Upgrading stock chain and sprockets?

[jbronin]

Recently after getting my '79 GS750L inspected I was told I'll have to do something about my chain and sprockets. I didn't put much thought into it until my chain broke about five miles away from home.

So now I am seriously thinking about getting it replace and I'm wondering about upgrading the chain and sprockets. I read in a few places that I can benefit from replacing the stock 630 chain to a 530 but nobody seems to explain the process of buying the right parts.

I could buy a 530 chain and sprocket set but are the number of teeth in both sprockets going to be the same, as well as the number of links in the chain?

For what it's worth my bike current stock parts (what I found on BassCliff's spreadsheet) are a 15 tooth front sprocket, 41 tooth rear sprocket, and a 630/96 chain.

 

[trevor]

Recently after getting my '79 GS750L inspected I was told I'll have to do something about my chain and sprockets. I didn't put much thought into it until my chain broke about five miles away from home.

So now I am seriously thinking about getting it replace and I'm wondering about upgrading the chain and sprockets. I read in a few places that I can benefit from replacing the stock 630 chain to a 530 but nobody seems to explain the process of buying the right parts.

I could buy a 530 chain and sprocket set but are the number of teeth in both sprockets going to be the same, as well as the number of links in the chain?

For what it's worth my bike current stock parts (what I found on BassCliff's spreadsheet) are a 15 tooth front sprocket, 41 tooth rear sprocket, and a 630/96 chain.

Here is what you need...

http://www.z1enterprises.com/Chain630To530.aspx

I went from 15-42 to 17-50 on my 750 and 1100 to get the same rpm ratio

 

[koolaid_kid]

You are at a good point on a fairly rare bike. Not many chain driven L models were sold.
If you call Z1Enterprises, they will guide you to the correct solution. Your gear ratio will change slightly. You can keep it close to stock, gear it up for better fuel economy or gear it down for better acceleration. They have the answers.

 

[jbronin]

Thanks for the link. After reading it for a bit I think I have it figured out. If I'm right, I should be able to get an 18 front , 49 rear and a chain with 115 links. Now I just need to know how big of a spacer I need.

 

[jbronin]

I know that the L models aren't really common (I find myself getting parts for the E model sometimes) but I didn't know that some weren't chain driven. That would have made things interesting.

 

[koolaid_kid]

Well, you have things a bit twisted. The L models were quite popular, but only a few models were chain driven. All the rest were shafties.
If it is a 750 it is a chain drive, and the early 1000/1100 were chain drive. All the rest got the shaft, the most popular being the 850s.

 

[earlfor]

Thanks for the link. After reading it for a bit I think I have it figured out. If I'm right, I should be able to get an 18 front , 49 rear and a chain with 115 links. Now I just need to know how big of a spacer I need.

A #630 sprocket is 3/8" thick and a #530 sprocket is 3/8" thick. You only need a spacer if the counter shaft sprocket you now have has a shoulder on it on the inside surface. I believe the spacer if needed is 6mm. Z1 can tell you when you call them.