sprocket suggestions?

[makenzie71]

1981 GS750E. I'll be running a 150/70 17 rear tire. I want the gearing to stay as close to stock as possible, though. Any suggestions for sprocket sizes?

[80GS1000]

What width rim are you running from what bike, and what width chain? Are you using an offset front sprocket?

[gsryder]

I have the same bike and have been considering the same thing.
Whats stock 14/43?
I was thinking of going a little larger on the rear to give a little more acceleration.(right?)
I dont go much over 100ish MPH very often so loosing a little off the top end is not a concern.
I would also like to hear what others are running and with what results.

[makenzie71]

What width rim are you running from what bike, and what width chain? Are you using an offset front sprocket?

It'll be a 3.5" wheel from a GS500 for the time being...I'll snag something a bit wider next gear/tire change. I'll be using whatever I need to use to make it work as far as offset gears. I'll be using a 520 roller as far as chain/gear width.

[80GS1000]

It'll be a 3.5" wheel from a GS500 for the time being...I'll snag something a bit wider next gear/tire change. I'll be using whatever I need to use to make it work as far as offset gears. I'll be using a 520 roller as far as chain/gear width.

A 150 tire is a bit pinched on that rim - 130 is stock for the GS500 and the 130 will handle better on that rim.

What's the stock gearing on that bike?

You want to add teeth to the front and back sprockets to keep the chain from fouling the swingarm when converting to 520/530 chain. For example, stock gearing on my bike was 15/42 (front/rear) for a gearing ratio of 2.8. When I converted to 520 chain I went with 17/48 to keep the stock ratio of 2.8 and to provide good chain/swingarm clearance.

If you can, get a X-ring 520 chain from one of the major brands (DID, RK, EK) when you buy your new sprockets. It'll last many times longer than a roller chain and won't stretch nearly as much as a roller chain.

[makenzie71]

You can run 150mm tires on the GS wheel. Lots of discussion about it on GStwins. Not every 150 is approved but there are many made for the application.

I'm not sure gearing on the stock GS500 but I'll look it up here in a bit.

Rollers are great. DID makes good ones that I've ran on everything from dirtbikes to my TLS to GSXR1000's with no stretch/longevity issues. Ringed chains are meant for people who don't like to maintain them. There's a plethera of reasons rollers are better, but it'll be a discussion much like "what's the best oil".

[rotty]

You can ask Katman and ask him about sprockets and getting info you need.

[TheCafeKid]

You can run 150mm tires on the GS wheel. Lots of discussion about it on GStwins. Not every 150 is approved but there are many made for the application.

I'm not sure gearing on the stock GS500 but I'll look it up here in a bit.

Rollers are great. DID makes good ones that I've ran on everything from dirtbikes to my TLS to GSXR1000's with no stretch/longevity issues. Ringed chains are meant for people who don't like to maintain them. There's a plethera of reasons rollers are better, but it'll be a discussion much like "what's the best oil".

Actually, chains dont stretch. That is pure myth. What happens is road grime, dust, dirt, wax and everything else get down into the rivets and waller the holes out, giving the impression that it stretched. This however, is mostly due to poor upkeep. Roller chains, due to design, require you to wax and clean and oil more regularly than Oring and Xring...this perpetuates the buildup situation. The more you wax and oil, the more grime gets stuck in the peens, the more it acts as an abrasive and wears the chain out. Roller chains are no better than an Oring or Xring chain, and vice verse, other than the maintenance issues. However, a roller chain will simply NOT last as long as an oring or xring chain. Its simply not possible unless you are putting a stupidly low ammount of miles on every season. The real difference here is, how much of a cost over use difference is there? If you dont ride alot, or ride hard seldom, a roller chain might be the best route, as they are quite a bit cheaper than Oring or Xring chains. However, if you DO ride alot, and pay attention to chain maintenance, you'll be paying for a chain more often using a roller. So do you pay for a chain, 2 or 3 times a year? 60 bucks a pop? Or do you pay for a chain ONCE a year, at 85 bucks pop. Choice is yours.

[katman]

ok, you are going to a smaller wheel. 18 to 17". also lower aspect tire profile 90 to a 70. I believe your stock final drive ratio is 15t front and 41t rear.

If you keep this stock gearing you will lose 3mph @ 4000rpm and 5mph @ 8500rpm. This will help low end and mid range performance. You will think the bike is running better but you will be running a little higher rpm on the hiway.

So how do you like to ride?

If you get a 16t front and 42t rear you will only lose 1mph at 4000rpm and your top speed will remain the same.

This calculation was done with trany numbers I have. They may or may not be exactly your bike but ratios are ratios

If you need sprockets, I can get any offset and rear with any gearing you want.

hope this helps you.

[makenzie71]

Actually, chains dont stretch. That is pure myth. What happens is road grime, dust, dirt, wax and everything else get down into the rivets and waller the holes out, giving the impression that it stretched. This however, is mostly due to poor upkeep. Roller chains, due to design, require you to wax and clean and oil more regularly than Oring and Xring...this perpetuates the buildup situation. The more you wax and oil, the more grime gets stuck in the peens, the more it acts as an abrasive and wears the chain out. Roller chains are no better than an Oring or Xring chain, and vice verse, other than the maintenance issues. However, a roller chain will simply NOT last as long as an oring or xring chain. Its simply not possible unless you are putting a stupidly low ammount of miles on every season. The real difference here is, how much of a cost over use difference is there? If you dont ride alot, or ride hard seldom, a roller chain might be the best route, as they are quite a bit cheaper than Oring or Xring chains. However, if you DO ride alot, and pay attention to chain maintenance, you'll be paying for a chain more often using a roller. So do you pay for a chain, 2 or 3 times a year? 60 bucks a pop? Or do you pay for a chain ONCE a year, at 85 bucks pop. Choice is yours.

Like I said...I've not had any stretch/wear issues and I've run them on bikes putting 130hp down and pretty hard. I get about 8000 miles out of the rollers I run before I get too much lateral play. You do have a LOT more maintenance, there's no question, and it's more involved...it's not just spray with a cleaner and re-oil/wax like a ringed chain. You have to remove the chain and use a proper solvent and flush the chain about once a month to get it clean. When I was running DID ringed chains I'd get between 8000 and 10000 miles without a lot of drama, but you've got the price thing a bit off. I pay $20 for a fair DID roller verses $80~120 for a decent ringed chain.

With proper work you get a chain that lasts about 75% less than a quality ringed chain but you spend 25% of the cash per chain, you get a lighter chain (lessens unsprung weight), far less rolling resistance, and you get a bike that looks like you really ride the snot out of it (rollers are just...messy...).

ok, you are going to a smaller wheel. 18 to 17". also lower aspect tire profile 90 to a 70. I believe your stock final drive ratio is 15t front and 41t rear.

If you keep this stock gearing you will lose 3mph @ 4000rpm and 5mph @ 8500rpm. This will help low end and mid range performance. You will think the bike is running better but you will be running a little higher rpm on the hiway.

So how do you like to ride?

If you get a 16t front and 42t rear you will only lose 1mph at 4000rpm and your top speed will remain the same.

This calculation was done with trany numbers I have. They may or may not be exactly your bike but ratios are ratios

If you need sprockets, I can get any offset and rear with any gearing you want.

hope this helps you.

Thanks much, Katman...I had broken into the tranny gearing on both bieks and did some comparisons and a lot more work than I really needed to and came up with the 16/42 combination as pretty well what I want.

[makenzie71]

all my hard thinking really added up to squat haha. Right now I'm running SV650 gears...15/45 combo...and that puts me at about 9mph per 1000rpm. I think 16/42 would be tolerable, but I'm going to go with 16/39 in a 520 combo (130/70 17 rear tire) because it's free

That should actually put me lower than stock...which I'm tickled about. I hate it, but 90% of my riding is in one straight direction.