A Caution on Performance Mods (My Experience)

[Badbob]

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

Perhaps this is cheap if you have nothing better to do with your time than work on your bike. I'd rather be riding than spending a Saturday afternoon modifying my bike so it will go 2 mph faster on a good day. For me the cost is way to high and the benefit is minimal. Most of the places I ride a 2 mph increase in top end is of no use what so ever. I have a bike that will go way over 100 mph if I want to go that fast. Thus for me its a waste of time and money.

[jonathan180iq]

Originally Posted by Badbob

I have a bike that will go way over 100 mph if I want to go that fast. Thus for me its a waste of time and money.

I don't.

[Badbob]

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

I don't.

And you GZ250 never will unless you spend enough time money on it to buy one that will. In which case it will not be GZ250 any more.

[jonathan180iq]

going a set speed on the speedometer is not the goal. going 100mph is not the goal. The goal is to add, if possible, a little more kick on top for passing in top gear. Like I've said, you've not experienced the lag of a 16T sprocket in 5th wide open. That's all.

[Badbob]

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

going a set speed on the speedometer is not the goal. going 100mph is not the goal. The goal is to add, if possible, a little more kick on top for passing in top gear. Like I've said, you've not experienced the lag of a 16T sprocket in 5th wide open. That's all.

Key word here being little. More likely tiny.

[Gadzooks Mike]

What I've found with the 16T sprocket is not any higher speed, but a much better gear ratio. It makes riding a lot more comfortable.

[jonathan180iq]

You're right.

It was kind of frustrating on the ride down to Franklin. My daily route never requires much more 50-55mph here, in town. That being the case, I have suggested that every single person switch over to the 16T sprocket. Now, however, as I have spent a good deal of time on the open road where high speed would have been nice, I'd suggest that, on long trips, the 15T be used.

I simply could not go any faster than 60-65mph at any point on our trip. At one point, I got behind a Semi and drafter him for maybe 15 seconds and that really helped.

However, Mauricio, with his 15T could blow right past me in 5th. (The 16T is actually faster off the line up to maybe 50mph.)
It seems that the internal gearing for 5th gear is just so big that the added gearing provided by the 16T sprocket is too much for the bike. In gears 1-4, this gearing is just about perfect. 5th gear is perfect for around-town riding. However, on major highways or if you want to sustain 70mph for a long period of time, 15T is the way to go.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Badbob

Enough, already. Is this just an OPINION you have formed by listening to others OR is something you know based on personal experience ??

Either way, I think you've made your point. :mad:

Chill!!

[Badbob]

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

You're right.

It was kind of frustrating on the ride down to Franklin. My daily route never requires much more 50-55mph here, in town. That being the case, I have suggested that every single person switch over to the 16T sprocket. Now, however, as I have spent a good deal of time on the open road where high speed would have been nice, I'd suggest that, on long trips, the 15T be used.

I simply could not go any faster than 60-65mph at any point on our trip. At one point, I got behind a Semi and drafter him for maybe 15 seconds and that really helped.

However, Mauricio, with his 15T could blow right past me in 5th. (The 16T is actually faster off the line up to maybe 50mph.)
It seems that the internal gearing for 5th gear is just so big that the added gearing provided by the 16T sprocket is too much for the bike. In gears 1-4, this gearing is just about perfect. 5th gear is perfect for around-town riding. However, on major highways or if you want to sustain 70mph for a long period of time, 15T is the way to go.

I see what your getting at. The 16T front sprocket trade off takes away some of your performance. Acceleration is some what less but you get a little smoother operation and better use of lower gears at lower speeds. If I have this right you are not completely happy with either the 15T or 16T. I just ordered new front/rear sprockets and a new chain. I got a 16T front sprocket now I'm thinking I should have ordered a 15T as well just in case I don't like it.

I don't know if switching sprockets back is a good idea. According to al the al the experts I can find you should not use a new chain on old sprockets or a new sprockets on an old chain. As I understand it when new the chain and sprockets are machined to fit. As they wear togehter the fit stays pretty constant. If one or the other is changed for a new one they no longer fit and wear is accelerated. I've never seen any discussion on what happens if you change sprockets on a regular basis.

Have you considered running in 4th gear instead of 5th at highway speeds? I have done this for considerable distances. I once rode about 120 miles at 60-65 mph into a strong head wind in fourth gear. I could not maintain 50-55 mph in 5th gear. 5th gear is essentially over drive. I have read some good discussion on the 4th vs 5th gear issue on other forums. As I remember there is a good bit of it on 260nija.com. What I got from this is that 4th is for acceleration, climbing hills, etc and 5th is for cruising and economy, You might want to consider using 4th gear in those situations. This is what I had planed to do after the 16T sprocket is installed. I'm going to find out how it works for me, I expect it will be fine in Tallahassee but I might have problems in hilly country. Although mike didn't seem to have a problem with his on our Franklin trip. Actually this is the primary rason I decided to try it.

I don't want to ride anywhere that I need to maintain 70 mph. I would not mind being able to go that fast easily just don't want to.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Badbob

[I don't want to ride anywhere that I need to maintain 70 mph. I would not mind being able to go that fast easily just don't want to.

IMHO, you are a perfect candidate for the 16T. The above is all you lose and I think you gain a lot. Since you already have experience "cruising" in 4th, it should work even better.
I figure if I HAVE to get somewhere in a hurry, such that I NEED to use the Interstates, I will be in my car and not on the bike.

While your information on chain/sprocket wear is correct, you should be able to do a hundred miles or so with the 16T for a test and still go back to 15 with no ill effects.