Gearing advice

[abacall]

I'm about to go ahead with a 520 conversion. I'm down to picking out the gearing right now. So far I am going with a Parts Unlimited 15T front steel sprocket, and a DID 520 VM chain.
I'm stuck on whether I should get a Parts Unlimited 46T rear sprocket, or the lightweight 45T rear sprocket. I ride a bunch of superslab and really don't want to be buzzing along with too high gearing. I figured with a 45T lightweight I might be able to get the same thrust from reduced sprocket weight, but get the gearing a little less aggressive.
I am staying with steel due to durability issues, so AL is out of the question.
What do you guys think?

Oh, and how many links should I be looking at? Seems like 120 should be just right.

 

[DefyInertia]

I'm confused.

You don't want your gearing to be too low, right? So why are you going to a 15T our front?

In any event, you'll get more thrust from the 15/45 combo than from the stock 16/46 and the revs won't be too high on the highway IMO but that's just my opinion and I try to avoid the slab.

 

[abacall]

Yeah, low, sorry.
I do commute on the bike, so the slab is inevitable. I do however ride the twisties as much as possible so I'm looking for a good compromise.
I figured with a 520 and 15/45T I should be able to get a livelier feel without spinning the engine too much faster.

 

[abacall]

Anyone else running this gearing? I'm pretty ready to pull the trigger, but it would be great to hear from personal experience.

 

[Wavex]

I would not do anything more than -1 front or +2 rear... (I had -1 front and it was already verging on "too buzzzzzzzzzy" at freeway speeds 70+mph)... and I'd keep the stock chain too...

IMO you won't be able to feel ANY real life difference whether your sprocket is "lightweight" or not...

 

[smokenu]

I just change my front sprocket to a vortex 15t:thumbup: very spunky around town, reminds me of my 03 R6.
kept the 530 stock chain and rear sprocket. This conversion give's alot of BUZZ on the highway and reduced my mph a little.

oh ya make sure you torque down the nut on the front sprocket per owners manual or better yet take it to a shop and have it done! I used a torque wrench and thought everything was all good:spank:
After a week of riding back and forth to work and a 350mile road trip the front nut vibrated loose and needless to say I was broke down on the side of the hwy. Thanks to some great friends I was'nt there long:rockon:.I got lucky! the day before I was riding the twisties and if this nut would have let loose then, I may have went down.



View attachment 26002

Lesson Learned = 1.dont be a cheap %ss take to a shop. 2. check your work

 

[DefyInertia]

Buy just the 15T and see how you like it.

If you don't, buy the rear 45T.

And if you must, change the chain too.

Remind me why you are going to a 520? I don't remember how many links our chain is but the manual should say or you can go count. 120 is the standard size chains come in...you will likely need to "cut" the chain to fit and then rivet it together. Have you done this before? It's not very hard but you need a specail tool.

 

[Wolfman]

I had -2, +1 till yesterday when i changed to -2 front, stock rear...

-2, +1 is great if you want the bike to go hard from the get go, and you dont do much touring, or high speed work...

-2, stock rear, gives you great pick up as well, but i wouldnt call it extreme...i hardly noticed -1 on the front when i had it...

And as for the lighter 520 set up, whilst it is not as durable as a 530 set up, i definitely think you can feel the difference between the two, with the 520, the bike does hook up from a closed throttle, just that little bit better, with a more direct feeling coming from the back tyre...but you really can only notice this in aggressive, sports riding mode...

:thumbup: