I don't want to interrupt the speedo posts, but I thought I would give you an update on the chain conversion . It finaly quit raining this morning,sun came out 50'. Test ride. I put over 100 miles on the 17/43 conversion and really got the feel today. In town it is a 3rd gear no chug at 25mph. 4th gear for towns with 35-40 speed limits. Back roads are an easy smooth rpm at 55-60(speedo reads 48-51) going with the traffic. On the interstate at 70-75 (speedo reads 60-65) it is a joy now. It falls into a super smooth rpm where the exhaust note  gets hard to hear without leaning that way to hear it., and I have the loud Jardine muffler. SMOOOTH. Passing a semi is no problem, even in the wash at the cab door of the truck. Down shift only needed if a heavy head wind. The best way I can describe the all around performance of the bike with this ratio is to compare it to another bike. This will not help the younger people on this site, but I know I am not the only middle aged person here. Aceleration is a STEADY, STRONG pull in all gears. with 5th as an overdrive. It feels just like a Triumph 750 twin of the 70's. Only a LOT less vibration. It is perfect. I thought I would be spending most of my time with the 14/43 combo on it for everyday driving, and going to the 17 on the front for when I wanted to hit the e-way for long trips. I believe it is going to be 17/43 most of the time now, and only switched to the 14/43 when I just want to smoke most everything else from 0-60. I can't believe how much nicer a bike it has become. I did get a chance to find out how far my speedo is off. I can't belive I did this, but I saw a State Police Officer at the ramp when I got to the e-way. I told him the story of the conversion and that my speedo was off. He agreed to follow me on to the e-way and let me know when I hit 70mph. The speedo is off by 10mph. When it said 60 mph it was 70.Below 55 it is off by about five mph. I did have it up to a speedo reading of a little over 80mph(95 actual, not with the cop around) and I was in the 3rd lane passing everybody. I came home and figured everything out, and either my speedo has been reading slow to begin with or something. The gear change is a 14.5% change, but the real speed compared to the speedo reading works out to a 17% change to be correct. Oh well, all I know is I LIKE IT. It is a much more VERSATILE bike, but that is my oppinion, as much as that is worth.  
RIDE SAFE    Hutch

verslagen1 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:
 
Thanks a lot. I would post it, but the only way I know how to is type it all over. Is there a way to move a copy to the tech section? I don't know how. Any help would be appreciated.  Maybe one of the moderators could move it for me if nothing else. Thanks!! Hutch
UPDATE---- I engaged my brain and remembered how to CUT and PASTE. It is now in the tech document section.

tbalam wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:

It will be worth the wait. Can't wait to see if you feel the way I do about the conversion and have the same performance. The 17/43 is great for a medium weight rider(below200LB), the 16/43 perfect for a heavier rider and hills, and the 14/43 is gonna be great for embarasing other bike riders from 0-60mph.  
I will try to keep the Fickle finger of fate on a shorter leash. It must be doing double duty this week. I made my Visa payment a week ago and it still hasn't posted to my account. Looks like I wait another week to order my cables from LANCER for my Savagalope bars. Always something. Hang in there!!!   Hutch

Hutch, congrats!  I'm glad you're happy with it, and may not be too far behind you on this one!  

I always knew taller gearing would really benefit this bike!  Thanks for confirming what I suspected all along  

tbalam wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:


Glad it works for you also. Because I am 5'10" and only weigh 150, I was thinking with anyone over 200lbs it might be to big a change, glad that is not so. The 15 tooth (2.86)would bring you back to pretty close to stock(2.96)
The 14 tooth(3.07) will make it be even QUICKER off the line than stock. REAL FUN for racing 0-60,  Because it only takes a few minutes to change that would be fun for city stop light to stop light.That will be my next test ride, with the 14. I have been enjoying the 17 so much that the 14 has just been setting on my stereo. I am hoping that I will be able to use the same chain for both. I am all the way to the front of adjustment with the 17, and hope the 14 will bring me to the back with no need for a second chain. Even if I do have to run a second chain for the 14, it is still worth it. I like the way you stay in each gear longer with the 17, and the next thing you know it's setting on 60(70actual) and you got another gear to go.OVERDRIVE. Now when you are out on nice two lane blacktop it feels much more like a  BIGGER CRUISER. I think you might be right about others going to chain, I know of two possibles already.  HAVE FUN      Hutch

I shimmed probably about 1/8"-3/16", though I didn't measure, it was 2 steel washers from lowes.

That was to much.

Barry, huh!?!?!?!?!?!?

"as the steel deflects, it's tensile strength increases"
Not correct, as steel deflects the tensile stress increases.  Once it reaches its limit, it bends.  And if bent more, it snaps.  In fatigue, steel will reach its limit at about half its yields stress, the point at which it will bend.

"shimmed stock spring should last longer than a new aftermarket spring"
Possibly not true, either can last forever or a week.  Depends on the design and how it's made.

Shimming a spring increases the stress.  If there is enough margin in the design, no problem.