KZ550 to 650 Mag Wheel Swap

Hello!
I understand the KZ550 LTD wheels will directly fit onto the 81 KZ650 CSR, but will the front wheel and disc be a direct swap if it is NOT a LTD? I know both wheels (KZ550 and 650) are 19x1.85, but am I missing something along the lines of the 650 caliper not seating properly on the disc of a NON-LTD front wheel?



My spokes are very well rusted from the PO leaving the bike to the weather for a couple years, and I don't want to respoke the wheels or spend weeks upon months removing rust. Plus I like the look of the mags better .

Thanks for the help.

Try using the cross-reference at Kawasaki.com. I don't remember for sure, but I believe the 550A-Standard front wheel & disk are the same as the 550-Ltd.

I put KZ550-Ltd wheels (19" Fr 7 16" Rr) on my 81 KZ650-CSR. They are a direct swap - all of the parts are either the same or fit fine. I reused just about everything from my CSR wheels, including the axles. Z1Enterprises.com has All-Balls-Racing wheel bearing sets w the oil seals, including the seal for the speedo drive. The All-Balls bearings are nice.

.

I did try to use it but the numbers didn't match up, or at least I don't know what the heck I'm reading. For the 550 it just shows solid wheel without any more info to cross ref the 650.

Oops maybe you meant between the 550's :blush:

LTD: 41073-1080-21

A2: 41073-1080-21

A1: 41073-1041

What was the year split for A1 and A2 does anyone know?


Nevermind, just googled and got the answer. :blush:

So 81+ it just goes A2, A3 so forth. Sweet!

It depends on the year and model.

1980 550A1 models:
European got dual disk 232mm.
Elsewhere single 250mm.

1980 550C1 model:
European got dual disk 226mm.
Elsewhere single 236mm.

1981 500B3:
Now all have dual disk 226mm.
Rear is 226mm.

1981 400J2
UK and West German dual disk 226mm
Elsewhere single 236mm

1981 550A2 same as 400J2
1981 550C2 same as 400J2
1981 550B2 same as 500B3
1981 550D1 same as 500B3

Basically there are two types of brakes. The older calipers use larger disks, and single-disks are larger than dual disks.

My wheels & front disk are from a 1980 KZ550-C1 Ltd. The cross-reference at Kawasaki.com shows that the disk is the same on the 80-83 A1-A4/C1-C4, and various KZ1000s have the same disk as well.

Something else, the 83 KZ650-CSR has cast alloy (mag) wheels that are the same as the 550. Or at least the Fr is the same & the Rr is interchangeable (ie, different part numbers but still swap).

Also, there's a KZ440 model or two that have the same front wheel. I bought one & the disk on it is virtually identical to the 550 disk on my bike: same diameter, same min thickness spec, etc. I'm pretty sure the 440 Rr wheels are different.

Once you're in the diagrams at Kawasaki.com, clicking the full part number opens a new window w other info. In the new window click the yellow/black ? for the cross-reference... another new window opens. The red/white S gives supersession info.

KZ550-C1 (Ltd) (1980)

DISC,FR,SILVER ... 41080-1127

Model (19):
KZ1000-J1 (1981)
KZ1000-J2 (1982)
KZ1000-K1 (LTD) (1981)
KZ1000-K2 (LTD) (1982)
KZ1100-A1 (Shaft) (1981)
KZ1100-A2 (Shaft) (1982)
KZ1100-A3 (Shaft) (1983)
KZ1100-B1 (GPz) (1981)
KZ1100-D1 (Spectre) (1982)
KZ1100-D2 (Spectre) (1983)
KZ1100-L1 (LTD Shaft) (1983)
KZ550-A1 (1980)
KZ550-A2 (1981)
KZ550-A3 (1982)
KZ550-A4 (1983)
KZ550-C1 (LTD) (1980)
KZ550-C2 (LTD) (1981)
KZ550-C3 (LTD) (1982)
KZ550-C4 (LTD) (1983

Also from the Kawasaki.com diagrams cross-ref....

KZ550-C1 (Ltd) (1980)

WHEEL-ASSY,FR,F.BLACK ... 41073-1080-21

Model (15):
KZ440-A4 (LTD) (1983)
KZ440-D5 (LTD Belt) (1983)
KZ440-G1 (1982)
KZ550-A1 (1980)
KZ550-A2 (1981)
KZ550-A3 (1982)
KZ550-A4 (1983)
KZ550-C1 (LTD) (1980)
KZ550-C2 (LTD) (1981)
KZ550-C3 (LTD) (1982)
KZ550-C4 (LTD) (1983)
KZ550-M1 (LTD Shaft) (1983)
KZ650-H3 (CSR) (1983)
KZ750-K1 (LTD Belt) (1983)
KZ750-K2 (CANADA ONLY) (1984)

redwood wrote:

... but will the front wheel and disc be a direct swap if it is NOT a LTD?

... but am I missing something along the lines of the 650 caliper not seating properly on the disc of a NON-LTD front wheel?

I assume the wheel in question is a KZ550A, since it's the only non-LTD wheel from the early 1980's with single disk. (The LTD is a KZ550C and later there was a shaft version KZ550M.)

The KZ550A is a non-LTD wheel, and if it's from a 1980 KZ550A1, then it won't swap, unfortunately, beause it uses the larger disk.


1980 550 A1 wheel is 41073-1041
1980 550 A1 disk is 41080-1032

1981 550 A2 wheel is 41073-1080-21
1981 550 A2 disk is 41083-1127

The 1982 A3 and 1983 A4 are the same as the A2.

You can't trust the Kawasaki.com parts cross reference lists. They have way too many errors. You always have to cross check the hard way and look at each fiche.

One shortcut is to simply change the model code in the title of the fiche.