Question for you knowledgable riders?????

[xzvs]

16t front sprocket is about 25-30 bucks. I use a gps to read speed accurately anyway. One (slight) advantage of doing front is you move the wheel back a bit rather than forward (with a rear sprocket change). I have pretty much always used the front sprocket to adjust ratio (dirt bikes) as it is generally easier to do and less expensive.
gps mounted pic

 

[hayabusaman05]

I prefer adding teeth to the rear for chain longevity issues. Less stress on chain with the stock front. My bike has a 43 rear which is totally streetable. My recomendation would be a 42 or 43 rear for best overall performance.

What do you recommend.  17/42 or 17/43?

Go with 43 in the rear, going down one on the front would be like going up 2.5-3 on the rear. Going up on the rear is better than down on the front.

If you had a 15 front and a 45 rear the ratio would be 3:1....one front tooth equals 3 rear.
If you had 20 front and 40 rear it's 2:1. So it varies on your set up how much a front gear change actually effects your overall gear ratio  

Why is it better to go up in the rear. I heard that you can put alot of tension on the chain by going down in the front but can't you fix that by replacing the chain?

 

[BA BUSA]

I prefer adding teeth to the rear for chain longevity issues. Less stress on chain with the stock front. My bike has a 43 rear which is totally streetable. My recomendation would be a 42 or 43 rear for best overall performance.

What do you recommend.  17/42 or 17/43?

Go with 43 in the rear, going down one on the front would be like going up 2.5-3 on the rear. Going up on the rear is better than down on the front.

If you had a 15 front and a 45 rear the ratio would be 3:1....one front tooth equals 3 rear.
If you had 20 front and 40 rear it's 2:1. So it varies on your set up how much a front gear change actually effects your overall gear ratio  

Why is it better to go up in the rear.  I heard that you can put alot of tension on the chain by going down in the front but can't you fix that by replacing the chain?

If you go down on the front it adds wear and tear to the front sprocket
and the chain....stock is a 17. People have tried 15's on a Busa and
stripped the teeth of in only a couple of hundred miles.
Adding to the rear does not add any stress at all

 

[Tufbusa]

I agree, going up in the rear is my preference over one down on the front. I myself run a 43 tooth steel sprocket on the rear. It shortens the wheel base by about 3/8 of an inch and makes a completely different machine of your busa. The cheapest forward thrust you can buy at less than $60.

Buy yourself a 43 tooth rear sprocket, install that puppy on the hub, torque the sprocket bolts to 42.5 lbs and you are on your way. I'd recommend a speedohealer as well. With a 43 tooth sprocket adjust the speedohealer to 8.5% minus and your speedo will be awfully close to accurate.

I just purchase an 06 busa a couple of months ago. My buddy bought one just like it within a week. I installed a 43 tooth sprocket and his was left stock. We went on a weekend trip a month after we bought the bikes and every time we fueled up I'd take about two tenths less fuel than him. So dropping the gearing with a 43T rear, may even improve your fuel mileage?

 

[BentValve]

You got my noodle twisted Tufbusa...how do you figure a drop in gearing could possibly help fuel mileage?

 

[ZEUS]

Ya got it now Hayabusaman05?

 

[Tufbusa]

You got my noodle twisted Tufbusa...how do you figure a drop in gearing could possibly help fuel mileage?

Hey James, I'm glad to see I can twist your noodle dude (Snicker-Snicker)

I was surprised as well. I had no idea what effect the gear change would have on fuel economy as I've never tested it before and after a gear change. But I do know you can decrease fuel mileage by gearing your engine to tall. Maybe a stock busa is struggling just a tad at slower speeds although most of our trip was spent at 80 mph or so. Without researching it further, I can't really tell you why I got better mileage but for whatever reason my bike did slightly better. But we are only talking 2/10 of a gallon per tank so the difference was very small.

 

[bigoltool]

Logically the main reason a smaller front sprocket is theoretically harder on the chain is simply because it is smaller in diameter than the sprocket it replaces. You chain basically takes a 180 at the sprocket, the smaller diameter puts more stress on the chain to complete the turn.

But a bigger concern is that I hear people talking about going to larger rear sprockets but no new chains? Is your chain stretched so much that it allows you to get a 3 tooth bigger rear sporcket in there? If so I am thinking your chain is probably due for a replacement anyway. If I was to make a suggestion it would be to do them all (new 17/43 sprockets and chain to match) at once and sleep soundly!

And lubricate religiously!

 

[mjn]

Stock is 17/40 right?

 

[SPEEDEMON]

Stock is 17/40 right?

yep

 

[mjn]

I agree, going up in the rear is my preference over one down on the front. I myself run a 43 tooth steel sprocket on the rear. It shortens the wheel base by about 3/8 of an inch and makes a completely different machine of your busa. The cheapest forward thrust you can buy at less than $60.

Buy yourself a 43 tooth rear sprocket, install that puppy on the hub, torque the sprocket bolts to 42.5 lbs and you are on your way. I'd recommend a speedohealer as well. With a 43 tooth sprocket adjust the speedohealer to 8.5% minus and your speedo will be awfully close to accurate.

I just purchase an 06 busa a couple of months ago. My buddy bought one just like it within a week. I installed a 43 tooth sprocket and his was left stock. We went on a weekend trip a month after we bought the bikes and every time we fueled up I'd take about two tenths less fuel than him. So dropping the gearing with a 43T rear, may even improve your fuel mileage?

Does that give your Bus enough grunt for 2nd gear power wheelies?


and in reference to the above thread regarding chain replacement....didn't you put the 43 rear on right out of the box with the stock chain?



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[BA BUSA]

43 will fit on a new stock chain

 

[bigoltool]

43 will fit on a new stock chain

The reason I mention it is that on my last bike I had a 40/16 combo on a 630 RK chain. I tried to go back to the stock 42 tooth rear just for fun and there was no way in Heck that chain was going to stretch enough to go with that sprocket. And that was only two teeth. The Hayabusa has a 530 chain which is a finer pitch than that hulking 630 so maybe it works? Call me paranoid.