I've been wondering about that too. My front motor wheel has a very simple lacing pattern, alternating heads but only crossing one spoke on the same flange (cross 2? since the spoke on the opposite flange is also crossed), done with what look to me like massively thick spokes. Any reasons for that? The motor is a smallish one in a 700c wheel, so there would be room for a more conventional cross 3 pattern. I assume it's someone's idea of a high strength wheel, though general opinion is that thinner spokes (with more crossings?) are better. I have to say that my limited experience doesn't support that. Both of the original wheels on my dutch bike had thicker than normal spokes and no spoke trouble, my current replacement rear wheel has standard spokes and breaks them (but I think there are other reasons for that). All these wheels have hub brakes.
I've also come across a Claude Butler Torridon, again hub braked, with a good collection of broken rear spokes. I rebuilt that wheel myself (first one I've done) using cheap spokes bought on line. It came out OK, I learned a lot, but its only done about 200 miles, so I can't say if it will prove reliable.
Apologies for all the questions, but I'm just getting into wheel building and trying to find out, particularly about motor wheels. It's already occurring to me that I bought a wheel when I would have done better to build one...
