yet another sprocket thread!

V

Viperam

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First off, I bought a bone stock 03 with 4k miles. I've put 500 miles on a Busa. I'm military, live and work on base. 2 turns on my 5 mile commute. I like acceleration more than twisties.

I've done small box, tre, iridium plugs, removed pair, and about to put friends headers and mids with undecided mufflers on it, power commander to come. Dropped 1 up front and 1 in rear.

Wanting torque on a budget, I want to do sprockets. I understand 1 down 2 up 16/42 I can keep my stock chain. I don't get out on the highway much and I'm mainly in the city, I have a line on new nearly free steel 16/45 or 16/48. My budget is ZERO so I don't want buy a chain if I can help it.

Can I buy links for my low mileage chain with these gears?
Will these gears cause the bike to be too jerky, throttle sensitive, or overly wheelie prone?

I know I will get raked over coals for the last question. so to clarify my concern is decreased driveability as to make the bike unpleasant to ride.

I'm not worried about mileage. I'm not worried about front sprocket wear.

Advice or words of caution appreciated. Criticisms and insults expected : )
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Last edited:
along the same line of questioning, rather than start a new thread, i'd like to add a concern to the 'overly wheelie prone' factor:

the stock total gear ratio is 2.353, +2 in the rear is 2.471 and +3 is 2.529. -1, +2 is 2.625, so i am assuming that -1, +2 would be considerably more prone to wheelies than +2 or +3....and of course the aformentioned 16/45, 16/48 combos even more so. i'm about to grab a supersprox 42 or 43, so at what point does the total gear ratio number come into play regarding the front end becoming too light? i realize this is an extremely relative question, but it is a concern nonetheless. i guess i could always just get both a 42 and 43 and find out the hard way unless im just being a pansey when it comes to assuming the front wheel is going to shoot off into outerspace by doing +3 rear, stock front....:dunno:
 
I am using 17/43 set up on my Gen I. I am loving it. The acceleration is nice. Someone with more knowledge will chime in.
 
From what I remember, -1 in the front is the same as approx +2.6 in the rear. So +3 rear is a step up from -1 front. +3 rear will just BARELY let you keep the stock chain, your tension bolts in the rear will be almost bottomed out unless you have some good chain stretch already. Not sure if -1 and +2 would be doable on a stock chain. Anyone else try this? I'm +3 rear myself and it wheelies pretty darn easy! Don't think I'd ever go +5 to almost +6 rear like you're looking to do.
 
well if you can do +3 with stock chain then -1+2 or even-1 +4 should be doable with stock chain. If you go down on front thats going to give more chain to let you go up more in the rear. I've got -1 front and my adjuster is screwed out pretty dang far in the rear...I'm sure I could fit at least 3 or 4 more teeth back there but I'm a little to concerned with fuel milage to do that. I have thought about going up 2 just to see if I can feel a difference though.
 
Liltroy said:
well if you can do +3 with stock chain then -1+2 or even-1 +4 should be doable with stock chain. If you go down on front thats going to give more chain to let you go up more in the rear. I've got -1 front and my adjuster is screwed out pretty dang far in the rear...I'm sure I could fit at least 3 or 4 more teeth back there but I'm a little to concerned with fuel milage to do that. I have thought about going up 2 just to see if I can feel a difference though.
Click to expand...
You'll feel a difference! :thumbsup:
 
16/42 is a very good setup for mega hard acceleration while still being ridable on the highway. Any more than that is going to ruin your highway riding with too many revs, too much vibration, and horrible gas mileage. Anything more than 16/42 is really overkill for a street busa imo.
 
The Big Red One said:
16/42 is a very good setup for mega hard acceleration while still being ridable on the highway. Any more than that is going to ruin your highway riding with too many revs, too much vibration, and horrible gas mileage. Anything more than 16/42 is really overkill for a street busa imo.
Click to expand...

I've wondered about that. Right now with the -1 front, my theoretical top speed at the stock limiter(which I have moved up with ecu edit) is only around 188. going up 2 in the rear would lower it even further and I really like to hit those high numbers every once in awhile...thats the only reason I havent changed it yet.:whistle:
 
Viperam. Lol I'm in Mary Esther and work at Hurlburt Fld too. Did you sell that truck yet. I have an 08 O/B that is parked at the Comm bldg next to the SP's bldg. :beerchug:
 
Not sold yet. I have it posted on auto trader and eBay. 13,500 and its yours. Ill take a cab home .

Go to my thread here and vouch for it. Need all the help I can get.
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Ok I will stay away from 45-48.

Can I go down 1 and up three? 16/43 with my chain. If not can I buy a few links and make it work. I'm cheap and ignorant.
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Going to a 17/43 on my gen 1 was the single best mod I've done. It moved the minor buzz from the mid 80's to the mid 70's. Still goes plenty fast enough for me, just gets there hella quicker.
It does come up far easier in first than before, and all it needs is a small bump, and it's comin up in second as well. To me..that is a good thing! :laugh:
 
mjn said:
Going to a 17/43 on my gen 1 was the single best mod I've done. It moved the minor buzz from the mid 80's to the mid 70's. Still goes plenty fast enough for me, just gets there hella quicker.
It does come up far easier in first than before, and all it needs is a small bump, and it's comin up in second as well. To me..that is a good thing! :laugh:
Click to expand...

Now with that experience would you advise going down one in the front. My daily commute is 35/45 mph. Did you have the stock chain?
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Viperam said:
Now with that experience would you advise going down one in the front. My daily commute is 35/45 mph. Did you have the stock chain?
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Click to expand...

going down one in front is almost the same as going three up in the rear.
 
Got 17/42 on my busa now with the stock chain and like the gearing for the street. I don't know if I would like dropping the front one as it would rev alot more on the highway.
 
17-45 on gen 2. It pulls very hard. You could put the 45 on and leave Ã￾our front if its not toast.
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Which is easier to do front or rear. If I can get 17/45 and it be near 16/42-43 and it be less work and money.... Why don't more people do it
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They were about the same to me. Seems like less steps in swapping the rear. Pull wheel and unbolt from cush drive. To do front you gotta take off the sprocket cover. Remove speed sensor. Hold rear brake to break it lose, remove nut and, release chain tension and replace.
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