WHAT GEARING

[kennym4]

I have a question for you guys,

I don't drag race hardly ever, and I'm not really a "top
end guy". I do however, LOVE the mid pull !!!!!

So my question is, SHOULD I BE RUNNING 16/42
gearing ? Is it true that top-end would be around 167 ?

To those that are using this, is it a BIG DIFFERANCE ?

Thanks again you guys for any comments !!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Professor]

I run a 16/42 at the strip. I don't like it on the street but many do. I prefer crusing at lower rpms and bit tamer hit. I usually run a 17/42 or 17/40 on the street. Yes the 16/42 makes a big difference. Try a 16/40 to get a feel for it. It is a cheap easy swap and it will give you an idea if you want more or not.

 

[dadofthree]

Sounds like you need to hang with stock

 

[kennym4]

(dadofthree @ Jul. 18 2007,09:10) Sounds like you need to hang with stock

Why's that ?

I want the best gearing for like 2nd & 3rd gear roll
on's.

And I didn't think it would be the stock gearing ?

When I said no drag racing, I meant, no 1/4 mile
runs on the strip !

 

[SANDFLEA85]

i RUN 17/42...its different the 17/40 for sure but like said earlier..the rpms are up a bit more when cruising and i cant imagine where they would be with a 16/42 or 43 setup...doesnt really make much sense for street use

 

[NightCrawler]

Some katz here are hefty dudes and prefer the 16/42 gearing to help get the bike going.

 

[Over_Easy]

I'd start w/ a 17/42 (that's what I'm doing) and if you need more you can step up to the 16/42.

 

[OZZY]

i run the 16/42 setup and love it!!! u got steady pull in gears 1-6 with this setup. u will be cruising at some higher revs, but it aint nuthin i cant deal with...

 

[dadofthree]

I have 17/40, bone stock '06. Most of my roll ons are cruising at 65 and someone takes off usually down shifting several gears. I just twist the wrist in 6th and run them down and overtake. You said you didn't drag or care about top end. The only real advantage I see with the Busa is top end especially over the newer liter bikes. You're giving up around 100 lbs. or so on the bike alone. Not to mention most of us are given up another 50 - 70 lbs. Another sacrifice will be fuel mileage. You know what you want, so go for it. I'm getting ready to go 17/38 for my own reasons.

 

[Professor]

a 17/42 and a 16/40 are almost identical in ratio. The 17/42 would be a better choice because of load on the chain due to smaller sprockets.

But it is cheaper to put a $20 sprocket on to see if someone likes it or wants more. The 16/42 will about double the result from stock.

Here is a chart for popular combos showing the ratio and % from stock 17/40.

16 38 2.375 0.9%
16 39 2.438 3.6%
16 40 2.500 6.2%
16 41 2.563 8.9%
16 42 2.625 11.6%
16 43 2.688 14.2%
16 44 2.750 16.9%
17 38 2.235 -5.0%
17 39 2.294 -2.5%
17 40 2.353 0.0%
17 41 2.412 2.5%
17 42 2.471 5.0%
17 43 2.529 7.5%
17 44 2.588 10.0%

 

[johnnycrash]

(dadofthree @ Jul. 18 2007,12:40) I have 17/40, bone stock '06. Most of my roll ons are cruising at 65 and someone takes off usually down shifting several gears. I just twist the wrist in 6th and run them down and overtake.

I take it you ride with mainly harleys or goldwings.

edit - and FWIW I have settled on 17/44 - I think running a small front sprocket negatively effects chain life - especially if you're over 200 hp.

 

[Tufbusa]

(dadofthree @ Jul. 18 2007,10:40) I have 17/40, bone stock '06. I'm getting ready to go 17/38 for my own reasons.

Unless you are adding significantly more HP, you'll turn your bike into a real turd.

 

[rkabusa]

17-42 is the ticket ,I tried 16-42 and it is fun doing wheelies but . I am slower raceing my budy I have to fight to much to keep the wheel down.with the 17-42 i would pull a bike length each gear for the first three gears , with 16-41 first was even but i was on one wheel 2nd he pulled half bike third even

 

[Wrath]

don't forget that your speedo will be off as soon as you change a sprocket. I'm adding more mileage to my bike than it deserves untill I get a speedohealer.
(Anyone who has one laying around....

)

 

[Learjett]

Well, I've been running 16/42 for a few months now and I do love it. With that gearing I can run the Dragon and never touch the brakes. However, I'm also on the interstate a bunch and 16/42, while I can deal with it, is a bit much. I'm usually around 5grand cruising. So, I changed my front back to a 17 a couple of weeks ago and left the 42 on the rear and found that I'm using my brakes a lot on the Dragon. However the interstate cruising is about perfect now. 17/42 is an excellent compromise for the street, but I'll probably put the 16 back on the front for the Fall Bash!

 

[fstbusa]

(Tufbusa @ Jul. 18 2007,04:36)

(dadofthree @ Jul. 18 2007,10:40) I have 17/40, bone stock '06. I'm getting ready to go 17/38 for my own reasons.

Unless you are adding significantly more HP, you'll turn your bike into a real turd.

even then you'd have up the hp by quite a bit to go to 17/38


I have 270hp and I love the stock gearing at 17/40

 

[TheAtomicAss]

(Tufbusa @ Jul. 18 2007,17:36)

(dadofthree @ Jul. 18 2007,10:40) I have 17/40, bone stock '06. I'm getting ready to go 17/38 for my own reasons.

Unless you are adding significantly more HP, you'll turn your bike into a real turd.

Odd that. I would think a bike with that much torque wouldn't really mind a tooth here or there.

My Ninja 250, with all of 12ft/lbs,

responded positively in all gears except 6th to a sprocket change, from 14/45 to 15/41. That's a change from 3.21:1 to 2.73:1.

 

[dadofthree]

(johnnycrash @ Jul. 18 2007,15:46)

(dadofthree @ Jul. 18 2007,12:40) I have 17/40, bone stock '06. Most of my roll ons are cruising at 65 and someone takes off usually down shifting several gears. I just twist the wrist in 6th and run them down and overtake.

I take it you ride with mainly harleys or goldwings.

edit - and FWIW I have settled on 17/44 - I think running a small front sprocket negatively effects chain life - especially if you're over 200 hp.

Close CBR 600, Ninja 636, Zuki 600, 750, 1000, R1, R6

 

[dadofthree]

(Tufbusa @ Jul. 18 2007,17:36)

(dadofthree @ Jul. 18 2007,10:40) I have 17/40, bone stock '06. I'm getting ready to go 17/38 for my own reasons.

Unless you are adding significantly more HP, you'll turn your bike into a real turd.

Maybe so, I'll still have the factory 40.

 

[dadofthree]

You guys need to cut back to a six pack of haterade a day. Criticism and opinions are great, I love it, but dayum.