Kz 1300 rear wheel on a 750 Spectre

Hey guys! I joined the forum a few weeks ago. I have a 1982 Spectre750. I purchased it 14 years ago from a co worker for $500. The bike was in great shape with just over 8k on it. I really never got to ride it much since I've owned it and it's been sitting in my garage for the past 14 year due to deployments and otherthings in life. Now I'm ready to put her back on the road again. I want to swap the rear wheel for a Kz1300 rear wheel. I know the 1300 is a right side shaft. Can I still use the wheel on a Spectre? I've searched the forum but I haven't found any info on it.

Firstly I have no idea. :blush:
Will the teeth from your spectre shaft final drive line up on a 13 wheel? Is the outer diameter the same? Is the wheel spindle the same diameter?
Why do you want a 13 wheel fitted?
Cheers fred1r

To answer your questions
Will the teeth from your spectre shaft final drive line up on a 13 wheel? I have no idea.
Is the outer diameter the same? I have no idea.
Is the wheel spindle the same diameter? I have no idea.
I wanted to put a taller wheel on the rear. There are a few rims on ebay I thought of buying, but I want ed to see if someone on the forum know if it would fit before making the purchase. I thought of swapping to chain drive in order to put a taller and wider wheel, but that's a project I don't want to get into.

It looks like nobody here has tried it, so you will be pioneering. If you can pick up a kz1300 wheel for a decent price, you can make all the measurements, and if it won't work, you can resell the wheel

If you want to give it a try, you will also need to be sure that the tire you want to use is not going to rub the swngarm on either or both sides and that the brake stay will also clear or can be modified to.
If the circumference of th proposed tire is significantly different, there could be clearance problems and overall gearing implications
It may be a nearly bolt in project, or it may require a great deal of fabrication. What is your ultimate goal? How much time and money are you willing to invest? How much of the work are you willing and able to do?
It could make an interesting thread to watch.

I have 2 shafties... an 82' 1100 Spectre and an 83' KZ750. I have the 1100 rear wheel off and see the carriage that mounts to the wheel fits into the wheel the same way the chain drive carriage, w/sprocket, fits. So I've wondered the same thing... can I swap my 750 rim to my 1100? ...or any rim? ...even off a 650?

But don't forget about your axle diameter and I would use the existing carriage because it's been mated with that shaft housing and a different carriage may grind the teeth on both.

I hope to get some rims out, soon, to take some measurements and see what's feasible. Your best bet is to find someone with KZ standard and/or shaft rims and see what the measurements tell you. I'll try to report on what I find...

TexasKZ wrote: It looks like nobody here has tried it, so you will be pioneering. If you can pick up a kz1300 wheel for a decent price, you can make all the measurements, and if it won't work, you can resell the wheel

If you want to give it a try, you will also need to be sure that the tire you want to use is not going to rub the swngarm on either or both sides and that the brake stay will also clear or can be modified to.
If the circumference of th proposed tire is significantly different, there could be clearance problems and overall gearing implications
It may be a nearly bolt in project, or it may require a great deal of fabrication. What is your ultimate goal? How much time and money are you willing to invest? How much of the work are you willing and able to do?
It could make an interesting thread to watch.

My ultimate goal is to make a change in the bike's stance. I wanted to put a taller rear wheel in place of the 16"rear wheel. I thought the 1300 came with a 18" rear wheel, but I see it's a 17". The 18" were on the chain driven 1000. Initially I was going to do a shaft to chain swap, install a mono shock swing arm, run a 17" or 18"rear wheel and 180 to 200 tire. I decided not the go down that road and just stay with the shaft for now. I have no issue working on the bike myself. I don't have the ability to weld, but anything else I think I can handle.

Ron, have you ever taken the rear tire off your bike? Do it and remove the REAR HUB COUPLING(42034). You'll see the REAR HUB DAMPER(92075). So what you need to check is that the new rim takes the same SNAP RING (92033) and will fit in the existing damper. I now also suspect that you'll need a shaftie rim. Non-shaftie rims don't have the grove for the snap ring. I don't know that any shaftie had an 18" rear rim. You may have to settle for a 17". (BTW, this is a PIC of the KZ1100 Shaft rim. It's also a 16")



You can do a bit of research here: www.kawasaki.com/DefaultFrame.aspx?strCo.../VICHOOSEVEHICLE.ASP

Just follow the bouncing ball... (o: All the PNs you need can be found there.


But again, if you find a rim that will work, keep the current rear hub coupling that is on your 750. Don't need to chew up those teeth with a hub that is different.

Good luck man...

Hi ronz.
firstly, are you in the usa? = spectre ( checked your profile = no info.)
Secondly, in the uk, the 'spectre' was a us import (factory custom,550,750 and 1100 shafty). Here in the uk we had depending on the year GT550, GT750 and ST1100 (none were customs).
The ST1100 came with a 16" rear, same as the spectre, however, either or both the later GT 550's / GT 750's came with 18" rears.
many years ago I straight swapped over the GT and ST back wheels (to make the 'chopper' look). I can't remember which GT it was (1989?).
The GT's, in the uk were much loved by motorcycle dispatch riders, = lots in salvage yards.
the downside might be the width of tire =150 maximum????
Hope that helps fred1r

Oh and what about the z1000st??? Isn't that an 18" (130 ?)

!Seymore wrote: Ron, have you ever taken the rear tire off your bike? Do it and remove the REAR HUB COUPLING(42034). You'll see the REAR HUB DAMPER(92075). So what you need to check is that the new rim takes the same SNAP RING (92033) and will fit in the existing damper. I now also suspect that you'll need a shaftie rim. Non-shaftie rims don't have the grove for the snap ring. I don't know that any shaftie had an 18" rear rim. You may have to settle for a 17". (BTW, this is a PIC of the KZ1100 Shaft rim. It's also a 16")

You can do a bit of research here: www.kawasaki.com/DefaultFrame.aspx?strCo.../VICHOOSEVEHICLE.ASP

Just follow the bouncing ball... (o: All the PNs you need can be found there.


But again, if you find a rim that will work, keep the current rear hub coupling that is on your 750. Don't need to chew up those teeth with a hub that is different.

Good luck man...

Thanks for the info! That's something to go on. I did some searching on 18" shaft wheel. The 18" chain driven wheels were on Kz1000 police models.

fred1r wrote: Hi ronz.
firstly, are you in the usa? = spectre ( checked your profile = no info.)
Secondly, in the uk, the 'spectre' was a us import (factory custom,550,750 and 1100 shafty). Here in the uk we had depending on the year GT550, GT750 and ST1100 (none were customs).
The ST1100 came with a 16" rear, same as the spectre, however, either or both the later GT 550's / GT 750's came with 18" rears.
many years ago I straight swapped over the GT and ST back wheels (to make the 'chopper' look). I can't remember which GT it was (1989?).
The GT's, in the uk were much loved by motorcycle dispatch riders, = lots in salvage yards.
the downside might be the width of tire =150 maximum????
Hope that helps fred1r

You're right Fred Spectre is in the U.S. I've been meaning to put some info in my profile. I guess one of the short coming of having a shaft drive is the tire width selection. I currently have a 120 rear tire and it seems like there isn't much room left to go any bigger.

Hi rons z, check out the kawasaki GT 750. They are definitely an 18" rear wheel shaft drive.(lots for sale on ebay).
failing that, if you did want a 17" wheel( as on the z13,) then the z1000 ST is the one.
both bikes had the standard 7 spoke mags, so will match your front.