Kawasaki Triples Club

I wasn't going to post this, I really wasn't. Then I happened across another members post about Pyramid sending him the wrong size fork seals. That, along with reviewing the feedback for Pyramid on eBay (something I should have done before ordering!) convinced me that mine was not an isolated incident and other members need to be warned.

They post some pretty fair pricing so I ordered front & rear wheel bearings for the S1C that I'm presently building. I bought them back in Feb and set them on the shelf until I was ready for them. That point arrived this past weekend. That's when I realized that they not only sent me the incorrect size for the front wheel but that they also sent the wrong size for the rear wheel. ALL FOUR bearings are 17x47x14......not even close to any S1C wheel!

Then came the email campaign. To their credit, they remained pleasant but after only 20 minutes of research, I learned more about bearings then they know collectively! I sent them pictures of the rear hub & sleeve and a removed bearing with the digital caliper showing the bearing at 52mm OD, then another showing the 25mm OD of the bearing portion of the sleeve.I even sent them a picture with both axles with their diameters listed below each then for good luck, I added a picture of the rear hub with the sleeve with both bearings mounted laying on top...and they still wrote back saying that I must be measuring the sprocket carrier bearing and that bearing isn't included in the wheel kit but that they can order it for me....wha???? Did you take a moment to look at the pictures???? The sprocket carrier still has its bearing embedded in grease and I'm showing you the two hub bearings!

For background, the front bearings are #6302's & the rear are #6205's. Each wheel has one bearing with a Z suffix which means it also comes with a shield on one side only.

Pyramid first told me that I was wrong- I quote: "You should have received two bearings measuring 17 x 40 x 12 for the front and for the rear, two bearings measuring 17 x 47 x 14 mm."

Really? In that 20 minutes of research I learned that the "02" & "05" of the KAWASAKI bearing numbers indicate a 15mm & 25mm bore respectively. These aren't numbers dreamed up by someone at Kawasaki's factory but are part of the world-wide standards for bearings. For instance, the 6200 series =Single row, light duty, metric & the 6300 series= Single row, medium duty, metric bearings. The last two numbers in the bearing number indicate bore size thus:

00 10 mm
01 12 mm
02 15 mm
03 17 mm
04 20 mm
05 25 mm
12 60 mm
20 100 mm
22 110 mm


It can all be found here on page 10 (http://www.skf.com/binary/79-66347/457013.pdf).


So I explain all this to them and add that these are the original wheels to the bike and that I've confirmed the wheel codes to verify it.

They tell me that I'm wrong again.

I asked them where they get their sizes?? Here's the problem, they THINK those are correct, so that ANYONE buying a H1, KH, S3/S3A, S2/S2A or S1 bearing kit will receive the wrong size bearings from them. That's a large model group and THAT's why I'm posting this!

Maybe I can save some of my brethren here the aggravation I had to go through.....I just gave up on them and will simply chalk it up as a loss.


I ordered my bearings from another vendor and they will arrive Thursday........


jeffk

Only ever buy bearings by the universal number. They'll be cheaper and correct first time. Goes for everything from bikes to washing machines.

Same here! Got some head bearings for my vfr from them couple of years back gave them to local dealer to fit, wrong ones!! still got them in the garage somewhere.

I've bought seals and bearings from them , no problems at all !

Barrie wrote:I've bought seals and bearings from them , no problems at all !

Just curious Barrie....what model(s) did you order parts for?

jeffk

I bought some taper steering head bearings for an H1from them and the rollers fell out of the cage before I could fit them.
Bought another make rather than risk my life.

Eric
I think you sold the H1a front wheel bearing kit to me with some other parts. Not tried to use them yet!

Has anyone used their fork seals for a KH250 - I have some ready to fit but am in two minds now

If I remember correctly, I've had headstock bearings and fork seals for the H's ,but what they are doing now to a few years ago is a completely different kettle of fish

Pyramid are a parts retailer.
They , like most other retailers, are relying on their Wholesaler to provide Compatability lists for the parts they supply. So, given the HUGE volume of parts offrered, there is always going to be the opprtunity for a mistake to occur.
What you also have to consider is the huge volume of utterly incompetent customers that Retailers have to deal with , on a daily basis !!! So, mix them in with telesales staff on minimum wage, and no experience of working on bikes . And one little error on their side can create the perfect storm.

Heck , I still keep ordering the same wrong parts from one of my major Wholesale suppliers because I keep using the out of date partscross reference book. ( The one which I have not corrected their part numvers .> I keep ordering KH250 brake levers when I really meant to order an S2 drum brake one. duh !! > Sure, the Wholesaler is wrong, but it`s one of about a thousand different brake levers they offer for bikes produced over a 60 year period. !!! There`s bound to be the odd error ?

I suspect Pyramid are probably no worse than any other Mail Order Firm ?

And Jams/Mirsui Spy gives the best advice here. Order Wheel Bearings by the Bearing number .It`s SO simple to do that today , with the internet, Free download parts lists, and a Zillion Bearing Companies on line...............??

OH , and if you are worried about Fork Seals not fitting ; get the ruler out and measure the I.D. and O.D. , or even pull out the old ones and check the ID on the Fork Tube abd compare the Height/Depth and Od to the originl and the Fork Bottom ?

If it doesn`t look right, don`t try and fit it !! Or go buy a Kawasaki one using the o.e.m. part number ??