Quote from: tt_four on June 18, 2009, 09:40:30 AM

Quote from: O.C.D. on June 18, 2009, 08:41:46 AM
I have a 15T up front and want to go up in the rear.  If I go to a 40, 41, or 42 in the rear, will I lose even more highway speed then?  Will I gain that much more low end though?  I see these guys with 15/45's and I am thinking that they must be pulling wheelies from idle, lol.

Going smaller in the front = going bigger in the rear, only not in even amounts. Adjusting the size of the front has a bigger effect.

Smaller front/bigger rear means your bike will feel stronger, but the top speed will be lower, and your RPMs will be higher when you're cruising at 70mph on the highway in 6th gear

Larger front/smaller rear means your bike will not feel as strong, but the top speed will be higher, but your RPMs will be lower and more comfortable cruising at 70mph on the highway in 6th gear.

I am clear now, thank you.  I think I had it already but that made a lot more sense.

So if I go to a 40 or 41 am I going to be killing all my highway speed then?  I understand it will have more around town though and that might be what I am after. 

Can a 40/04 41 be run with a 15 and stock chain?  My chain issue would be the next issues.  I did the calculator and think (?) I can get away with a stocker from what I have read.

Need to put out a disclaimer that I do not mean to thread jack as my questions don't necessarily pertain to the OP.  But I have found this thread to be the right info so,....

The only non-certainty here is the change in top speed, which I'll try to explain, but it'll probably be long and confusing. Pure math says the higher your gear ratio, the faster your bike will be, so technically you could gear your bike like a hayabusa, and your back wheel should be able to reach the same speeds as a hayabusa. The only problem is that once you're on the highway and are fighting 100mph+ winds, your engine isn't just spinning a wheel, it's spinning a wheel and pushing you through that wind resistance. On the center stand you *may* be able to make that rear wheel spin at 200mph with the right gear ratio, but if you put your weight and the highway winds against that bike, your probably going to top out at 75mph because the bike just doesn't have the torque to pull through it, and even though the redline is over 10krpm, your engine is only strong enough to get to 7k rpm in that kind of gear. The point being that most bikes are geared tall enough that in 6th gear they won't even reach the redline, so if you put on a smaller gear, you get a little more power, and actually might gain a few mph on the top speed because your bike is now able to rev higher. As you keep making the gearing smaller it'll eventually just keep lowering the top speed at the highest rpm.

examples:
My triumph used to top out at 138mph stock, but couldn't even hit the redline because the wind was too much for the gear. I made the rear chainring 3 teeth bigger, and the engine was now able to pull the bike all the way up to the redline and would top out at 145mph, so in that case, a smaller gear=more pull AND a higher top speed , with the only downside being that my RPMs were higher and less comfortable at cruising speeds.

Heather's GS on the other hand, used to have a top speed of somewhere around 115mph, but we went crazy with the gearing, and jumped from the 39t to a 47t, so while this bike also has more pull, the top speed dropped down to about 95, and we lost the comfortable cruising rpms.

Hope that helps, and I hope that was actually your question, before I took up that much of the discussion space.

You're not gonna lose much of anything if you go to 40 or 41. You'll definitely feel it the first couple times you get on your bike. After that you probably won't even really notice it much anymore since you'll get used to it.

Do you spend a lot of time on the highway? Your rpm's will probably go up .5k-1k rpm. If you want to see how the higher rpms will feel, go out on the highway at normal speed, and stay in 5th gear. I bet the first time you'll do it, you'll think you're going to kill your bike because of the change, but after that you'll just get used to it again.

Also keep in mind that sustained high revs from aggressively gearing down will wear out your valves and chain quicker. I've been running 18 tooth front and even at 25,000 miles all my valves were still in spec. My chain looks like it'll last a good long time, at least 50,000 miles. Well the bigger gear plus keeping it slightly loose may also contribute to my unusually slow chain wear. I lube the chain with gear oil mixed with bardhals no smoke to thicken it up some, no sprays and no harsh cleanings cause my belief is the solvents in sprays or harsh cleaners like kerosene dissolve some of the grease in the links and also dry up the o-rings.

qwerty, why are you trying to make your bike and its parts last?  Gear it down and rev the piss out of it until it blows up!  Explosions are cool!  So are wheelie tickets!  You can get three in a summer very easy and lose your license so you can walk to work all winter, excellent! 

It's not as great a plan as you might thing. What I lost my license years ago, the process took so long that the 2 week suspension kicked in the middle of december, and I thought "awesome, who do they think they're hurting? it's the middle of december...." and then just to screw with me, we had a week of 60 degree weather, I was pissed

anyone ever considered the 13t front?

not me and once i start riding agin i will most likely go to a 15T in the front.  The 14T with the 45T on the rear made the bike peppy as h3ll but after putting about 4k miles on this yr Ive had enough of the motor buzzing all the time.  It did make the bike really fun for a while but I think a 15 is more for me and next season. 

Quote from: TheDrunknmonky on October 05, 2009, 03:38:37 PM
anyone ever considered the 13t front?

As noted, the 14T is pretty much the limit if you don't want to deal with chain binding. The 14T is also plenty for reasonable riding. A 13T would kill the highway ride, and make it annoying as all hell.

I just got a 45 rear, which is basically the same as a 14 front. I chosse new rear, cause 1 my current sprocket is very old and worn, and 2 i figure that up 6 in the back is better than down 2 in the front cause if theres more gears then the weight on the chain is spread out more, and the stress on the sprocket is spread out more.  i dont know i could be wrong.  but i cant wait to get mine goin with the 45.

I just got a 15t up front and new chain, definatly rides better with a new greased up chain versus the old rusty chain. i do notice it feels a little quicker, nothing drastic, but then again i havent been able to REALLY test it out cuz its been raining quite a bit here the last few days, more later...

Nothing for nothing, had a 15 on my GSF when I bought it and rode it for the first time for about 100 miles and hated it! Wrapped out too fast felt like the bike was vibrating to death.

Have since went back to stock and loved it. I guess when you have no skill you make the excuse with torque and power until it is your downfall?

Quote from: JB848 on November 11, 2009, 09:09:16 PM
Nothing for nothing, had a 15 on my GSF when I bought it and rode it for the first time for about 100 miles and hated it! Wrapped out too fast felt like the bike was vibrating to death.

Have since went back to stock and loved it. I guess when you have no skill you make the excuse with torque and power until it is your downfall?

if more power = less skill then why dont you own a 250? because you obviously have more skill than every modified bike rider ever 

Quote from: black and silver twin on November 11, 2009, 10:09:18 PM

Quote from: JB848 on November 11, 2009, 09:09:16 PM
Nothing for nothing, had a 15 on my GSF when I bought it and rode it for the first time for about 100 miles and hated it! Wrapped out too fast felt like the bike was vibrating to death.

Have since went back to stock and loved it. I guess when you have no skill you make the excuse with torque and power until it is your downfall?

if more power = less skill then why dont you own a 250? because you obviously have more skill than every modified bike rider ever 

Idiot speaking I guess? If you think HP gives you skill or can get you out of a jam? Been riding for 20 years plus in most conjested areas, power never got me out or in, good sense, proper riding skills, and anticipating the situation never got me into it and saved me. 6th sense of what the cars were going to do around me I guess. But to me I call that commen sense?

Quote from: JB848 on November 11, 2009, 10:17:59 PM

Quote from: black and silver twin on November 11, 2009, 10:09:18 PM

Quote from: JB848 on November 11, 2009, 09:09:16 PM
Nothing for nothing, had a 15 on my GSF when I bought it and rode it for the first time for about 100 miles and hated it! Wrapped out too fast felt like the bike was vibrating to death.

Have since went back to stock and loved it. I guess when you have no skill you make the excuse with torque and power until it is your downfall?

if more power = less skill then why dont you own a 250? because you obviously have more skill than every modified bike rider ever 

Idiot speaking I guess? If you think HP gives you skill or can get you out of a jam? Been riding for 20 years plus in most conjested areas, power never got me out or in, good sense, proper riding skills, and anticipating the situation never got me into it and saved me. 6th sense of what the cars were going to do around me I guess. But to me I call that commen sense?

you didnt answer the question, why dont you have a 250 then and prove everyone else on a larger bike wrong?

Quote from: joshr08 on October 05, 2009, 03:59:06 PM
not me and once i start riding agin i will most likely go to a 15T in the front.  The 14T with the 45T on the rear made the bike peppy as h3ll but after putting about 4k miles on this yr Ive had enough of the motor buzzing all the time.  It did make the bike really fun for a while but I think a 15 is more for me and next season. 

Holy crap 14 front and 45 rear?! thats like a 51 in the rear with stock 16 front. thats what strictly stunters use man, you must been wheeliing like crazy on accident.

First of all I don't need to prove anything. I ride my lovely bike knowing everyone is going to cut me off, pull out in front of me. I have rode bigger bikes so what?

Situation: Speed over 55mph next to an on ramp of a major highway. I am in the the hammer lane. I see a semi coming on at low speed. I see the dumb Buddha Loves You next to me in the right lane. I know either she has to slow down or speed up. I keep my speed and watch her. I expect she is going to cut me off, I have the lane and the progress. Sure as shaZam! she cuts over in my lane! But being a smart rider, a safe rider, I saw this coming and thought in my mind what were my choices? So I kept my speed and sure as shaZam! she cut me off! Dumb c@%t! SO I hold on the horn so she knows I am there and "I" get the finger? SO I am thinking what world do we live in where some dumb person that is on the phone driving a car almost kills me and I get the finger?

always: Back off let them go

I am here to talk and see another day.  I ride for my own enjoyment. I do not have a loud ass exhaust to let everyone else "HEAR" my enjoyment? But I guess that escapes you. Do something for some one else before you answer. I get the feeling you have no idea what that means.

I guess I am a Curmudgeon?

Quote from: JB848 on November 11, 2009, 10:49:44 PM
First of all I don't need to prove anything. I ride my lovely bike knowing everyone is going to cut me off, pull out in front of me. I have rode bigger bikes so what?

Situation: Speed over 55mph next to an on ramp of a major highway. I am in the the hammer lane. I see a semi coming on at low speed. I see the dumb Buddha Loves You next to me in the right lane. I know either she has to slow down or speed up. I keep my speed and watch her. I expect she is going to cut me off, I have the lane and the progress. Sure as oh my goodness she cuts over in my lane! But being a smart rider, a safe rider, I saw this coming and thought in my mind what were my choices? So I kept my speed and sure as oh my goodness she cut me off! Dumb c@%t! SO I hold on the horn so she knows I am there and "I" get the finger? SO I am thinking what world do we live in where some dumb person that is on the phone driving a car almost kills me and I get the finger?

always: Back off let them go

I am here to talk and see another day.  I ride for my own enjoyment. I do not have a loud ass exhaust to let everyone else "HEAR" my enjoyment? But I guess that escapes you. Do something for some one else before you answer. I get the feeling you have no idea what that means.

I guess I am a Curmudgeon?

you still didnt answer the question of getting a 250

alright then ill answer the question. who cares. people need to quit fighting on here, its getting to where almost every other topic has a stupid arguement goin on in it, and not a helpful debate. who cares if he said more horespower equals less skill or whatever it was. it dont matter. sometimes people just say stupid things. and maybe he didnt say anything stupid you just interpreited it wrong. just drop it and talk about sprockets.

+1 Greg 

Arguing over a forum is like fighting a guy in a wheel chair, even if you win you still look like a jackass.  Use the forum for what its made for which is to pass the knowledge and experience that we have gained over the years (or months) we have had with our bikes.


So I think I want to get a 14 tooth front sprocket.  I generally ride around in a lower gear because I like the pep more so maybe it will be nice.  I dont feel like reading through this though so anyone care to comment on a good place to buy one for an '07?

^^^ back to sprockets   -->>  \/ \/ \/

I got my 14T and 15T from www.Motorcyclel-superstore.com

I did not try the 14T yet, but I love 15T. It is a great balance balance between acceleration and highway usage.
Although you may want to get 14T if you ride in city only and 16T or even 17T if majority of your trips/commute is on a highway.

My trips consist of: commuting in the city on weekdays, and weekend rides on the highways; therefore 15T is a great option, very balanced like I wrote earlier.
good luck