Smallest KZ front wheel made?

I can't find this anywhere and was wondering what the smallest factory KZ front wheel was. I am starting a KZ1000J streetfighter projec6t and have aquired an 18 inch rear and have a 18 inch front currently and was wondering if that is the smallest. Would like to stay with factory wheels.

gpz 305's had the narrowiest lightest mag that i know of i will be running one soon on one of my dragbikes.

I think all KZs either used a 18" or a 19". They may have followed the masses and gone smaller on the later GPZs. For sure anything smaller than 18" is no good on a streetbike.

What about the 16 inch cast ltd wheel?

RonKZ650 wrote:

For sure anything smaller than 18" is no good on a streetbike.

I respectfully disagree.......

Bike is a '83 KZ1000 CSR
Wheel is a 16" from a early 90's Ninja 600.

I will post the whole bike in projects soon.

Wildog wrote:

I can't find this anywhere and was wondering what the smallest factory KZ front wheel was. I am starting a KZ1000J streetfighter projec6t and have aquired an 18 inch rear and have a 18 inch front currently and was wondering if that is the smallest. Would like to stay with factory wheels.

You are already there if you have an 18" front wheel...it is the smallest factory KZ wheel made...anything else might be Kawasaki but not KZ...

All I know is my own experience with 16" front wheels which is limited to a 1983 Honda Interceptor, and a 1984 Goldwing that I can remember for sure. Had others with the 17" which was a big improvement, but still not any good. The reason I say no good is there's just something about that smaller diameter that makes the front traction in turns not reliable. Work great on a perfectly smooth road with no gravel, oil, paint markings ect, but add these little items and it's no fun at all to say the least. I was so glad to get rid of that Interceptor just for the 16" wheel as I figured that would eventually be the factor in sliding down the road on my back.

RonKZ650 wrote:

All I know is my own experience with 16" front wheels which is limited to a 1983 Honda Interceptor, and a 1984 Goldwing ............ I was so glad to get rid of that Interceptor just for the 16" wheel...........

Blame the bike or the tires. (rider?)
I ride very aggressively and this setup kicks a$$!

EDIT:
I just read my post and the rider comment sounds insulting. I did not mean it that way.
I am suggesting that your preferences are different than mine.

my experience with small front tires is that they lack feedback and are fidgity under steady arcing turns....the early ninjas had em and other makers went that route too..84-85-86(ron those 500 interceptors were a ton of fun...but the front end...wow....scary stuff sometimes)....then the makers ditched em for bigger fronts...everyone is different ...run what you like...i like the 19 front and 16 rear so go figure......it would be great if tire makers catered to all sizes and then i would not even consider a rim re-lace to a 17-18..as is my 1000j may get down sized rims so i can pick and choose my track day tires....all of this is just bench racing...as i have not built it yet...we'll see

FloridaBiker wrote:

RonKZ650 wrote:

For sure anything smaller than 18" is no good on a streetbike.

I respectfully disagree.......

Bike is a '83 KZ1000 CSR
Wheel is a 16" from a early 90's Ninja 600.

I will post the whole bike in projects soon.

That's not a KZ. Yours has different spoke pattern.
Mark

That's not a KZ. Yours has different spoke pattern.
Mark

Correct.
As I said, the wheel is from a Ninja 600.
The bike in the picture IS a KZ1000 CSR.

One more vote for interceptor front end as worst of all time. My buddy said the front end just went out from under him on an interceptor 500 for seemingly no reason. Can't say if it was the wheel or what, but you won't get me on an interceptor after my experiences on a VF1000R. That bike was nervous even just going slow.