NGK B8ES or NGK BR8ES

650ed wrote:

pete greek1 wrote: Any engine that takes the NGK B8ES plugs also take the ND W22ES-U plugs
my 1980 LTD 1000 uses the same plugs as 650ed's KZ 650
Pete

There may be a bit of confusion on this one.

The NGK B8ES plugs are the same heat range as the ND W24ES-U plugs. These plugs are one heat range colder than the plugs below.

The NGK B7ES plugs are the same heat range as the ND W22ES-U plugs.

You're correct ED, very confusing , If you cross reference ND W22ES-U with NGK, It can replace NGK B8ES or B7ES, & the same goes for the ND W24ES-U plug, very confusing indeed, :huh:
Pete

To add to the confusion, the April, 1976 1st edition of the KZ650 Kawasaki service manual which has the title “KAWASAKI SHOP MANUAL” gave the wrong information for both the NGK and ND spark plugs. That manual specified ND W24ES and NGK B8ES plugs. Those plugs are one heat range too cold for a KZ650 used on the street. I can only assume that the Kawasaki testers ran the heck out of the KZ650 test bikes on the track, and under those harsh conditions the cold plugs were probably fine. I ran my KZ650 very hard on the street, but I still had problems with the plugs fouling.

Beginning in April, 1977 when Kawasaki published the next edition of the KZ650 manual, this time with the title “KAWASAKI SERVICE MANUAL”, they corrected the specifications to show ND W22ES-U and NGK B7ES plugs. Later KZ650 manuals kept this revised specification. I’ve used the updated specified plugs from ND and NGK and neither gave me fouling problems, although the ND plugs seem to perform a little better in my bike. Ed

I read an article about ND and NGK plugs last year. In the 70's when these bikes came out, the ND's didn't work as well as the NGK's. Honda used them in all their bikes. It was explained the Honda coils produced a longer spark than the Kawasaki's, so the plugs worked just fine in them. ND was falling behind of NGK so they came out with the :hot U" plugs. I have a set of CB 750 coils and have been toying with the idea of putting them on my bike to see if there's any difference.
Steve

650ed wrote: $17.99 each! Holy cow! I use the specified ND plugs and have never have any problems with them; a set very easily lasts more than 10,000 miles. A few years ago I bought 4 packs of 10 (40 spark plugs) from eBay for $12 with free delivery! That's enough plugs to last beyond my lifetime. :laugh: I would look at using the specified ND or NGK plugs since they work perfectly fine. Ed

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What a deal !! Would a jumped all over that too. Got a good deal (but no where as good as that) on 10 NGK's with free shipping I think 8 or 10 bucks but then he more than doubled the price after words.

A small shop in the early 80s talked me into Champions for a long while and have a set of N4's waiting for spring..... love that poster of Bryan Farnsworth Ed you posted and if Champions were good enough for it I figure I'll use em up..... sure it was alot about sponsor money too. Owner had bought a truck load of "gold" tip plugs back then and used em in his stock KZ1000 turbo drag bike and was selling them for fairly cheap. He claimed he was holding the record some where in the 9s at that time and he had alot of pics trophy's and plagues to back it up.

I've used them all over the years and always go back to the NGK B8ES followed by the W24ES-U.
I also bought two boxes of the W24ES-Us on eBay three- four or five years ago for what amounted to about +$1.50 per plug with shipping.
I wonder if that was the same seller....?