TOPIC:

Hey guys. Anyone know the correct spoke sizes for a 1977 KZ200's front and rear wheels? I've asked a couple of shops and they seem a bit coy about it. From what I gather, most of them take your rim, and then cut spokes to the correct length, although there's one shop that offered to sell me the right spokes for £160 (£80 each for front and back) as sets without needing to measure my rims. I take that to mean that somewhere, someone knows the right gauge, angle and length of the spokes, so the information must be out there somewhere. This information could be useful and help me hunt around and get a good deal, with nice black spokes, etc.

Thanks

I would start with the parts diagrams & try Buchanan's. Kawaski.com. Cmsnl.com. or Partzilla.
Cmsnl is the only site I know of that has some UK/Euro models. Partzilla is easier to use than just about any other site.
Then check the part numbers on EB or the internet. but I don't know if that will get you the actual sizes of the spokes.
You could try an internet search >> how to measure motorcycle spokes

Nah, none of those sites have any info on this particular bike. I've got the Haynes manual and it doesn't have spoke lengths in it either. However, I've just gone out and pushed the front tyre aside and removed a spoke. I know the right size now, thanks.

i have a 79 kz 200...Canada...parts bike..i can get you info in the morning...that help?...your looking for the overall size?...dont know if a 77-79 has a cutoff year..bet it does

I do not know the size but from this location www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1979-kawasa...a/o/m150612#sch81715 it would appear there are 2 different spokes (inner and outer) for both the front and the rear. Following part numbers=
front inner = 41027-5005
front outer = 41028-5004
rear inner = 41027-5006
rear outer = 41028-5005

Thanks stillbill, that's a really nice gesture. I think I'll keep you in mind for other questions regarding this bike.

That's interesting gd4now, although also a bit disappointing. No price given, and if someone has old stock, they will all be Kawasaki originals, and expensive.

I think what I'll do is just go in a bit confidently and try a few things out. All the spokes are about 3mm thick, and they all have a 90-degree bend. As far as I can tell, generic spoke replacement packs come in packs of 36, which is the number of spokes required. So I've taken a few measurements and have ordered a generic pack of 36 for the front wheel. I'll put them together and see how they go. If half of them are too long, I'll trim bits off the ends and see if that works. If all goes well I'll do the same with the rear wheel.

More info - the Kawasaki site does not list a kz200 for 1977 but for 1978 they have the following info. www.kawasaki.com/Parts/PartsDiagram/141831/1978/KZ200-A1

Ref # PART NUMBER ITEM NAME QUANTITY Destination Remarks
9 41027-5005 SPOKE-ASY,FR INNER 18 100 X 179.5 M/M
10 41028-5004 SPOKE-ASY,FR OUTER 18 84 X 179 M/M
11 41027-5006 SPOKE-ASY,RR INNER 18 101 X 151 M/M
12 41028-5005 SPOKE-ASY,RR OUTER 18 82 X 150.5 M/M

www.kawasaki.com/Parts/PartsDiagram/141831/1978/KZ200-A1A

9 41027-5005 SPOKE-ASY,FR INNER 100 X 179.5 M/M
10 41028-5004 SPOKE-ASY,FR OUTER 84 X 179 M/M
11 41027-5006 SPOKE-ASY,RR INNER 101 X 151 M/M
12 41028-5005 SPOKE-ASY,RR OUTER 82 X 150.5 M/M

Thanks for that!

Yes, my V5 (UK registration certificate) says it was registered in 1977, and the Haynes manual says it was made from "1977 on". But no matter. It appears from your list that I've got the wrong size on order (my measurements gave me 178mm for the front spokes, and all of them are at least 8mm wound onto the nipples. So I took it upon myself to order 36 of 175mm spokes. No matter. If they don't fit, I'll get different ones.

Interesting list there. Those are very precise lengths, cut at the factory. What I take from that is that I should be able to get away with 180mm spokes (both inner and outer) at the front, and 150 or 151mm spokes (both inner and outer) at the rear.

It's all a learning experience, and even if I make a mistake, I feel a lot better about it than getting a wheelwright to take care of it for £160! Nobody learns anything by hiring a pro to do it for them... If the worst comes to the worst, I'll reuse the old ones after dunking them in vinegar for a few days (they've got surface rust).

Please note that is info I found on the Kaw site. I do not intend to come across as an expert on the spokes for the KZ200s. Also note those were for a 78 and I do not know if there are or are not differences between a 78 and a 77.

Oh, it's all good stuff anyway. I'm not paying for the Kawasaki ones for half a mm here or there - it would actually be cheaper to send the rims and hubs off to a specialist to get them made.

I received the spokes and nipples I ordered for the REAR wheel today through the post. Much earlier than expected, since I only ordered these yesterday. I ordered 36 x 150mm spokes. Going by the Kawasaki website, that's about within a mm for both the inner and outer spokes. The one major difference is that these are 3mm diameter spokes, while the originals measure up to about 3.3mm to 3.4mm thick, by my reckoning.

What do you guys think (I mean, about losing perhaps 0.3mm thickness on the spokes for the rear wheel)? I'd like to put these in and give them a try, but I won't if it's unsafe.