gear spacing and clutch slippage

[johnhend]

Anyone familiar with how a good running stock 77 gs550 should run and shift? I have been taking mine for a couple of test drives since i got it running and it seems like it is geared extremely low. I can get all the way up to 5th gear before I get to 40 miles an hour and it seems like the gears could/should have been spaced out quite a bit more, like I could skip every other gear when accelerating. Also, the transmission or clutch seems to slip when I accelerate hard. Not sure if I should replace the clutch springs, or put in a new set of clutch plates.

[DimitriT]

I added a tooth to the front sprocket. It certainly lost some of its acceleration
but that's not what the bike was for to start with. I can now cruise comfortably
at 70 mph without the noise and vibration I was getting.

[chef1366]

Count the teeth on the rear and counter sprocket.

[almarconi]

Not sure if I should replace the clutch springs, or put in a new set of clutch plates.

Probably long overdue.

[Suzuki_Don]

15 teeth on front sprocket and 50 teeth on the rear. If you check your handbook that will show you the gear spacings, if you don't have one then I can post it up for you.

BTW you only mentioned five gears. I hope you realise there are six gears on the 550 motor.

[tkent02]

Wind it out.

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. johnhend,

If I remember correctly, your bike makes most of its power between 7000 and 9000 rpm. Like the others said, rev it up and don't worry. Or, if you don't need all that acceleration, change the sprocket sizes to lower your revs at freeway speeds. Stock sprockets sizes for your bike are 15 teeth in the front and 50 rear.

What's the formula for raising the gear ratio (lowering the rpm)? Adding one tooth in front is the same as subtracting three teeth on the rear? Please correct me if I'm wrong. This article can explain it in layman's terms: http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motor...hain-sprocket/

Actually, I should just be quiet since my bike has a shaft.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[johnhend]

I added a tooth to the front sprocket. It certainly lost some of its acceleration
but that's not what the bike was for to start with. I can now cruise comfortably
at 70 mph without the noise and vibration I was getting.

Yeah, I've got a 15 tooth front sprocket, already replaced the rear with, I think a 50. So going to a 16 front was enough? I can buy a 17 or 18 on z1 enterprises. I've got the clutch apart waiting for parts right now, but I could swear that it wouldn't go into 6th gear, i'll have to count but i think I only got 1 down and 4 up. the six indicator never light up i know that for sure. anyway, I don't want to be in the high rpms if i just want to cruise.

[tkent02]

These bikes cruise efficiently at high RPM, taller gearing is not good for such a little engine.

If you ride like a little old lady you might get away with it for a while.