stainless spokes
 

If my corroded spokes start to bug me and yamaha won't replace wheel, what do you think the cost would be to have the wheels rebuilt with stainless spokes?

�90.

Had my rears replaced on my 2010 Tenere.

As above - around �100 mark.

It's about an hours labour for a good wheel-builder to do a re-lace on a straight wheel with no damage to put right. Stainless spoke/nipple sets can be had for about �50, depending on brand/quality. Expect to pay �15-20 more per wheel if you need them to remove and refit the tyre (or save �15-20 by taking the tyre off first, which ever way you prefer to look at it).

Not the end of the world then, just bugs me after 6 days on a 7k motorbike and the spokes are corroding, not washed it yet and not been out in the rain, only damp roads, shocking realy when you think about it, if it happened to a car you would be straight back to the dealer, spoils a lovely bike in my opinion.
Rant over

I think its the same story for every bike with spoked wheels , blokes on the KTM forum and other forums complain about the same problem with different bikes . I've always wiped mine over with a rag soaked in oil and ACF50 and they stay ok-ish . As long as mine don't turn into propper orange coloured rust i'll be happy .

You are quite right here and you are not alone with rusted spokes and other bits on Ten.

I got mine badly rusted, likely Yamaha did some job under warranty including front & rear spokes and few more bits (but they didnt accept flanking paint on my front and rear hubs, so I had to pay for powder coating them).

I was thinking of changing them to s/s at the time they were undoing and spokes and wheels. Asked a dealer for a quote for s/s set and it was something like �120 for a set ?!
Finally I didnt go for it and they replaced them like for like, but after just few miles I can already see some dark stains on them (not rust, but something is happening already)....very weak material....

It looks OK now, but I think at some stage I will do full new wheels including Excell rims, some aftermarket hubs and s/s spokes - price thought.

FYI - I found the Central Wheel Components price list for wheel building, which will give a ball-park idea of costs...

http://www.central-wheel.co.uk/price_lists/classic_price_list.pdf (see second page)

Remember, if you get the dealer to do it under warranty, they'll only replace them like-for-like, so they will be galvanised and end up going the same way again at some point.

I had mine done last spring
 

I was getting upset with my rusty spokes so had them done in the spring, It took a month! Yeah I couldn't believe it! I was quoted two weeks and that was for stripping the wheels, the hubs powder coated black and stainless spokes and the rebuild. I have been really happy with the results but I was without a bike for too long! They put it down to a rare gauge spoke with a non standard off centre hub mounting....anyway I'm really happy now but with new bearings it was �200 plus.

Mmm... Two months! The spokes are pretty standard fare and any wheel builder worth his/her salt should be able to cope with any dish or offset. Almost all wheels have some asymmetry.

Glad you're happy though - that's the main thing! ;)

I plan to have mine done as soon as I can find a good place in Roma or nearby that knows what they are doing......the spokes really spoil the look of the bike.

Well I've been back to yamaha and had a little moan, and the salesman said he would not be happy either, so took picks and are being sent off to yamaha. He seems confident that I will get a new wheel and has suggested laqouring the spokes before the wheel is fitted, so I might do that, mix up a bit of 2 Pac and paint each one with a small brush! Might take a bit of time but should be worth it in the long run. I spoke to a wheel company and they think that the wheel is faulty due to the time it has taken to corrode, had a problem with one of the side boxes as well as it had a small dent in it which I didn't notice for a few days and they are getting me a new one so they are being realy good so will hopefully sort the wheel as well :)

:woo: Nice one - Sounds like you’ve got one of the "helpful" dealers at hand!

Not convinced about the lacquering idea though? :eusa_think:

For any lacquer to do its job properly you'll need to get every last bit of zinc oxidation off the surface of the spokes; the zinc coating (galvanising) will need to be shiny, pure zinc, not dull oxidised zinc. It is also normal practice to mordant wash (with something like this) and etch-prime galvanised surfaces before coating in order to get it to adhere. Trouble is etch-primer will be a solid colour, so hopeless if you want a clear coat natural finish and the mordant wash turns galvanising black! Certainly, as a minimum, treat them to a rub down before applying any coating.

Trouble with putting lacquer on is that if there is the tiniest blemish in the coating (or it gets chipped later), moisture will inevitably get in, the zinc galvanising will start oxidising and the lacquer will lift. You may possibly end up with something looking worse than if left alone in the long run, which would be a real bummer if you’d spent hours prepping and coating the spokes!

A thin film of Vaseline, grease, ACF50, chainsaw oil (or some such thing) would be the easiest, cheapest and most effective preventative measure. If you want/like shiny spokes, then sadly there is no substitute for stainless.

+1 , the lacquer wont last long due to the galvanising , it will peel and fall off . Just soak a rag in ACF 50 and give them a wipe over .

That was also my thoughts with the lacquer, I have brought some of the new scottoiler anti corrosion spray that's supposed to be very good so will just try that on the new wheel