changing sprockets, +1 on front only

[Paulfzs]

looking to change sprockets, they dont "need" doing but i want to bring revs down for motorway trips, would +1 on the front only be fine or do i have to do rear aswell?


will it make it accelerate too slowly if i just do the front

[anutz]

Not a direct answer from me but a group of foccers went into detail including some graphs on sprocket ratios here......

http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,17216.0.html

I was wandering if mine needed doing and also have considered and want to know the +/- 1 options...

[Paulfzs]

ive read about loads putting -1 for better acceleration to better utilise 6th gear but standard sprockets feel god aweful on the motorway

[Frosties]

You can have a play around with yours ratios here fella

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

[paulchucky]

going up 1 on front will cause you to work harder in lower gears and when you get in top (if you do) you`ll end up dropping down to 5th or even 4th to overtake etc
standard is pretty good all round
but dropping -1 will give better results and ride better in traffic  and TBH unless your doing 100+plenty  your not gonig to benefit  by going +1

[Paulfzs]

im often sat at 70-80 and it feels too revvy for my liking, i dont mind dropping gears to overtake its worth it for the fuel saving.

[paulchucky]

up to you mate your ride not mine
just trying give you good advice

[Val]

im often sat at 70-80 and it feels too revvy for my liking, i dont mind dropping gears to overtake its worth it for the fuel saving.

I am looking to change the ratio or not, have not decided yet. Going up or down or to stay at standard.

im often sat at 70-80 and it feels too revvy for my liking, i dont mind dropping gears to overtake its worth it for the fuel saving.

I do town riding mostly and I am looking to go say 14/51.

If you have a lot fo motorway make sense to go with lower ratio. According to this guy who has done +1 front and -1 back, he said that probably would like to have done it more like +2 front means 17/47:

http://www.bikesandtravels.com/biker.aspx?ride=379

Obviously you need to try it to see do you like it. Some people like it some not.

See this guy running 17 front sprocket:

! No longer available

[anutz]

what RPM does the stock ratio sit at doing 70-80, i have never really looked as i only really hit country roads, and never really am looking at the speedo etc...

[Punkstig]

Sooo, a while ago I swapped the rear wheel from the written off thundercat to the fazer as the tyre had more life in it.
Didn't bother swapping sprockets as I thought they were the same, they're not, the Thundercat has 47 teeth.
Now I realise -1 on the rear is little difference compared to changing the front sprocket, but in relation to your queery- it's had little effect on acceleration (if, if I wanted to it'll still wheelie happily enough) and to me it feels comfortable on the motorway at 80ish!
For the power of the bike I think you'll have little problems with acceleration changing the front sprocket by one!

[Paulfzs]

i dont mind loosing some acceleration as itll pop up in 2nd with the clutch and 1st under power which id like to get rid of really as spritely acceleration off lights often ends in the front wheel off the floor.


ill go +1 on the front and see how it copes if i need a little more acceleration ill go -2 on rear.

[Val]

i dont mind loosing some acceleration as itll pop up in 2nd with the clutch and 1st under power which id like to get rid of really as spritely acceleration off lights often ends in the front wheel off the floor.


ill go +1 on the front and see how it copes if i need a little more acceleration ill go -2 on rear.

Actually +1 front equals approximately to changing -3 rear.

Means if you go now with +1 front =16 tooth this will give you ratio of 48/16=3.0 the standard ratio is 48/15=3.2

If you want to go back to standard ratio without changing the front sprocket you'll need to go +3 rear to 51/16=3.1875

Going -2 means ratio 46/16=2.875 means you will loose acceleration more but gain top speed and lower your rpms more.

Personally I have decided to go for +2 front only which will be 48/17=2.82 lowering my rpms with about 500 to 800 rpms depending on the gear and increasing the top speed from standard 142mph to 162mph, of course I can't get that speed legally  :lol

[Paulfzs]

derp i wrote it out wrong haha you know what i meant :L


hows acceleration?


does it still pick up pretty quick? do you need to give it a fair bit of throttle to pull away?


ive not messed with sprockets since my old sr125 and that had insane sprockets making 5th  useless unless down a big hill but my god the top speed must have been about 120 but itd never get there.

[paulchucky]

its all personal choice and what you feel happy with as we all ride differently and want different things from our ride
personally i find it very rare that i`m doing 162mph  and rarely ride on motorways (kin boring)
most of my riding is on lovely country back roads 
scrathing etc 40mph -120mph
or with the mrs on back
either way i find that 14-48 is great pulls strong  and labours well in traffic
and returns 150 to a tank
even on an all day blast still get 120 to a tank

[Paulfzs]

great cheers all taken on board will see how i get on.