Spokes?

[PRITCH39]

Hi all,

can any one tell me how interchangeable are spokes between bikes? Can you use any spoke as long as it is for the right size rim eg: 19" 21" etc. I have found a new set of spokes on ebay that are front and rear
19" and 21" for an 81 XL250 I have an 81 XL500 I will be running 19" and  21" combo will they fit. Also what if I decide to put my near new excel rims onto my RM250A and re use old spokes and rims off my RM on XL hubs will this work. I am trying to keep cost down as I can buy both front and rear spokes on ebay for less than half the price i can buy them locally. Or if any one has a cheap set of XL500 wheels in the Brisbane area please let me know.


any help appreciated.

Thanks Brian

[Nathan S]

If the hubs are the same or very similar, then sure, the spokes will interchange.

But otherwise, you'd have to be lucky to find a match of length, diameter and angle...

I know nothing about the XL hubs, but I assume the 250 and 500 are the same?

With using the RM spokes on XL hubs, you'd want the RM hubs to have the same diameter flanges as the XL's AND for the flanges to be the same distance apart on the XL & RM.
And you mght still run into dramas with spoke diameter and/or the thickness of the flange on the hub.
Its possible, but I would be surprised! 

[LWC82PE]

start by comparing honda part numbers for the hubs or brake shoes for the XL's. If they are the same OD then chances are the hubs are the same. I tried to do it last night but couldnt find any brake shoe application lists for 81 XL500, i only could find up to 80 and not being a honda guy i dont know if they are the same. i dont like your chances of mixing honda bits with suzuki though. As Nathan said, it would be very surprising if it worked.