019, 03:59:04 PM »

Reviving this old thread. I've had this on my brain all day for some reason.
I know that All Balls has a bearing chart and the front would be nearly bolt on. Speedo drive ratio works with Honda speedo and cable. Were the KZ forks 35mm? Would it be easier to match calipers for dual discs with the KZ forks?
I think the KZ1000 rotor matches up with the stock Honda caliper.

The rear is about the only thing stopping me from buying a set of these mags today. Rear drum mags all seem to be 16". To get rear disc would require welding for the caliper stay and master cylinder mount, and then making the master work with the CB rear brake.

Somebody want to brainstorm this with me?

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 05, 2019, 04:53:26 PM »

I have thought of swapping to Kawasaki front forks and/or swingarm for the mags and brakes. Having owned numerous sohc Hondas and 3 Kawasaki KZ's here is what I can tell you...
-I have never actually sized stuff up to see what is or isn't easily interchangeable. Chassis geometry is quite similar between the two, so whatever set up chosen could be made to work.
- Kawi forks are mostly 36mm from the kz era...I think. I know it is an oddball size slightly larger than 35mm, anyway.
-To me, the biggest gain would be Kaw brakes. Wayyy better than even GL1000 or 750f2. My single disc kz650 stops as good as these. My dual disc kz650sr will stand on it's nose if you want to get carried away.
-Stock Kawasaki front fork action is crude in comparison to Honda. I think it would require Race Tech goodies to get the forks as good as a stock Honda in proper working order.
-As far as just swapping wheels, I just have not compared axle sizes or rotor compatibility. I do like the looks of the Kawi Enkei wheels. Unfortunately, most came in 16" rears. 18's are out there but quite a bit more scarce and Kawi guys are after them also, of course.

Scott S · « **Reply #22 on:** March 05, 2019, 05:11:51 PM »

I think the KZ axles are different than the CB, but All Balls can fix that easily; KZ wheel on Honda axle(s).
If the CB forks are better, cool. But that leaves us with the Honda floating caliper. The KZ1000 disc would line up with the front CB caliper. (I'd still like modern calipers on a CB, but that's another thread).

Is there such a thing as an 18" Kawasaki rear drum mag wheel?

Scott S · « **Reply #23 on:** March 05, 2019, 05:13:40 PM »

And tell me more about fitting the KZ swingarm. All that really gets you is the caliper holder and an easy way to use KZ axle/spacers, right? Is the sprocket offset correct?

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 05, 2019, 06:16:37 PM »

Quote from: Scott S on March 05, 2019, 05:11:51 PM

I think the KZ axles are different than the CB, but All Balls can fix that easily; KZ wheel on Honda axle(s).
If the CB forks are better, cool. But that leaves us with the Honda floating caliper. The KZ1000 disc would line up with the front CB caliper. (I'd still like modern calipers on a CB, but that's another thread).

Is there such a thing as an 18" Kawasaki rear drum mag wheel?

I think 77 kz650C1...maybe others?

I think Kawasaki rotor swap would be a slight improvement over Honda...softer stainless alloy, and thinner and lighter

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Author Topic: KZ rear disc mags on a CB550? (Read 6612 times)