SPROCKETS!

[DetroitRockCity]

help, my mathulator is broken.

i was wanting to swap my spockets to get some more redlight to redlight speed. more teeth or less?


i have a CB500 Four. any links to where to get them or cost/amount of work/benefit estimates?


grazie mil.

 

[TonUpSoldier]

help, my mathulator is broken.

i was wanting to swap my spockets to get some more redlight to redlight speed. more teeth or less?


i have a CB500 Four. any links to where to get them or cost/amount of work/benefit estimates?


grazie mil.

More teeth in back, or one or two less in front. Incidentally, the front sprocket is generally easier to swap out, HOWEVER you will have to change out your chain as well, so i suggest a combo of one down in front, 2 or 3 up in back. Should get you the extra grunt youre looking for. When i bought my 77 GS750, it had some stoopid big sprocket in back (52 teeth, stock is 41) and that bike really REALLY had grunt. Absolutely no top end however, and it was shere violence wacking the throttle open. The bike would damn near stand up from a stand still. I doubt that you want/need that amount of grunt, and i swapped it out in short order, as it was not a very comfy feeling ridding the city streets like that.

 

[DetroitRockCity]

not sure what i got up front, but believe i have a 34 tooth in the rear.

i've seen a 37 for about $12 on ebay. how do i figure what kind of chain to get? do i need to swap the chain and front if i only go up 3 teeth in the rear?

 

[TonUpSoldier]

not sure what i got up front, but believe i have a 34 tooth in the rear.

i've seen a 37 for about $12 on ebay. how do i figure what kind of chain to get? do i need to swap the chain and front if i only go up 3 teeth in the rear?

You'll have to swap the chain out no matter what you do if you adjust the amount of teeth on any sprocket. Your current will no longer be long enough. I would suggest checking out www.Z1Enterprises.com for sprocket and chain SETS, or the individual parts. You can also give them a call, they are VERY knowlegeable, very nice and very helpfull. They, based on what info you give them, (bike, year, stock set up, and what you plan to do) can give you an accurate measurment on the chain length you will need based on the size of sprockets you decide to use.

 

[Tim]

It would seem to me if you go down one tooth up front and up one tooth at the back, your chain would remain the same.

That being said, it's always a good idea to change your chain and sprockets at the same time to ensure nice even wear. Bike Bandit is also a good source for both sprockets and chain. However I like Z1 Enterprises a LOT and would highly recommend them. Get a DYNA ignition from them at the same time

 

[DetroitRockCity]

been looking at Z1. they have a 37T rear and either 17T or 18T front.

stock was 17 and 34.


i found this place on google: http://www.sprocketspecialists.com/Products.aspx



limitless options i think, havent found the pricing yet though...

so you guys think a 16T for the front? i havent seen one of those around.....

 

[TonUpSoldier]

It would seem to me if you go down one tooth up front and up one tooth at the back, your chain would remain the same.

That being said, it's always a good idea to change your chain and sprockets at the same time to ensure nice even wear. Bike Bandit is also a good source for both sprockets and chain. However I like Z1 Enterprises a LOT and would highly recommend them. Get a DYNA ignition from them at the same time

Correct. But by going up one in back and down one in front, you've essentially cancelled the swap out. +1-1 thing. My suggestion was a combination of dropping a tooth up front plus adding two or three in back. OR simply adding three to five in back. Mind you, your red line will come a bit quicker either way you go about it, and its hard to say exactly how much actuall grunt you will add vs was it worth the loss in overall top end. I used to have a lil program that you could, should you know them, input all your gear ratios, final ratio and sprocket sizes and it would inturn give you your rpms at any given speed in any given gear. Was helpfull in figuring out exactly what would be lost or gained in a sprocket swap. But i'll be damned if i know where it went. I will give a look and see what i can find. You may also find the same thing by googling "motorcycle sprocket ratios" or something to that effect.

 

[TonUpSoldier]

mmm wait, i take that back, by adding one in back and dropping one in front you arent cancelling the other out. WOuld be so if the reverse. :-X May give that a shot actually, and would be able to use your current chain. But as TinTin advises, best to swap the chain anyway. Again I will see if i can find that lil calculator program. was helpfull.

 

[Tim]

Also don't forget you have some play with the axle adjusters in the swingarm. Not sure how many links you can account for in there, but bottom line, order 2 new sprockets and a chain. Order the chain longer than you need and cut to fit once you have it on. I've got a good 10+ extra links on my x-ring chain I'll be removing. The longer chain costs next to nothing more than a short one.

 

[Shooter]

There is a difference between adding /subtracting teeth to front or rear sprockets.

To gain more poke (lower the gearing) - you either take teeth from the front or add teeth to the rear. (Its about levers and leverage )

On my S4 Monster I needed to change the gearing (Ducatis are too long in the leg as stock) so I tried the simpler/cheaper option of changing out the front sprocket for one less tooth. BTW - this did not require a chain change because the difference was accomodated by the swingarm adjustment. The change had an effect but was not quite right.

SubsequentlyI took advice from 'The Gearing Guru' who gave me a comprehensive report with graphs etc on my options and combinations. I chose to go back to stock on the front (15T) and add some to the rear. Meant a new chain but got a perfect result that matched the Gurus predictions exactly

The ratio is not 1:1 due to the circumference of the sprockets. ie less one front is not the same as add 1 rear. Rear adjustments are more subtle and variable

 

[DetroitRockCity]

alright, i found a 15T front and two different rear: a 37T and a 54T!!


i'm not trying to pull a wheelie, and the bike never sees the freeway.


opinions?