sprocket change?

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kawboyCAFE
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sprocket change?

Postby kawboyCAFE » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:53 pm

i know the stock gear setup is 16/42. i want just a bit lower rpms at freeway speed. should i go with a 16/40 or 17/40. how much is too much? does anyone have one of these gear ratios to comment on about how you like it? thanks.

burkbuilds
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Location: Rome, Georgia

Re: sprocket change?

Postby burkbuilds » Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:35 pm

When I bought my 500 I told the dealer that I planned to put a lot of highway miles on it and so he put a 17 tooth up front for me at the 500 mile service. I put about 11,000 miles on it like that and then decided to change the rear sprocket from 42 to 40 tooth and I've been very pleased with the way it's gone. Now I use 6th gear more like an overdrive, mainly just above 55 mph and my highway rpms are sitting around 4700-4800 at 70 mph, which has really improved my highway fuel mileage. I was getting around 51 mpg at 70 mph, now I'm getting about 60 or just a little over on the highway. My city mileage has improved a little but mainly I noticed the difference on the highway mileage. Even though the rpm drop was only 300-400 at highway speed it seemed to get me out of a very inefficient rpm range for my bike. I haven't really noticed a performance difference in taking off or anything, but then again, I'm not exactly prone to jack rabbit starts, so another rider might notice more difference than I do. I really like the new set up. I shift a little less around town and I achieved my main goal of better highway mpg's. I don't ride two up, or that might also be noticeable so if that's something you do regularly it may have more impact on your ride than mine.
I can't really tell you how that compares to the original set up because I rode pretty strictly according to the "break in period" recommendations and never took it on the highway until after 500 miles, at which point I had the new 17 tooth up front.

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Triangles
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Re: sprocket change?

Postby Triangles » Tue Apr 20, 2010 11:54 pm

I believe 17/40 is the "tallest" sprockets available. The stock 16/42 gives 2.625 final ratio. 17/40 = 2.35. The scoot works belt drive conversion is 2.22! somewhere around here I posted a spreadsheet that had all sorts of gearing stuff calculated. That might be helpful.
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kawboyCAFE
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Re: sprocket change?

Postby kawboyCAFE » Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:12 am

thanks guys. i think i will try the 17/40. i think i will wait until next winter to put them on though. i am not much for rabbit starts either, i was just wanting a little more relaxed rpm's at highway speed.

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Triangles
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Re: sprocket change?

Postby Triangles » Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:17 pm

I am going to try a 17/38 = 2.24 sprocket setup. I bought an early 90's ninja 500 "damper - hub." The ninja 500 has a 38t rear sprocket option. I'll report on how it goes in a week or so when I have time to install the sprockets. It may take longer if I have to get a shorter chain.
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burkbuilds
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Re: sprocket change?

Postby burkbuilds » Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:46 pm

You probably will have to get a shorter chain. I almost needed one when I went to the 40 tooth and 17 front, not much adjustment left with that ratio, but so far it has held up well. I've got over 40,000 miles on that chain now and it is still tight against the sprocket with no noticeable wear on the sprocket either. I give most of that credit to the loobman chain oiler I installed a long time ago. I use fairly heavy weight oil, a mixture of 30 wt motor oil and 90 Weight gear lube, and it seems to be doing a great job of getting maximum life out of a chain. On my last bike I used a light weight chain spray lube I bought from the Suzuki dealer and that chain was history at less than 15,000 miles. I cleaned the chain every 500 miles and put the spray on it, but it seemed like I had to adjust the chain more than once a month and it just didn't hold up. The chain on my 500 was the stock OEM chain and with less perseverance cleaning it, but with the chain oiler it almost never needs adjusting and I can't complain about getting over 40,000 miles on it even if it were to break tomorrow.

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Triangles
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Re: sprocket change?

Postby Triangles » Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:10 pm

burkbuilds wrote:You probably will have to get a shorter chain.

I was fearing that and confirmed it last nite that a 108 link chain would be necessary. I just ordered an EK SRX x-ring chain and motion pro chain tool.
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sikatrix500cc
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Re: sprocket change?

Postby sikatrix500cc » Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:37 pm

Hey guys im new here just wanted to introduce myself my names will and i am purchasing a 2000 kawi vulcan 500 for $1600. ive been thinkin about if im going to change my sprocket sizes or not. and i think ill go with what you guys did, at 17/40 since im going to be on the highway 85% of the time anyways. What site do you guys get your sprockets from? Also would it perform better with the 17/40 setup with a jet kit/power commander and some pipes with k&n filters? 8-)
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Triangles
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Re: sprocket change?

Postby Triangles » Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:57 am

Don't touch the exhaust or carbs! Kawasaki left very little to improve upon. I bought my chain and sprockets from my local shop. I bought JT front and rear sprockets and an 520 EK SRX x-ring chain that was 108 links. Had to go to a shorter chain from the stock 110 link. See here for more detail.
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