Lower gearing--Changing sprocket up front

musikkant · 02-26-2007, 1:26 PM

Hi -

This is my first post on this forum! My girlfriend recently purchased a 2000 RC51, and it is great--especially since I ride it as often as she does (we switch bikes). Because most of our riding is in or near a large city, we would like to lower the gearing on it and ordered the 15T vortex sprocket. It turns out that this sprocket was made for a 520 chain, although the website where we purchased it did not mention the necessary chain conversion. Rather, it provided information that led us to believe that it was for the OEM 530 chain. Needless to say, we were disappointed.

Anyway, this snafu gives us some time to ask how the 15T works in your experience! Does anyone here have a 15T sprocket for the OEM 530 chain? Which brand? And have anyone of you done that in combination with adding a tooth or three with the rear sprocket? If so, have you added links to the chain or just bought a new chain?

Thanks for any comments regarding 15T front sprockets, 41-43T rear sprockets and new chains!

Cheers!

musikkant · 02-26-2007, 2:35 PM

Oh, by the way, how much of a difference has lowering the gearing made for your odometer/speedometer? Would I have to get a speedohealer?

Thanks!

*sinfuldragon* · 02-26-2007, 3:22 PM

probably need the speed healer. Why not take one from the front and put one on the back (taking one from the front does more than adding one to the back and together they are great). This should make it so that you can use your stock chain with it as well.

belowme51 · 02-26-2007, 4:49 PM

15/41 combo is pretty much perfect for the bike. First gear is not as tall as it is stock so it really helps with riding in trafic....Id go with the 520 conversion, It drops a little over 1lb off. You should get a speedo healer if your concerned about the gearing changing the speedo.

mab22687 · 02-26-2007, 5:06 PM

i went down 1 on the front and up 2 on the back. i still have the 530 stock chain. it seems to be fine. i need to get a speedohealer it seems they are def needed. bike has a noticeable more amount of pull and it can stand up one more gear high than usual now.

musikkant · 02-27-2007, 1:16 PM

Thanks for your input! I have ordered the AFAM -1, +1 for the original 530 chain. I'll try to put it on this weekend and will let you know how it goes. May have to get a speedohealer, too.

*sinfuldragon* · 02-27-2007, 1:33 PM

Cool.
You'll want that speedo healer if you care to know how fast you are really going.

wtme600 · 06-28-2007, 6:34 PM

why can you get a speedo healer from?

ozthis · 06-28-2007, 7:59 PM

SpeedoHealer - Electronic Speedometer and Odometer calibrator for motorcycles

m0nSteR TwIn · 06-28-2007, 11:25 PM

I was planning to post on this issue as well....

I just got my 04' RC this week and i love it...but the guy who owned it previously put a +5 sprocket on the back...yeah, I know. It's twitchy as f***!!! Anyway, my question is, how does the stock speedo work? Is it sensing off something in the tranny? My speedo seems to be almost random. At times it seems to be farther out of whack than others. I'm planning on going back to the stock sprocket for now until I can get a better combination cuz +5 ain't happenin', but this has made me wonder about the speedo and where it gets it's info.

Thanks

kelleyj · 06-29-2007, 8:47 AM

ive went -1 on the front sprocket. stock on the back and still run the 530 chain. but after this year if i dont get another bike i think im going to go to a 520 conversion with -1/+2 and install a speedo healer, i also would like to sne dmy guages off to blue guages and have them reset the odo. to the poper milage or as close to it as i can becuase i did some horse trading with a guy in the netherlands for a US spec dash for my canadian dash i wanted MPH and he wanted a fully metric dash, but his dash had a substantial amoutn more miles on the clock than my bike has. so my bike is registering i think about 28000 miles and it actually only has around 17000 on it no to mention all the error that has been added due to the gearing change that has been on there for 2 seasons now racking up the miles even faster.

wtme600 · 06-29-2007, 5:33 PM

many thaks for that ozthis

*juspimpin* · 07-29-2007, 11:57 PM

So, I have put over 7000 miles on my bike since purchase (used), and just had to attend an advanced rider course for army safety. Been riding for about 15 years, but still mandatory. Anyway, there was a bunch of 15 mph drills that I had to do at 20-25 since the bike will not roll under 20 without bogging, chugging or slipping the clutch. Hated it so much that I ordered a 15T front sprocket and new chain to see how that worked before getting a rear, allowing me the option of changing that too if the front was not enough. Problem is that I removed a 15T front that previous owner changed. So, what should I go with for rear? Is it mathematical change? If I go up 4 on the rear, is that a 10% change so previous RPMs will now be 10% higher with same speed? That is what I want, but not scary low gearing as the guy bove with plus 5 said. I do not care about top speed, as I seldom use 6th now. I have to be over 75 for 6th to be ok. At 65-70 commuting, I am in 4 or 5. Is this normal? Love the bike, but the 15/40 sprocket combo I have is touring gears.

kelleyj · 07-30-2007, 8:30 AM

i wouldnt go +4 in the rear...that thing is gonna be hard to keep the nose down. maybe at most +2 at 15/40 ( thats what i have as well) anything below 25 is stilla challenge. i am going to be going +1 or +2 on my bike over the winter.

chawness · 08-01-2007, 3:08 PM

Just my 2 cents. I'm running a 15/43 with a stock 530 chain. I really like the combo. It had a 15/41 when I got it and it was still to high, and I'm only 140 lbs. With the 15/43 the speedo is off about 15mph. You can buy a stock CBR929 sprocket (43T) on ebay for about $10.

As far as wheelies it will come up in first, second if you want it to and third not a chance.

kelleyj · 08-01-2007, 4:10 PM

REALLY?!
i can get mine to power up second gear with just a simple on/off method no clutching and all ive done is went -1 up front and im 265 pounds

chawness · 08-02-2007, 7:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelleyj

REALLY?!
i can get mine to power up second gear with just a simple on/off method no clutching and all ive done is went -1 up front and im 265 pounds

Well I can do the on/off or clutch up second, but not third. Defiantly cant clutch up third.

Mars · 08-02-2007, 11:07 AM

ROGUE RC51 Common Gearing

*juspimpin* · 08-12-2007, 11:17 PM

Got it together and working...15/43 is great!! Power when I want it but I can still keep front wheel down with throttle control. Easier to wheelie of course, but power is where it more usable. I couldn't care less about reduced top end, but I need not fan the clutch to start and it is as quick as a liter bike should be. Now I am not just keeping up with others, I can pull on more of them.

kelleyj · 08-13-2007, 7:53 AM

thats cool. im about the same boat as you were. i could cpower up second but i had to work at it. ive just clutched up 2nd. and third was not "do-able"
ive been thinking about going +1 or possible +2 in the rear. mabe ill just go +2 and be done with it. can you get 3rd withthe +3 in the rear? you think itd pull up 3rd with 15/42?

chawness · 08-13-2007, 9:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelleyj

thats cool. im about the same boat as you were. i could cpower up second but i had to work at it. ive just clutched up 2nd. and third was not "do-able"
ive been thinking about going +1 or possible +2 in the rear. mabe ill just go +2 and be done with it. can you get 3rd withthe +3 in the rear? you think itd pull up 3rd with 15/42?

I think it will take lower gearing than 15/42 to get third up. Honestly, I am not to bothered about riding wheelies in 3rd gear though. I sometimes find myself ending a second gear stand-up wheelie at 70 or 80 mph, I don't want to go any faster on one wheel (yet

).

*juspimpin* · 08-13-2007, 10:11 PM

the bike can stand up in 3d, it takes a rider though. with 15/40, my friend could pull up the rc in 3d. He can get his F4i up in 3d too, but it is geared lower. I can get it up in 2d but i do not clutch it up anymore...too much...

kelleyj · 08-14-2007, 9:03 AM

i used to ride second gear out pretty good onthe ole girl, i had a near miss one time and almost looped it and ever since then i think my sub-concious wont let me bring the bike up high enough to ride them out anymore.

*juspimpin* · 08-14-2007, 12:37 PM

its all fun and games until someone loses a fairing...

kelleyj · 08-14-2007, 12:58 PM

i got LUCKY! a bunch of us were heading to the sign in point for an MDA ride one morning. we all met up at the local honda shop and we headed out from there. a friend of mine that worked there was behind me and as we pulled out i stood it up and the wind caught my helmet visor ( it was flipped up ) and whipped my head back and my body followed and it went back far enough for the bike to start the dreaded "wobble" in front of my friend, i mashed the rear brake and set her back down....weebles wobble but they dont fall down lol ...yet......lol
shook my buddy up worse than me i think. cuz he watched the whole thing happen. ever since then no matter how hard i try i cant ride wheelies like i used to.

SPBRAVO · 08-23-2007, 4:43 AM

Look everyone, Iv'e changed down one on the front from stock and cannot afford a speed healer just yet. As advised by you all the difference in town and slow riding is massive, so I dont want to change back.

So in basic terms for us idiots all i want to know is how fast will my speedo be reading when im travelling at :-

30mph

50mph

70mph

100mph

I suppose after that it doesn't really matter to the cop's so i'll leave it there.

Thanks for your help

kelleyj · 08-23-2007, 7:50 AM

it varies dependant of which gear you are in. i rode next to my wife in her van downthe highway and i was in 6th and registering 75MPH and i asked her hwo fast she was goin and she said 75 so i clicked down to 5th and she stayed at 75 but i read 80.

kelleyj · 08-23-2007, 7:59 AM

best thing to do is find a friend that is a cop, or a cop with a good attitude. and ask him to clock you, be up front with him and say "hey, is it possible for you to do me a favor and clock me a couple of times" tell him you changed the gearing and you know the speedo is off but you dont know HOW MUCH its off and make a couple of passes at different speeds and each time stop and ask him what he clocked you at and write down what you were registering and what he clocked you at, after a few passes at different speeds and different gears, you can figure the average.

or even find one of those road side speed check signs and use that if you can find a cop willing to help

Mars · 08-23-2007, 8:24 AM

yeah that aint gonna work, the thing with the cop. The idea of running next to a car is OK. Best case is to use a GPS for a test ride to compare. I am running 15/41 and I think I preferred 15/40. There is data already available. After all, other guys have already done this. I will search.

*juspimpin* · 08-23-2007, 10:45 PM

I am not the smartest, but what gear you are in has no affect on the speed. THe change is in the sprocket. If it is off 10% then it is off 10% in every gear. Not just 5 or 6. It is not linear, but it is consistent. With 15/43 I am off 20% in EVERY gear. Speedo heeler enroute.