If you have a stock motor and decide to go to taller gearing for highway use ,be aware there is something of a trade off , while you will be turning lower rpm ,say cruising at 60-70 , passing slower vehicles will be a bit more challenging . After reaching peak torque (3400rpm) torque will drop off a bit faster and horsepower will build a bit slower, increasing both the time and distance needed to pass safely. While this may not be of major concern on the super highways ,you'll need to be more focused on back roads and two lane highways . Motors with larger/higher compression pistons and cams don't have a worry due to producing 25-30% greater hp. and torque peaks somewhere between 3400-4000 rpm.

It would be interesting to get an some actual "real world" data on this.  The majority of the folks that have done the front conversion haven't noticed a seat of the pants reduction in the accelerations (provided it was not done in conjunction with the oversize 140/90-15 rear tire).

The change from the 23 tooth front pulley to the 25 tooth pulley makes a 8.7% gearing change.  Folks discover that they often are using a lower gear after the swap to the Kawasaki pulley - so the only time they really lose acceleration is after they have shifted into 5th gear.  When they need to accelerate quickly they just shift down a gear or two......3rd gear which previously had a top speed of 75.3 mph now has a top speed of 81.8mph - 4th gear which used to have a top speed of 90 mph is now 97.8 mph at 6,500 rpm with the stock size rear tire.  

If it was that unstable at such a low speed I'd think it's needing some attention. I run through sweepers at sixty. With a fork brace, straight rims and healthy tires on a decent road it should be stable at any speed it will run in a straight line.

batman wrote on 01/10/18 at 14:56:18:


True dat!

''piedmontbuckeye'' wrote,
''To me, trying to go much over 65 MPH on this bike is dangerous!  It's design is just not made for that!  I have been up to 70 or more MPH on mine just to see how it acted, and I (been riding since 1966) was taken back at its instability.  ''

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but, that statement might start something to make the ''oil wars'' look tame!
Check your headset, swingarm, and wheel bearings, if one or more of them are bad or loose your stabilty will suffer.

Bobber If you want to stay with the belt drive (I would) then the kawa front pulley is a good way to go ,and I would not try to talk anyone out of it's use .I just wanted to point out that it wasn't a free ride , that there is a trade off , the distance and time needed to pass others will be extended . If your aware of what I posted above  (in reply #15) and you feel that you can live with it ,go for it!

OK I might do the pully mod one day. When I get this bike going over 130kms my eyeballs shake around so much that the whole world is bouncing around.

Just because a VW doesn't feel like a Cadillac and a Savage doesn't feel like a BMW doesn't mean it's unsafe at speed.
Nobody said it's a great machine.
You implied that they are unsafe at normal highway speeds. I disagree.
Loudly.