gearing

[woodwizzard]

Now that its taxed I was able to have a little spin tonight, very different to the old zx10. It seems abit hair trigger on the throttle to me. I thought the gearing may have been changed. Front is 16 and rear is 44, from what I gather that is stock. 60mph in top gear is 4000rpm, seems abit high to me. That would be 80mph on the old zx. Alot of my miles are on the motorway at 80mph+, this will be sitting at close to 6000rpm, surely that can't be right. Ivans kit fitted with K+N and it has loads of go. Does that sound right to you guys and can I gear it more for the motorway?

[nickodemon]

On mine 5000rpm = 78mph. I can't remember off hand the gearing. Mine is standard

[esetest]

I only use the top gear on the motorway , I would say mine is about 85mph in top at about  6k rpm , 1st and 2nd when driving in town ,  3rd in the 40 limits , and 4th and 5th on the A roads , I guess I've just got used to mine , it is my first and only 1000 , I have never owned a sportsbike . mine has K&N air filter , slip on stubby end can but I have not been on the motorway since I have fitted the exhaust .

[slimwilly]

Mr Wizzaed,,just ride it ,,


it will be fine,,,you will soon get used to it,,it wont use any more fuel as there is no strain on the engine,,it will just wizzing around on a drip of petrol

[woodwizzard]

If thats the way they are geared thats fine, the way it pulls in top gear from slow speed really surprised me, thought I was in 3rd :eek

[AyJay]

ZX10s are geared for 180 or so, the Gen 1 is 160 and around 6000rpm at 90, so it's sounds like your bike is standard. It's a bit busy, but you get used to it and it is always a joy to have that roll on stomp at motorway cruising speeds.


And it's such a flexible engine. 20mph in top, roll on and off you go. Compare that to a Ducati which won't pull 6th smoothly until 50mph without the engine trying to jump out of the frame.


What made you go for the Fazer after the ZX10, out of interest?

[woodwizzard]

Was this older beauty.

[slimwilly]

I expect you will find the Fazer as nimble as feck compared to the Kwak.


Nippy agile bikes these fazers,,,hope you like it.

[steve pring]

This any good for speeds/ratios?

http://www.cartestsoftware.com/fz1/47too...ation.html

http://www.cartestsoftware.com/fz1/15too...ation.html

[woodwizzard]

Thanks Steve, interesting. Won't be doing that, kind of opposite thinking :lol  Do like the bike, it makes me feel how I did when I was 16 riding my 50cc with a 68cc big bore kit for the first time, must be praise indeed

[Millietant]

This any good for speeds/ratios?

http://www.cartestsoftware.com/fz1/47too...ation.html

http://www.cartestsoftware.com/fz1/15too...ation.html

I really can't understand anyone spending money changing the gearing in this manner !  Why not save the money and just ride the bike in 5th gear !    Aaaaaarrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh.


I can totally understand "raising the gearing" to reduce RPM's at any given speed (it's like adding a 7th gear) and make cruising speeds feel more "comfortable" - and added benefit with this change on all my bikes has been reduced fuel consumption.

[DekF]

How the fuck is staying in 5th gear instead of 6th going to give the increased acceleration through the gears that this mod gives.

[slimwilly]

i did it (15 tooth on front) for acceleration,, was a good thing,,tried to chuck me off the back all the time,,now back to 16 tooth foor the tour to Italy last year,,now i cant fing the 15 toother ,,where is it,,?

[DekF]

It's hiding because you're not worthy.
Of all the tours I've done there's never been one where I considered changing back to the stock gearing.
The intention on all those tours was to maximise my enjoyment, reducing the bike's acceleration would be counter productive.

[woodwizzard]

What gearing do you run Dek?

[Millietant]

How the fuck is staying in 5th gear instead of 6th going to give the increased acceleration through the gears that this mod gives.

Dead simple engineering and mathematics, all it means you are doing is changing the ratio of 6th gear closer to that of 5th gear, the ratio of 5th closer to that of 4th, 4th to 3rd, 3rd to 2nd, and 2nd closer to 1st. 1st gear becomes lower, so it makes the bike easier to get off the line - but you the have to change up to 2nd sooner.


Changing the gearing like this only increases the rpm at any given road speed through each gear. Effectively, you're just revving the engine higher, putting bike nearer its peak torque & power rpm. You can replicate this simply by hanging onto a lower gear a bit longer.


It's all just about ratio's and the proof is in Steve Pring' tables earlier in this thread. For example, at 50 mph in 3rd gear on stock gearing, the bike is revving at  4,500 rpm AND at 50 mph in 4th gear on the 15/47 modified gearing, the bike is revving at 4,500 rpm - exactly the same.  Hence staying in 3rd gear at 50 mph on the standard bike will have EXACTLY the same effect as lowering the gearing when using 4th gear at the same speed - as I said at the start, dead simple engineering and mathematics, so, save your money and just use one gear lower for any given road speed to keep your revs up (if you want a more responsive bike).