kz650c to kz650b wheel swap

I have a '79 kz650c, drum rear. Swapping to B wheels - rear supposedly came off a 78 kz650. dismantled both wheels only to find out my hub and sprocket won't fit into the new rear wheel.

Drum side fits fine, and everything lines up, but the hub side is smaller on the new wheel.


My questions:

Is this difference year based, or just different because of the wheels?
Which hub do I need?
Will my old sprocket bolt up to the new hub?


This is what I am working with:


Thanks! Any help would be appreciated.

Must be a difference between the C wheels and the B ones. You can get a sprocket carrier from any of these bikes(I have a KZ550-A2 alloy on the rear of my B1):

KZ550-A1 (1980)
KZ550-A2 (1981)
KZ550-A3 (1982)
KZ550-A4 (1983)
KZ650-B1 (1977)
KZ650-B2 (1978)
KZ650-B2A (1978)
KZ650-B3 (1979)
KZ650-F1 (1980)

That's what i'm wondering if it's year dependent or there is a difference between the mag and spoked hubs on all the years?

So i'm guessing a 1978 kz650b hub and sprocket will work?

Oh yeah any 650B carrier will work. I guess there was a difference between rear alloys and spoke wheels on the 650's, but the 550's had alloys and they used the same carrier as the 650 wire wheels. Go figure.

Onetype wrote: I have a '79 kz650c, drum rear. Swapping to B wheels - rear supposedly came off a 78 kz650. dismantled both wheels only to find out my hub and sprocket won't fit into the new rear wheel.

Drum side fits fine, and everything lines up, but the hub side is smaller on the new wheel.


My questions:

Is this difference year based, or just different because of the wheels?
Which hub do I need?
Will my old sprocket bolt up to the new hub?


This is what I am working with:

Thanks! Any help would be appreciated.

Onetype wrote: I have a '79 kz650c, drum rear. Swapping to B wheels - rear supposedly came off a 78 kz650. dismantled both wheels only to find out my hub and sprocket won't fit into the new rear wheel.

Drum side fits fine, and everything lines up, but the hub side is smaller on the new wheel.


My questions:

Is this difference year based, or just different because of the wheels?
Which hub do I need?
Will my old sprocket bolt up to the new hub?


This is what I am working with:

Thanks! Any help would be appreciated.

Whoa! Before you try to make any changes to anything you need to start at the beginning and look at your motorcycle more closely. You state "I have a '79 kz650c, drum rear." Sorry, but no such model was ever produced. ALL KZ650-C models came with a rear disk brake on an 18" rear wheel. So you either have a bike that is a different model or someone did a LOT of conversion (which I don't think anyone would have done) to replace a disk brake, master cylinder, wheel, swingarm, etc. with stuff from a drum brake bike. What is the VIN of your bike? That will help you identify what motorcycle you own. Once you know what model motorcycle you have you will have a much better chance of finding appropriate parts. Ed

I didn't think any 650's came with drum rear 16" wheels, but I wasn't sure. What models did? Isn't that a KZ900LTD sort of thing? I'll go scrounge through the parts diagrams and report back.

It's probably not a C due to further investigation. It definately has a 16" mag with rear drum. Might just be a regular 650, whatever that is.

Ed, thanks for the info. It hasn't been converted, probably just not a C. And the brakes are not my issue, just the hub/sprocket carrier.

T_Dub wrote: I didn't think any 650's came with drum rear 16" wheels, but I wasn't sure. What models did? Isn't that a KZ900LTD sort of thing? I'll go scrounge through the parts diagrams and report back.

These KZ650's have 16" rear wheels. Disk or drum is indicated next to model:

KZ650-D1 (SR) (1978) DISK
KZ650-D1A(SR) (1978) DISK
KZ650-D2 (SR) (1979) DISK
KZ650-E1 (LTD) (1980) DRUM
KZ650-H1 (CSR) (1981) DRUM
KZ650-H2 (CSR) (1982) DRUM
KZ650-H3 (CSR) (1983) DRUM

OK, I've had a pretty exhaustive look, never looked at the 550's but thats ok. Here are the models that had such a rear wheel with drum brake.

KZ750-G1
KZ750-K1
KZ650-E1
KZ650-H3

Outside of those, the bikes either had spokes, 18" rears, or disc brakes. Since the axle part numbers are the same for all, you should be fine just buying a 650B sprocket and carrier for that wheel you have.

It's a 650E. Found the hub I need for $20 on fleabay.

650ed wrote:

T_Dub wrote: I didn't think any 650's came with drum rear 16" wheels, but I wasn't sure. What models did? Isn't that a KZ900LTD sort of thing? I'll go scrounge through the parts diagrams and report back.

These KZ650's have 16" rear wheels. Disk or drum is indicated next to model:

KZ650-D1 (SR) (1978) DISK
KZ650-D1A(SR) (1978) DISK
KZ650-D2 (SR) (1979) DISK
KZ650-E1 (LTD) (1980) DRUM
KZ650-H1 (CSR) (1981) DRUM
KZ650-H2 (CSR) (1982) DRUM
KZ650-H3 (CSR) (1983) DRUM

Yeah and the H1 and H2 had a spoke wheel, leaving his bike to be either the E1 or H3. Since he says its a 79 I'd say its an E1.