SuzukiSavage.com - chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right

Yoshi Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 874 LongIsland, N.Y. Gender:	chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right 02/08/15 at 11:59:49 I'm gonna mod my bobber for highway, just ordered these for valentine's day present Am I doing life right? Thank you, Peter
Back to top	IP Logged

justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right Reply #1 - 02/08/15 at 21:21:42 Horsepower is the limiting factor on top speed, calculate engine RPM at the speeds you're wanting, then come ask these smart guys if it's gonna work.
Back to top	The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke. IP Logged

corey v84 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 60	Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right Reply #2 - 02/08/15 at 21:31:02 17-43 is a big drop..did itnto my bike and now im gonna regear it again..my bike will not get over 70 on the highway
Back to top	IP Logged

justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right Reply #3 - 02/08/15 at 23:46:03 the tech section has a story on the conversion. It worked. Joy ensued. Look for a thread by Hutch.
Back to top	The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke. IP Logged

Yoshi Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 874 LongIsland, N.Y. Gender:	Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right Reply #4 - 02/09/15 at 03:19:45 Im not looking for increased top speed but for a lower crusing rpm. Even tho the highway speedlimit here is 55, most people drive at 70mph. Im just hoping to be at under 4k rpm at 70 If this setup is too high I can easily change the 43 to a 45. Guess only time will tell
Back to top	IP Logged

Dave

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18098
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male

Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right
Reply #5 - 02/09/15 at 03:53:14

I have never done the chain conversion....I like the belt too much. It is clean, low maintenance, and long lasting.

However, like others on here I have not been a fan of the gearing on the stock bike when it comes to highway travel.

When I did the 18" rear wheel conversion for the Cafe' bike, I gained a 3.9% change in gearing....a bit more speed at the same rpm. I also did a Kawasaki Pulley conversion (front and rear) that added another 13.8%. The combination of the rear tire size and pulley sized totals a 17.7% change for me. I probably have lost about 40 pounds of bike weight with the conversion, and I have a Wiseco piston, Stage 1 Cam, mildly ported head, Mikuni carb, less restrictive muffler. My bike pulls the gearing change well - however I don't shift into 5th until I am over 60 mph, and I suspect that the engine runs out of power somewhere around 85 mph in that gear. If I want to go faster I have to shift down to 4th gear to allow the engine to gain rpm and make more horsepower. Cruising at 70 mph with this gearing is nice....the engine is just purring along and seems to be happy. First gear does become pretty tall, and starting out requires a bit more clutch work, and in parking lots or areas where you are trying to stay at a slow speed - you may have to feather the clutch in and out to keep from going too fast.

The stock rear tire and the 17:43 sprocket change is an overdrive of 17%....very close to what I have done. With a stock engine, stock bike, large rider or a windshield or saddlebags....I am not sure it is going to pull high gear very well. That may not be a big deal...as you can always just shift down to 4th gear which is going to be very close to what 5th used to be.

I am not sure the change to a 17:43 would work well on a 4 speed bike with a stock engine.....it may not be able to pull high gear in all situations, and the shift down to 3rd may be geared just a bit too low.

Keep us informed on the "real world testing" Yoshi.

Back to top

Someday I will be old......But not today!

IP Logged

Yoshi Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 874 LongIsland, N.Y. Gender:	Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right Reply #6 - 02/09/15 at 03:58:35 Thanks Dave, I will keep everyone informed plus I'll be posting more videos this summer since I picked up a go pro this year too I have bike fever 😲
Back to top	IP Logged

justin_o_guy2

Serious Thumper

Offline

What happened?

Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.

Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right
Reply #7 - 02/09/15 at 05:07:42

I would SO enjoy the chance to ride a few of the bikes that are owned by some of these guys.
I'd wanna be able to take each one on the same road,get off one and on another,
In no particular order
Rowboat,Verslagen,Dave, and, mine and any other that has been jacked with and tuned and wrenched on in hopes of getting a better handling/better running machine.

I also wanna date the Cowboys cheerleading squad, probably get the call from them the same day all these bikes show up and THEN I'm gonna hafta decide what to do...
Yup, got it,, You guys take turns on each other's bike and gimme a report and I'll get you guys a report on a day with a few beautiful women..
Win, win..

See? I'm always thinking of others..

Back to top

The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

IP Logged

Kris01

Serious Thumper

Offline

Eat, sleep, RIDE!

Posts: 3767
Tennessee
Gender: male

Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right
Reply #8 - 02/09/15 at 19:57:04

I think the belt sprockets have a ratio of 2.95:1. That sounds right in my head. The 43/17 is a 2.53:1 ratio. That's a pretty significant jump. I was thinking of maybe going with a 2.75ish:1 gear and see how that works for me. I'd like to run a little less than 4000 at 65 mph. Small changes make big improvements with a big single.

Back to top

There's no problem that a full tank of gas and a sunny day can't fix!

2008 S40, Rotella T 15W-40 w/ZDDP added, Dyna, 140/90-15, Battery Tender Jr., Seat lift, #52.5/150/3 washers, Raptor

IP Logged

corey v84 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 60	Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right Reply #9 - 02/09/15 at 21:51:12 Trust me 17/43 is a big jump, pulls great up till 4th and 5th then once your at 70 it's wide open
Back to top	IP Logged

Dave

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18098
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male

Re: chain conversion, I think I'm doing this right
Reply #10 - 02/10/15 at 03:49:04

corey v84 wrote on 02/09/15 at 21:51:12:

Trust me 17/43 is a big jump, pulls great up till 4th and 5th then once your at 70 it's wide open

Yes it is a big jump, and I do wonder how well a stock engine can pull that gearing. My modified engine is pulling just fine at 70, and I am maybe at half throttle. I have an engine temperature gauge built into my Trail Tech Vapor speedometer, and at a steady cruise the head temperature has dropped about 20 degrees with the lower engine rpm - so I am pretty sure that I am not lugging the engine too much. With a stock engine it just might be working a bit too hard to pull that high gearing well. If you "lug" the engine too much and have low rpm and high throttle settings - it can overheat an engine, and it can be hard on the piston/cylinder/rings. If you need full throttle for extended periods...that is a good indication that you may be asking too much from the engine.

It will be informative to see how this works for Yoshi...and it may provide a basis for what we should recommend for other folks who want to upgrade their gearing. I believe an engine with a Wiseco piston, some head work, and a Stage 1 or Stage 3 cam could pull that gearing just fine.

Back to top

Someday I will be old......But not today!

IP Logged