530 conversion

[hp1000s]

Would someone explain in fairly specific terms, the benefits of the 530 chain/sproket conversion....I'll be ready for new stuff sometime next season. Thanks for indulging me!
Hugh

 

[robinjo]

Would someone explain in fairly specific terms, the benefits of the 530 chain/sprocket conversion....I'll be ready for new stuff sometime next season. Thanks for indulging me!
Hugh

Less HP loss because off less moving mass, better availabilty, more room for a fat rear tire.

 

[hp1000s]

Cool, good info! Looks like the way to go. Thanks...Hugh

 

[jeff.saunders]

Would someone explain in fairly specific terms, the benefits of the 530 chain/sproket conversion....I'll be ready for new stuff sometime next season. Thanks for indulging me!
Hugh

One of the big reasons is cost savings - the 530 chain tends to work out about $10-$15 cheaper.

The weight saving is more than just the curb weight change - this is reciprocating weight - and this tied directly with HP at the rear wheel.

In converting, it is fairly easy to calc the 530 sprocket sizes (see below) - but then you need to match against the availability of sprockets. If you want custom sprockets, Sprocket Specialists can make just about any size rear sprocket in aluminum - the caution here is cost and wait - depending on the time of year, you can wait 3-4 weeks for a custom sprocket, and may pay $10-$15 or more over the cost of a steel sprocket.

630 chain is 3/4" pitch (or think of it as 6/8"), 530 chain is 5/8" pitch - so the simple conversion in teeth is divide the 630 sprocket teeth count by 5 and multiply by 6.

A 630 15 tooth front becomes a 530 18 tooth
A 630 35 tooth rear becomes a 530 42 tooth
a 92 link rear chain becomes 110.4 links (rounded to 110)

This gives sprockets of the same diameter as before, just with more (but smaller) teeth.

Often you end up with fractions of teeth, so you have to round up or down - the key here is to calc the ratio to know it's close to what you need.

Ratio - if you divide the rear tooth count by the front you get the ratio
35 / 15 = 2.33:1

Then if you want to change your ratio, you can calc the impact if you know the mph at a certain rpm. For example if your bike cruises at 60 mph / 4,000 rpm and has a ratio of 2.33:1 - and you want more acceleration, putting a larger rear will give more accelaration - but what is the impact?

Putting a 37 tooth sprocket on the back and leaving 15 on the front changes the ratio to 2.47:1

Divide your RPM by 2.33 and multipy by 2.47 = so 4,000 rpm becomes 4,240 rpm at 60 mph.

Changing sprocket diameter can be a problem - sprocket clearance on the front limits how big you can go, and as mentioned before, you want to avoid going too small as the tight bend wears the chain quicker. You can also run into problems with the chain slapping the swingarm by going too small on front and/or rear.

Sprocket spacing is important - we buy (and sell) spacers from both sprocket specialists and JT Sprockets - the JT sprockets spacer is 6mm, the Sprocket specialists ones are just about 1mm each.

JT Sprockets has an excellent reference - click on their catalog
http://www.jtsprockets.com/
This shows the attributes for each sprocket - and from this you can look at other bikes sprockets and be comfortable the sprocket will fit.

 

[hp1000s]

Yeah, now that's what I call specific. I'm printing all that out to go in my binder. Thanks, Hugh

 

[Billy Ricks]

My 700 came with 530 and I went down to 520. All measurements are the same except width. So you have even less friction and less weight. The chain has nearly identical strength as 530. I got a Regina gold o-ring which has stretched less than any chain I've ever used. I used Katana 600 based aftermarket front sprocket and GSXR based rear. I'm running 16/42 ratio with a 4.5" GSXR wheel.

 

[johnrregan]

front sprocket spacers

front sprocket spacers

i put zzr kawasaki wheels on my katana 1100, and fitted a 180 section tyre on the back (the stock swingarm is in fact capable of handling such a wide tyre, indeed its probably got the clearance to go a little wider. for the front, i reconned i needed 9mm of offset, and was going to convert to 530 chain too. it so happens that the old 630 sprocket is 9mm wide, and it obviously also has the splimes in it to fit to the output shaft. so i plasma cut the centre from an old sprocket and cleane up the edges, then fit the new sprocket followed by the spacer, and finally the nut, and tighteened it up, before you say its the wrong way round, i welded the spacer to the sprocket, then took it off and flipped it over. this gives me my 9mm of offset, with the added bonus of the new sprocket now having twice the contact area with the splines of the output shaft, ive never had a problem with it since. i run 17/38 gearing on the street, which gives relaxed motorway cruising and a bonus of almost 50mpg,(1170cc kat with gixxer carbs and porting!) and on the strip run 15/38 ( i made another sprocket up just for this) and it runs 11.19 quarter miles @123mph, bearing in mind that i weigh nearly 19 stone, i dont think this is at all bad!

 

[Katamaniac]

Re: front sprocket spacers

Re: front sprocket spacers

i put zzr kawasaki wheels on my katana 1100, and fitted a 180 section tyre on the back (the stock swingarm is in fact capable of handling such a wide tyre, indeed its probably got the clearance to go a little wider. for the front,

Are you sure you have the stock swing arm on your Katana. I have a 150 rear tire, but when I got the bike, there was a 160 and if the axle was all the way forward in the swing arm, the tire would rub both sides of the swing arm. That was the reason i went to a 150. Plus, if I rode with the wife pillion, the left side of the tire would rub the inner plastic fender. I have plenty of clearance now.

 

[johnrregan]

kat swingarm

kat swingarm

yes, the swingarm is stock, it is the one that has been in the bike the 7 years ive had it, and is identical to the swingarms in both my other katanas. wheels are zzr600 and have a metz rennisport tyre on the back, 180/60 17 if my memmory serves me correctly, (about the 60 section that is, its deffinately a 180 and 17") dont know why your swingarm would be any different, unless yours is a 750 swingarm which i think are similar in looks but slightly smaller

 

[Guest]

Re: front sprocket spacers

Re: front sprocket spacers

i put zzr kawasaki wheels on my katana 1100, and fitted a 180 section tyre on the back (the stock swingarm is in fact capable of handling such a wide tyre, indeed its probably got the clearance to go a little wider. for the front,

Are you sure you have the stock swing arm on your Katana. I have a 150 rear tire, but when I got the bike, there was a 160 and if the axle was all the way forward in the swing arm, the tire would rub both sides of the swing arm. That was the reason i went to a 150. Plus, if I rode with the wife pillion, the left side of the tire would rub the inner plastic fender. I have plenty of clearance now.

All you have to do is flatten the ends of the rails abit to clear the 180 tire. or better put a couple links in your chain and get the wheel back where it belongs. there is lots of room for the 180 in a stock 1100 swing.. it just flexes more.