Lesters, why special?
- jordan
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Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 16:37
I was just wondering what is the deal with lester mags? I see them on alot of triples and z's. Are they lighter? I understand the look part and the fact that they are period correct, but do they perform better?
KZ810 streetfighter kz/gpz/gsxr
1983 gs1100e
1979 KZ 1000 1428 dragbike project
1974 kawasaki H1 500 sold
1972 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay
1973 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay
1982 kz750(sold)
1978 kz650 hardtail(sold)
1975 honda xl250-sold
1971 yamaha R5-sold
1982 yamaha xs400
1983 gs1100e
1979 KZ 1000 1428 dragbike project
1974 kawasaki H1 500 sold

1972 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay

1973 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay

1982 kz750(sold)
1978 kz650 hardtail(sold)
1975 honda xl250-sold
1971 yamaha R5-sold
1982 yamaha xs400
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- Kawickrice
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 16:46
I have one Lester and one einki on my bike. I wish they matched but oh well. I have never weighed them but from what I understand they are heavier than spokes, I like em because they do not rust like my spokes have done
73 Kawasaki Z1
07 HD CVO Ultra Classic
82 Suzuki GS 1100
74 Yamaha RD 350 (My two stroke toy)
77 Kawasaki KZ 650B-1 (My putt around bike)
80 Indian Moped (My American Iron)
1
Long Gone
75 Suzuki GT550
74 GT 380
79 RD 400 Daytona Special
72 Honda CL 175
74 Honda QA 50
Tampa FL
07 HD CVO Ultra Classic
82 Suzuki GS 1100
74 Yamaha RD 350 (My two stroke toy)
77 Kawasaki KZ 650B-1 (My putt around bike)
80 Indian Moped (My American Iron)
1
Long Gone
75 Suzuki GT550
74 GT 380
79 RD 400 Daytona Special
72 Honda CL 175
74 Honda QA 50
Tampa FL
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- jordan
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 16:51
is there a reason you would swap factory mags for them?
KZ810 streetfighter kz/gpz/gsxr
1983 gs1100e
1979 KZ 1000 1428 dragbike project
1974 kawasaki H1 500 sold
1972 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay
1973 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay
1982 kz750(sold)
1978 kz650 hardtail(sold)
1975 honda xl250-sold
1971 yamaha R5-sold
1982 yamaha xs400
1983 gs1100e
1979 KZ 1000 1428 dragbike project
1974 kawasaki H1 500 sold

1972 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay

1973 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay

1982 kz750(sold)
1978 kz650 hardtail(sold)
1975 honda xl250-sold
1971 yamaha R5-sold
1982 yamaha xs400
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- 650ed
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 16:52
In the early days very few bikes came with alloy wheels. I believe Lesters were available just before factory alloys were offered and/or they were a way to put mags on a bike that came with wires.
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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- jordan
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 16:59
Thank you, this is what i was looking for. I am bidding on a lester for a kz but it is starting to go fairly high. I have the stock kz mag and will prolly just stick with it if there is no real performance gain
KZ810 streetfighter kz/gpz/gsxr
1983 gs1100e
1979 KZ 1000 1428 dragbike project
1974 kawasaki H1 500 sold
1972 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay
1973 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay
1982 kz750(sold)
1978 kz650 hardtail(sold)
1975 honda xl250-sold
1971 yamaha R5-sold
1982 yamaha xs400
1983 gs1100e
1979 KZ 1000 1428 dragbike project
1974 kawasaki H1 500 sold

1972 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay

1973 Kawasaki s2 350-parted on ebay

1982 kz750(sold)
1978 kz650 hardtail(sold)
1975 honda xl250-sold
1971 yamaha R5-sold
1982 yamaha xs400
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- jeffasaki
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 17:04
If Im hot mistaken the Lesters are a lot stronger than spoked rims and are made of real magnesium which is lighter that the aluminum mags
78 Z1R
78 KZ1000
76 KH500 gone
71 HS1B 90
81 GS 1100 gone
80 PE400
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Ontario Canada
78 KZ1000
76 KH500 gone
71 HS1B 90
81 GS 1100 gone
80 PE400
02 KLR
Ontario Canada
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- otakar
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 17:22
I have a set of Lesters on my 77 1000. i personaly do not care for the look and will be selling them this spring. 18" rear and 19" front. I doubt that they have 2K miles on them.I want to go back to the Kawasaki mag again.
74 Z1-A stock
76 KZ-900 Totaly stock vice MAC pipe
77 KZ-1000A stock
78 Z1-R 100%MINT 500 original Mi.
78 Z1-R Yoshi 1103 kit stage 1 cams Yoshi pipe. Etc
79 KZ-1300 (1400)
80 KZ-1300
81 Scratch built GPz1150R
82 KZ1000
76 KZ-900 Totaly stock vice MAC pipe
77 KZ-1000A stock
78 Z1-R 100%MINT 500 original Mi.
78 Z1-R Yoshi 1103 kit stage 1 cams Yoshi pipe. Etc
79 KZ-1300 (1400)
80 KZ-1300
81 Scratch built GPz1150R
82 KZ1000
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- Patton
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 18:07
650ed wrote:
Yes.
And available for drum rear brake.
Good Luck!
In the early days very few bikes came with alloy wheels. I believe Lesters were available just before factory alloys were offered and/or they were a way to put mags on a bike that came with wires.
Yes.

Good Luck!

1973 Z1
KZ900 LTD
KZ900 LTD
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- trianglelaguna
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 19:27 - 28 Jan 2010 19:30
my pair(19 front single disk ..18 rear drum) are an extra pair for me,,and were what my bike came with...they feel much lighter than any other rims,spokes,kawi mags,d.i.d, that i have...i know this cause i just moved a while back and had to lift them all in and out of a truck..the lesters were way lighter to the arm feel...and really was easy to tell....the lesters are aluminum...the don't loosen or rust like metal rims with spokes,and they won't get brittle from age or use as quick as magnesium rims do....epm's...were only good for a while and then would begin to show stress cracks...the muzzy teams used to replace all their magnesium trick rims after so may miles,hours ,races....and before a single season was up..........
i'm gonna strip my lesters and do the duplicolor light coating sytems in gold and drilled dual disks.....stay tuned:woohoo:
i'm gonna strip my lesters and do the duplicolor light coating sytems in gold and drilled dual disks.....stay tuned:woohoo:
1976 KZ900
2003 ZX12R
2007 FZ1000
2004 ninja 250R for wife
2003 ZX12R
2007 FZ1000
2004 ninja 250R for wife
Last edit: 28 Jan 2010 19:30 by trianglelaguna.
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- RonKZ650
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Re: Lesters, why special?
28 Jan 2010 20:12
It's been said already pretty much, but just to repeat basically, up until 1976 with the 900LTD there were no cast wheels, so you had the Lesters you were the height of cool in an aftermarket wheel. Of course all changed quickly after 1976 and a lot of the guys with Lesters decided spoke wheels were still cooler. The factory cast wheels on Kawasakis are not even close to a Lester in looks. Polish up that Lester it shines with quality. Strongest wheels ever made arguably. Of course paint them and all bets are off, junk from there, but factory they are the bomb. I think the 76 900LTD used Morris mags, then Enkei starting in 1977. The jury is still out for me as I like spoke wheels, but the Lesters are a nice wheel set. Seems to me they were around $600 a set way back in 1976, so some pretty good money on a $2000-$3000 motorcycle.
321,000 miles on KZ's that I can remember. Not going to see any more.
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- trianglelaguna
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Re: Lesters, why special?
29 Jan 2010 05:31
thanks ron i will take that to note...i have other mags that i could experiment with...not trying to start a museum..but maybe messing with the lesters would be a hastey choice...they are stock and in awesome polish now...good tip...
1976 KZ900
2003 ZX12R
2007 FZ1000
2004 ninja 250R for wife
2003 ZX12R
2007 FZ1000
2004 ninja 250R for wife
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- roy-b-boy-b
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Re: Lesters, why special?
29 Jan 2010 07:12
I think they look good. I have a friend that has them on a "z". Roy
1979 LTD Street Fighter.1977 KZ1000
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