Changing transmission gears?

[dgyver]

Can the transmission gears be changed (1st & 2nd) individually? I know this can be done some bikes but not sure about the GS.

[Blueknyt]

you can drop the bottom end by pulling both side covers, the one bolt bside the starter,oilfilter,clutch basket,shifter shaft,triangle braket behind clutch basket (youll know it when you see it) and the triangle behind front sproket, all the bolts to split the cases.  and you dont even have to pull the cam box cover (valve cover) Mind your bearing halves for crank and CB shaft.  then both shafts will come right out, remove some clips, and you might have to press off a gear.  i would just drop a complete other tranny in place. maybe do alittle shave on the gear dawgs for tighter interlock (also known as undercuting)

i found one gear hurt last time i had my cases split(probly from when chain jumped rear sproket and bunched in cases) but i just changed the one shaft. the GS450 gears are the same,  i have a couple complete sets of those in varied conditions.

[JamesG]

The biggest question would be "WHY"?

[GRU]

maybe he needs the low gears to be longer (get more speed out of them) or shorter to have more torque  :dunno:

[dgyver]

You can gain acceleration in lower gears while still maintaining top end speed. Changing sprocket sizes is always a compromise. Now are different gears available?

[Blueknyt]

oh, wait,. i have heard of someguys switching the tranies around makeing a 5 speed out of a 6peed to get the slightly taller gearing (more range of RPM's each shift)  is this what you were talking about?



im sure this  can be done, but i dont know what bike to get the gears,shaft,shiftdrum,forks from.

[Gisser]

You can gain acceleration in lower gears while still maintaining top end speed. Changing sprocket sizes is always a compromise. Now are different gears available?

No, all GS year models use identical ratios.  You can change sprockets without losing top end speed because the GS doesn't come close to pulling redline in 6th, but then you'd need an overdrive gear to keep cruising RPMs down.  Although no motorcycle tranny has an actual OD gear, in early '80's Honda lingo a 5th or 6th overdrive is wider than the usual gear split and is meant to knock down the cruising rpms.

[GRU]

at what RPM are you in 6th at top speed (110 or 115 mph)?

[dgyver]

Not concerned about "cruising'" speed unless that includes WOT.
I don't recall the max rpms in 6th, but probably around 10k with 14/41 sprockets.
Tranny gear changes are easily done in 2-stroke GP bikes, this where I was got the idea from. This provides faster acceleration in 1st & 2nd gear. But this may not be as important since the GS has more low end torque.