New spokes

53474 omalley https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/53474/avatar/c50_67433C3E_C55F_4D55_8FCE_404B6B5012A1_1538407240.jpg?1538406322 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/omalley,53474/all 07/27/16 1 33 1469 1

Posts: 1503

Joined: 7/27/2016

Location: Snohomish, WA USA

10/26/2017 5:27 AM

I’m almost done with my CR250 build (02). I realized while checking the wheels that the spokes are in sad shape (all seized to the nipples, several with vice grip marks from the PO apparently trying to “fix” the problem...
I would love to just buy spokes, as the rims are in great shape as are the hubs.

Brands I’ve been looking at are:
Excel
Buchanan
Tusk
Pro-wheel

It looks like the Excels and Buchanans may require drilling of the hub and/or rim, and I saw that some folks had issues with the length of the excels on a stock rim.
Tusk is obviously a less expensive OE replacement although they are stainless, and RMATV only seemed to have fronts that I could find.
Pro-Wheel looked to have mixed reviews.

OE Honda are about 3-4.00/spoke with nipples so not cost effective for what you get.

Any recommendations? I had excel spokes/nipples/rims on my KX450, and they seemed decent. If I have to buy rims I will but I’d sure like to avoid it (this bike has already a lot of “as long as I’m in there” $$$)...

Thanks!

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Acidreamer

48595 Acidreamer /images/default/avatar/c50.png https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Acidreamer,48595/all 08/25/15 1 69 1660 2 1

Posts: 1729

Joined: 8/25/2015

Location: Mansfield, OH USA

10/26/2017 7:34 AM

Ive been told the bulldog spokes are really good. They use them in the kite wheels. Im ordering a set for my kx. Otherwise i was going to go with excel.

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2009 Kawasaki KX450F
2009 Kawasaki KX250F
2002 Suzuki GSXR 600

walent215

45186 walent215 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/45186/avatar/c50_2013_crf250_1417919396.jpg?1417918985 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/walent215,45186/all 12/06/14 6 174 1799 7 1

Posts: 1976

Joined: 12/6/2014

Location: Ridgecrest, CA USA

10/26/2017 7:54 AM

Acidreamer wrote:
Ive been told the bulldog spokes are really good. They use them in the kite wheels. Im ordering a set for my kx. Otherwise i ...more

Acidreamer wrote:
Ive been told the bulldog spokes are really good. They use them in the kite wheels. Im ordering a set for my kx. Otherwise i was going to go with excel.

...more

Thats Buchanan right?

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seth505

8912 seth505 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/8912/avatar/c50_GPTempDownload_1_1645732651.jpg?1645731730 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/seth505,8912/all 04/01/08 1 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/seth505,8912/setup 62 8523 74 5

Posts: 8587

Joined: 4/1/2008

Location: SD, CA USA

10/26/2017 8:26 AM
Edited Date/Time: 10/26/2017 8:28 AM

Be sure for your specific application but I have used Buchanan on stock yamaha hubs and no drilling or anything needed. I have been told Buchanan by multiple wheel builders but out of those choices I'd go Buchanan or Excel.

Another option is just sending the parts to someone good like FasterUSA and have them built up.

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RKExcel

31077 RKExcel https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/31077/avatar/c50_RK_EXCEL1x1.jpg?1322495645 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/RKExcel,31077/all 11/28/11 40 1

Posts: 40

Joined: 11/28/2011

Location: Oceanside, CA USA

10/26/2017 8:29 AM

Omalley,

None of the Excel spoke/nipple kits will require you to drill out your stock OE hub. For your 2002 CR250, the front Excel spoke/nipple kit will require you to drill the stock front OE rim's nipple hole diameter to an 8.5mm as majority of our Excel rims come with the 8.5mm nipple hole diameter. From a quick search, it appears your stock OE front Honda DID rim is an 8.0mm.

The rear Excel spoke/nipple kit will work like a charm on the stock OE rim.

If you went through Buchanan's, they can provide you with the correct nipples and spokes to fit your stock OE rims and hubs. You will just need to confirm the nipple hole diameter and give that information to Buchanan's. They're an awesome company to go through for you wheel restoration needs.

- Cole

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Acidreamer

48595 Acidreamer /images/default/avatar/c50.png https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Acidreamer,48595/all 08/25/15 1 69 1660 2 1

Posts: 1729

Joined: 8/25/2015

Location: Mansfield, OH USA

10/26/2017 8:31 AM

Acidreamer wrote:
Ive been told the bulldog spokes are really good. They use them in the kite wheels. Im ordering a set for my kx. Otherwise i ...more

Acidreamer wrote:
Ive been told the bulldog spokes are really good. They use them in the kite wheels. Im ordering a set for my kx. Otherwise i was going to go with excel.

...more

walent215 wrote:
Thats Buchanan right?

walent215 wrote:
Thats Buchanan right?

...more

Cant say for sure. Im not as familiar with wheel components as id like to be.

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2009 Kawasaki KX450F
2009 Kawasaki KX250F
2002 Suzuki GSXR 600

omalley

53474 omalley https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/53474/avatar/c50_67433C3E_C55F_4D55_8FCE_404B6B5012A1_1538407240.jpg?1538406322 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/omalley,53474/all 07/27/16 1 33 1469 1

Posts: 1503

Joined: 7/27/2016

Location: Snohomish, WA USA

10/26/2017 7:19 PM

RKExcel wrote:
Omalley,

None of the Excel spoke/nipple kits will require you to drill out your stock OE hub. For your 2002 CR250, the front ...more

RKExcel wrote:
Omalley,

None of the Excel spoke/nipple kits will require you to drill out your stock OE hub. For your 2002 CR250, the front Excel spoke/nipple kit will require you to drill the stock front OE rim's nipple hole diameter to an 8.5mm as majority of our Excel rims come with the 8.5mm nipple hole diameter. From a quick search, it appears your stock OE front Honda DID rim is an 8.0mm.

The rear Excel spoke/nipple kit will work like a charm on the stock OE rim.

If you went through Buchanan's, they can provide you with the correct nipples and spokes to fit your stock OE rims and hubs. You will just need to confirm the nipple hole diameter and give that information to Buchanan's. They're an awesome company to go through for you wheel restoration needs.

- Cole

...more

Thanks! I ended up picking up front and rear Excel sets. As far as drilling the OE front rim, I had a couple questions-is 8.5mm the actual hole size, or the nipple diameter (ie if the nipple is 8.5 does the hole have to be larger for clearance)? Also, what do you recommend to drill with (step drill, standard bit, etc)?

Thank you to everyone else as well. I appreciate all the info.

| Quote

BobPA

40845 BobPA https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/40845/avatar/c50_i_vKkRjML_X2_1624854184.jpg?1624853992 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/BobPA,40845/all 10/31/13 4 125 7381 10 2

Posts: 7508

Joined: 10/31/2013

Location: PA, USA

10/26/2017 8:46 PM

RKExcel wrote:
Omalley,

None of the Excel spoke/nipple kits will require you to drill out your stock OE hub. For your 2002 CR250, the front ...more

RKExcel wrote:
Omalley,

None of the Excel spoke/nipple kits will require you to drill out your stock OE hub. For your 2002 CR250, the front Excel spoke/nipple kit will require you to drill the stock front OE rim's nipple hole diameter to an 8.5mm as majority of our Excel rims come with the 8.5mm nipple hole diameter. From a quick search, it appears your stock OE front Honda DID rim is an 8.0mm.

The rear Excel spoke/nipple kit will work like a charm on the stock OE rim.

If you went through Buchanan's, they can provide you with the correct nipples and spokes to fit your stock OE rims and hubs. You will just need to confirm the nipple hole diameter and give that information to Buchanan's. They're an awesome company to go through for you wheel restoration needs.

- Cole

...more

omalley wrote:
Thanks! I ended up picking up front and rear Excel sets. As far as drilling the OE front rim, I had a couple questions-is ...more

omalley wrote:
Thanks! I ended up picking up front and rear Excel sets. As far as drilling the OE front rim, I had a couple questions-is 8.5mm the actual hole size, or the nipple diameter (ie if the nipple is 8.5 does the hole have to be larger for clearance)? Also, what do you recommend to drill with (step drill, standard bit, etc)?

Thank you to everyone else as well. I appreciate all the info.

...more

11/32 drill bit works well. You do not need that much clearance. Just make sure the nipple sits nice in the wheel.

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Tomac and/or Anderson for 2020.....

wsc96

40204 wsc96 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/40204/avatar/c50_96_1442461055.jpg?1442460380 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/wsc96,40204/all 08/26/13 5 3 929

Posts: 932

Joined: 8/26/2013

Location: AUS

10/27/2017 2:32 AM

Be sure to add some anti seize on whichever you get to prevent ending up in the same situation again wink

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FiendzCC

59543 FiendzCC https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/59543/avatar/c50_71Z_TT4G_YL._SL1425_1523984932.jpg?1523984276 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/FiendzCC,59543/all 09/12/17 10 295 2

Posts: 305

Joined: 9/12/2017

Location: Murrieta, CA USA

10/27/2017 10:39 AM

Acidreamer wrote:
Ive been told the bulldog spokes are really good. They use them in the kite wheels. Im ordering a set for my kx. Otherwise i ...more

Acidreamer wrote:
Ive been told the bulldog spokes are really good. They use them in the kite wheels. Im ordering a set for my kx. Otherwise i was going to go with excel.

...more

walent215 wrote:
Thats Buchanan right?

walent215 wrote:
Thats Buchanan right?

...more

Acidreamer wrote:
Cant say for sure. Im not as familiar with wheel components as id like to be.

Acidreamer wrote:
Cant say for sure. Im not as familiar with wheel components as id like to be.

...more

Buchanan is it's own company. Their spokes are made custom to order in Azusa, CA. They have been around for ages.

Bulldog spokes are a product of Central Wheel located in the UK.

That being said, those two along with Excel are all top quality, and you can't go wrong with any of those three.

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IG: @mullennix_qc

RKExcel

31077 RKExcel https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/31077/avatar/c50_RK_EXCEL1x1.jpg?1322495645 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/RKExcel,31077/all 11/28/11 40 1

Posts: 40

Joined: 11/28/2011

Location: Oceanside, CA USA

10/27/2017 10:46 AM

RKExcel wrote:
Omalley,

None of the Excel spoke/nipple kits will require you to drill out your stock OE hub. For your 2002 CR250, the front ...more

RKExcel wrote:
Omalley,

None of the Excel spoke/nipple kits will require you to drill out your stock OE hub. For your 2002 CR250, the front Excel spoke/nipple kit will require you to drill the stock front OE rim's nipple hole diameter to an 8.5mm as majority of our Excel rims come with the 8.5mm nipple hole diameter. From a quick search, it appears your stock OE front Honda DID rim is an 8.0mm.

The rear Excel spoke/nipple kit will work like a charm on the stock OE rim.

If you went through Buchanan's, they can provide you with the correct nipples and spokes to fit your stock OE rims and hubs. You will just need to confirm the nipple hole diameter and give that information to Buchanan's. They're an awesome company to go through for you wheel restoration needs.

- Cole

...more

omalley wrote:
Thanks! I ended up picking up front and rear Excel sets. As far as drilling the OE front rim, I had a couple questions-is ...more

omalley wrote:
Thanks! I ended up picking up front and rear Excel sets. As far as drilling the OE front rim, I had a couple questions-is 8.5mm the actual hole size, or the nipple diameter (ie if the nipple is 8.5 does the hole have to be larger for clearance)? Also, what do you recommend to drill with (step drill, standard bit, etc)?

Thank you to everyone else as well. I appreciate all the info.

...more

BobPA wrote:
11/32 drill bit works well. You do not need that much clearance. Just make sure the nipple sits nice in the wheel.

BobPA wrote:
11/32 drill bit works well. You do not need that much clearance. Just make sure the nipple sits nice in the wheel.

...more

Omalley,

Exactly like what BobPA said, you don't need much to enlarge the holes.

Our Excel rims are drilled to 8.5mm hole diameter. The Excel Spline nipple's body diameter is 8.30mm. The nipple body is the part between the butt of the nipple and the wrench contact point of the nipple.

For my personal preference, I would use the step drill bit but standard bit should be fine.

- Cole

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