Hi all I am a newbie at this but I thought people with generation 1 bike might like to know that ER5 wheels (17") can be used to replace their 16's particularly now the rears are obsolete and most out there are oval.
The front wheel is a direct replacement the only thing to watch is the clearance of the mudguard bolts on the side of the tyre. These can always be replaced with button head or countersunk allen screws to give a little more clearance use stainless steel ones and plenty of copper grease). The disc is on the left and both models use an EBC MD4016LS disc so you can use the existing GPZ's. Use some thread locker on the disc bolts and take care to loosen and tighten the securing bolts a little at a time in a Criss-cross pattern. Undo the caliper and wire it to the frame whilst changing the wheel so no stress is put on the brake line. When reassembling the wheel make sure the speedo drive is fully seated home on its drive lugs and when the spindle is tightened the wheel still turns easily (see other treads)
The back wheel is a little more complicated but requires from an ER the following:
Frame to Sprocket Carrier Spacer (larger diameter and shorter than GPZ)
Sprocket Carrier (this is a 6 splined arrangement and is needed to match the wheel)
Sprocket Carrier to Wheel Spacer (required to complete the assembly correctly)
Cush drive or Damper (again a 6 splined unit to match wheel)
Wheel (& Tyre of course)
The GPZ drum brake plate and shoes are fully interchangeable
The sprockets are interchangeable so keep the GPZ one
You will need to use the GPZ off side spacer and turn the off side chain adjuster inside out to use the thicker side to take up the last 1mm - you can make a small notch in the correct place by first marking the frame where the notch is then turning the adjuster inside out and using this mark to mark on the adjuster wher the notch should be. A junior Hacksaw will make a suitable notch. As it take 5 mins max why not do both adjusters at the same time (but use individual marks) you then won't have to remember which is which.
All these parts are readily available on e-bay or at breakers but make sure the drums are round and in good condition I did see one where the lining had cracked. To check for roundness use the brake assembly with an M6 Eye bolt cable tied to the anchor bolt. Thread this through the standard barrel and adjust using the standard nut. insert the spindle and turn the brake plate keeping an outward pressure on at all times. You should get a light rubbing all the way around with no tight or loose spots.
This took me a load of time to measure up and research and find some one with a full assembly to compare with - but now this has all been done for everyone who read this forum. To install the wheels took 60-90 minutes.
The Result:- 17" wheels with a reliable drum on the back standard parts used without changing the swing arm foot rest hanger and rear hydraulics. Total cost of parts was ÂŁ85 and I got some very little worn tyres into the bargain.
very nice!! this is excellent news for us aussie guys with a GPZ (or 2 ) since all we got here was the Gen 1 A series bikes from 87-93 ??? However we do have ER5's
Apparently Bridgestone is no longer importing 16" BT45s so this is very helpful in keeping our tyre options open. Big thanks and thumbs up for taking the time! ;D
yeah sorry about that. I referred Jim to it as we're struggling to get 16" tyres here now and this might be a good solution (we don't get the Gen 2 bikes at all).
Another " serious thread resurrection", but will be trying the ER-500 front wheel swap on an 88 EX500, as soon as the wheel is delivered from the UK. Using the Global shipping program on ebay, only paid $42 for shipping, but it hasn't arrived yet, so keeping fingers crossed- have heard some less than stellar experiences with global ship program. Haven't decided which way to go on the rear end- ER-500 wheel which just bolts on but is still drum brake, or 2nd gen EX-500 stuff?
Another " serious thread resurrection", but will be trying the ER-500 front wheel swap on an 88 EX500, as soon as the wheel is delivered from the UK. Using the Global shipping program on ebay, only paid $42 for shipping, but it hasn't arrived yet, so keeping fingers crossed- have heard some less than stellar experiences with global ship program. Haven't decided which way to go on the rear end- ER-500 wheel which just bolts on but is still drum brake, or 2nd gen EX-500 stuff?
both the ER500 wheels fit straight on been done many times over here where 16in tyres are hard to come by.
if you decide to go with a gen 2 wheel. don't forget you have to use the gen 2 swing arm. so you can fit the rear calliper mounting plate. the arm is wider also so you will need the gen 2 axle. and fittings plus also [yeah I know] the gen 2 dog bones as these fit differently on the gen 1. just so you know.
very nice!! this is excellent news for us aussie guys with a GPZ (or 2 ) since all we got here was the Gen 1 A series bikes from 87-93 However we do have ER5's
16" tire choices are slim compared to what's out there for 17's.... the 17's are much more plentiful now that the manufacturers are making small bikes again. Who would've thought you could get a radial for a stock ex500 3.5" rear wheel?
I didn't know about the ER-500 wheel swap until recently, but i do love the parts interchange between Kawi models- the new Ninja 400 wheels might just bolt right up to a 500- lol
Thanks for the info Yorkie on 2nd gen swap. i put a 2nd gen swinger on another 1st gen, but think i used 1st gen dog bones for clearance around a Gsxr shock. How closely does the ER-5 front wheel match up with gen2 500 rear wheel? It really looks like a ZX600-E wheel
The ER-500 front wheel is on! wearing a Michelin Pilot Street 110/70/17. It bolted right up, instant 17" front wheel upgrade for a 1st gen EX500. I'll skip the story of how bent the wheel was when it arrived- Hillsmotorbikes in Skelmersdale, UK, instantly gave a refund, thank you Paul, but then had to find out about the passing of Will Babb, of Will's Rim Repair, Greenville, SC. He did awesome work and cheap and fast- RIP Will, condolences to your family. So sent it off to TAS Wheel and Rim Repair- TAS Machine Co. in Laurel, Maryland. Cost was 130, plus $20 to ship it back and they did it in one day. Not cheap, but i sent it on Wed and had it back on Sat... 4 day turnaround in July is pretty amazing, and Sat UPS delivery was a nice surprise.
I am the tire guy- lol. Used zip ties to mount, Ru Glyde, piece of cake since no old tire to remove. It's not an EX-500 wheel, it's an actual ER-500 front wheel, so no need to run it backwards, and speedo drive works just like with the stock wheel. Just trying to decide whether to use 2nd gen EX-500 rear wheel and convert to disc brakes, or get an ER-500 rear wheel and keep the drum brake. The EX500 rear wheel is pretty close to matching the ER-5 front wheel, but i like the Invisibill idea of keeping it as stock as possible- so might keep drum brake.
depends how much extra work you want to do it's not a simple matter of swapping wheels [like it is with the ER front wheel] on the gen 2 EX the rear swing arm has to be changed as it is wider to accommodate the disk brake. then there's the dog bones, brake lever, pipes. new rear disc assembly with calliper. oh and a new chain guard [if you have one] gen 2's have different fixing points.
the ER rear however is just like the front a straight swap. but you will need the sprocket carrier, [to match the wheel] cushdrive off the ER as it is 6 blade and the sprocket carrier spacers [inner one is thicker. outer one narrower] but everything else fits from the gen 1.
congrats on getting the ER front on [nice aren't they] looks really good.
Thanks Yorkie, yes, i am liking the look of the ER-500 wheels... going to order the rear wheel so they match. Drum brake is old school, but should be more maintenance free than the disc set-up, and with the stock paint on this 88, it just seems right to stay with the stock theme.
**As for the ER-500 parts needed for the swap- They are almost all 2nd gen EX500 parts** except the inner wheel spacer- that's a Vulcan 800 part. I don't have the ER5 rear wheel yet, but parts fiche confirms the ER-5 and EX-500 parts are the same, so no need for overseas shipping, except for the wheels.
EX-500 2nd gen sprocket carrier spacers, sprocket carrier, cushdrive and ER-500 wheels are all you need to bolt on 17" wheels to your Gen 1 EX-500. More pics when i have the rear wheel.
I didn't know the EX gen 2 carrier fit the ER wheel never looked. good spot. here in the UK this mod is popular due to the rarity of 16in tyres. I know the carrier off the EX gen 1 doesn't fit. and assumed the spacers were different because the gen 2 swingarm is wider.
it is far easier over here to just get the whole lot off the ER from the same place [or even the same bike, as we have a lot of ER spares to choose from.
Sure wish Kawi had brought the ER500's here- straight up, bolt-on 17" wheels for a gen 1 is just awesome. It makes penny pinching sense that Kawi used the same rear hub on the gen 2 EX500 and the ER-500, also new gen Ninja 250, Ninja 300... waiting to see a Ninja 400 parts fiche to see if that rear hub is also the same. The 400 doesn't put out any more power than the 500, but it has a 4.5" wheel, i think, so might be different.
Trying to find decent 16" tires is what started me on this swap. The bike came with Kenda cruizer tires, and they really belong on a bigger, heavier bike. The rear Kenda 130/90/16 needs a 3 or 3.5 in rim, and it made the bike feel squirrel-ly. 16" tires are available here, but expensive and usually low tech. Michelin Pilot street tires were $108 with the shipping- i couldn't find one decent 16" tire for that price, let alone a pair.
Rear wheel due on Tues- hope bearings get here by then.
Got the wheel, thought i was good to go, but the ER-5 rear wheel inner spacer/collar is not the same as a 2nd gen EX500 part. EX collar is 111mm long, ER-5 collar is 96mm. Could cut the EX-5 collar down to 96mm, but since the same 92027-1555 ER-5 collar is used on the Vulcan 800 and GPZ750, it is available right here is the US... hopefully arriving this week so the swap can continue.
Because i didn't have the ER500 spacer- you can cut down the EX500 spacer from 111 mm to 96 mm - but it has to be precise or the bearings will not last long. I've only got a chop saw and grinder, prob wouldn't get it to a perfectly straight and square 96 mm, so i just ordered the proper spacer. *No milling of hubs- this is all bolt on!
The ER500 spacer arrived yesterday, just a trial fit, still have to balance the wheel
I was concerned about the weight of the ER500 rear wheel, it was listed at 14.3 lbs, which is 5 grams heavier than a 2nd gen EX500 rear wheel and rotor, for a comparison. But the 1st gen wheel with that Kenda Cruizer tire on it weighs about 28 lbs- ER500 wheel and tire weighs in at 26 lbs.- 2 lbs less of tire/wheel weight is definitely gonna make the bike accelerate and stop better.
Just had her out for a ride- it was all worth it! The Kenda 130-90-16 squeezed onto a stock gen 1 rear wheel had the bike falling into turns way too easily, profile too triangulated- since it's made for a minimum of a 3 inch rim. New Michelin Street Pilots are awesome so far and having the right sized tires really make the bike feel much more stable and planted.
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