Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Is it hard?
Is it something I even want to think about doing myself or best get someone else to do it?

At some point I want to tidy up the wheels on the Kawonda.
The current ones have a fair bit of surface rust - the parts bike ones have purple paint

To tidy them up properly I figure I've got to pull at least one set apart and off the drum/hub.
Then cleaning them and re-chroming could be tiresome/annoying - so then I'm wondering if I shouldn't just buy new clean rims and spokes.

And both options make me wonder how hard re-spoking is as I'd heard getting the tension even and things aligned can be a bitch.
Or if I should find someone to do the respoking.
Or if I should find someone I can give the wheels to and say 'here - fix'.

Thoughts?

Go to a Pro, seriously it is too hard to do yourself & get it spot on.

there was a letter about this in the bike doc column of two wheels last month I think, bottom line, take it to a pro.

Matt

Cool - thank you both

Found this anyway.... but it makes it sound easy I saw one being done on the show "a motorcycle is reborn" & it was a headfark to work out the sequence of spokes.

Step 1 Lay the rim on a flat work surface and place the hub in the center of the rim. Select eight inner spokes (shorter ones) and eight outer spokes (longer ones). Gather them in groups of four, with two of each type in each group. These are your starter spokes.

Step 2 Thread the spokes through the hub at the 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions. Thread one inner and one outer spoke through the hub at these locations on both sides of the hub so that each side has an inner and an outer spoke in each clock position. Guide the spokes into their holes in the rim as you lace the hub.

Step 3 Thread on the spoke nipples where the spokes penetrate the rim. Tighten down each nipple roughly the same amount to save time on the trueing stand. Stand the wheel up and install the trueing stand axle. Place the wheel and axle on the stand.

Step 4 Spin the wheel and observe the top of the rim. Adjust the hop first. Stop the wheel when the most pronounced hop is at the top of the rotation. Loosen the two inner spokes opposite the hop a few turns then tighten the two inner spokes at the hop. Spin the wheel and observe. Repeat the process until the hop is minimal. Snug any inner spokes that are still loose.

Step 5 Spin the wheel and observe the side of the rim. Adjust for wobble at this time. Stop the wheel rotation with the wobble toward you. Loosen the outer spoke on the inside of the wobble and tighten the outer spoke on the outside of the wobble. This will pull the rim to the side to correct the wobble. Repeat this process until the wobble is minimal.

Step 6 Install a dial indicator on the bottom edge of the rim. Slowly spin the wheel and observe the gauge as it measures the hop runout in thousandths of an inch. Make small adjustments to the inner spokes until the hop is within factory specifications for the year, make and model of bike.

Step 7 Install the dial indicator on the side of the rim. Slowly spin the wheel and measure the wobble runout. Make small adjustments to the outer spokes until the runout is within factory specifications for your year, make and model of bike. Measure for hub offset by placing a straight edge across the wheel and bearing on the rim on both sides. Measure from the edge of the hub to the straight edge. Repeat this on the opposite side. Refer to factory specifications for information on hub offset. Center the hub and the rim if no offset is called for.

Step 8 Remove the wheel from the trueing stand. Lace the remaining spokes through the hub and into the rim. Install the spoke nipples and tighten them finger tight. Install the wheel back onto the trueing stand. Tighten all the spokes down to the same tension as the starter spokes. Recheck for runout and make any adjustments at this time.

Keith Novak used to advertise in Sydney for wheel-building.

Mike Warner up in Qld also does a great job.

robracer wrote:Found this anyway.... but it makes it sound easy I saw one being done on the show "a motorcycle is reborn" & it was a headfark to work out the sequence of spokes.

Step 1 Lay the rim on a flat work surface and place the hub in the center of the rim.

It's a little after this step that it gets difficult I believe That being said, I know Slow and Wobbly laced a wheel on one of his 85 odd projects in 2009.

Gosling1 wrote:Keith Novak used to advertise in Sydney for wheel-building.

I used Keith for the T250 PC racer, I had Excel rims & stainless spokes for him to lace up
Think he was in Auburn or Lidcombe

Its been a while since I have seen his ad in the bike mags, hopefully he is still out there doing the business....

Thanks Rob - sounds too hard to me.
Thanks Gos for the name - I'll start looking around when I get some more dough together.

It can be done but you need to know the tecnique and have the necessary jig/tools.
(Great post Rob )

When it goes wrong it drives you to drink....the more you drink the more it goes wrong!?

I will do for myself coz I'm a fussy basterd , anyone else can get farked though