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Lets talk chain/sprocket upgrades...


pgeldz

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So,
 
if I had to think about which mod made the most difference to my beloved SV650, it would have to be a sprocket upgrade.
 
I changed the tooth count to give more acceleration (only by a tooth or two), and it was noticeable.
 
I was poking around Renthal's site and they have items available for the FZ-07.
 
In OEM chain fitment (525 chain), they have the front sprocket in the stock size of 16t, and in the ultralight 520 series, they have it in 15t, 16t, and 17t.
 
For the rear, they have many different sizes in both OEM 525 and ultralight 520.  Stock rear is 43t.
 
So in OEM 525 chain fitment, I'd only chose 1 tooth higher in the rear.
 
In the 520 Ultralight series, there are more options available because of the different fronts available, so either:
 
1 tooth higher in rear,
1 tooth lower in front, or
1 tooth lower in rear and 1 tooth lower in front.
 
I can't remember what I did to the SV650 but I do know it was only a tooth or 2 at the most.
 
I'm not really worried about top speed, or chain wear with the ultralight series.
 
Your thoughts?
 
- Paulie
 
 

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I thought the FZ had already plenty of acceleration? Would increasing acceleration also increase the torque?
In this case, 1 less tooth in front would be equal to 3 more teeth in the rear, which should be enough.
But if others want to increase highway ridability by lowering rpm, which will decrease the chance of accidental wheely and better the mpg, it would be 1 more tooth in the front or 3 less teeth in the rear.

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Ahh, so is that the rate of conversion? 1 tooth on the front is about 3 teeth in the rear?
 
So 1 tooth higher in the rear isn't all that much. So maybe stock front and two teeth in rear would be a happy medium.
 
And yes, if you change the gearing to allow better acceleration, you would have more tq at the rear wheel, on a chassis dyno.
 
The motor would still make the same power/tq regardless.
 
- Paulie
 

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I did think about changing my gearing. I'm kinda split between going for torque/acceleration or top speed/lower cruising rpm for highway. I kind of like where its at from the factory. Although the sprocket swap isn't too hard. I'll probably get a 15 tooth front sprocket and when I need to do long hauls/highway I'll just swap the 16 back on or even go to a 17 depending on if it fits.

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With 16/43 sprockets, the stock ratio is 2.68 to 1 (43 divided by 16).
So, one tooth on the front equals 2.68 on the rear.
 
I thought about the possibility of me lowering the gearing, but I'm not certain whether or not I will.
If I do, I'll try 1 tooth less on the front.
 
I feel that 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear are just fine for the sport riding I do - well-spaced with no big gaps from gear-to-gear.
Then, there's a gap from 3rd to 4th that I wish wasn't there (wish 4th was a bit lower and closer to 3rd).
It's not bad, but noticeable.
 
To me, 6th gear is already quite tall, and I couldn't imagine anybody wanting to gear the bike taller, still.
 
Don't forget that unless you don't mind a messed-up speedometer/odometer, you'll need to buy a speedometer correction device if you change the sprockets.
I'd also buy a new front sprocket nut because the nut is locked in position by staking a rib on the nut into a cutout on the sprocket shaft, and once you unstake it to get the nut off, you're supposed to throw it away and replace it.

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I have no complaints in the acceleration or top speed department so I will leave my sprockets stock. I quite like the stock setup actually.
My previous bike (a WR250X) there was a lot of talk about sprockets, but it had a little engine so the gains were huge.
Like YZEtc said, one of the things to remember is that your speedo/odometer will be way out of whack. So will your trip/mpg computer etc.. There was a 'speedohealer' available to solve the issue on the WR but I doubt there is one for the FZ-07.
 

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When I spoke to 12 O'clock Labs about a Speedo DRD (speedometer correction device), I was asked to supply a pic of the FZ-07 electrical connector for the speed sensor if I was interested in getting one.
I should ask them if they still need a pic.
 

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Gearing Commander http://www.gearingcommander.com/ will be a real help when they get the MT/FZ-07 data inputted. I tried dropping one tooth on my counter shaft sprocket of my Speed Triple. It made her really nice around town but way to buzzy on the open road. With Gearing Commander it looked like up one tooth from stock both front and rear would give me the sweet spot. It did and I'm loving the 19/43 combo.
It's way too soon for me to think of changing the FZ-07 as everything seems to be working perfect. Great gas mileage and snappy passing at highway speeds in 5th or 6th.

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FJR1300A,Triumph S3,Ducati S2R1000
VisitedStatesMap2011.jpg 310820.png

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Don't get me wrong, I think the stock gearing is just about perfect also. I was just thinking about my SV650 and what made the most difference. I actually like a bike where the front end comes up pretty easily, as the FZ-07 already does. But since I'm changing the riding position quite a bit (rearsets and different handlebars), I'll have a lot more weight over the front tire, as my riding position will be more sportbike-like when I'm done. Figured a quick gear change would help the front end feeling of the stock bike, but the added weight over the front end would help a bit in the cornering dept.
 
Also, I'm hearing good things about the 520 chain options. Lighter, more responsive, etc. It used to be said that the 520 chains were only for bikes of lower displacement or power, but the new age of 520 chains are very strong and can handle much more hp/tq than the FZ-07 will ever make.
 
And for those that do want to change their front sprockets 1 tooth, I'd leave it stock and do the rear by 2 or 3 instead. There is much more weight savings to be had with the rear since it's bigger, and so are its centrifugal forces. Just my 2 cents.
 
Sure, the lightness thing is incremental, but every bit helps. Your talking to a guy who went as far as procuring a set of Lexan rear windows and rear windshield from the World Rally Championship supplier overseas to use on my daily driven/track day Subaru. And yes, it was noticeable :)
 
- Paulie
 
 

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How about this gif. :)
 
Engine on the left, wheel on the right. If this was your bike, you would be going backwards lol, but the principle remains the same. 
Make one sprocket smaller or bigger and rotate it at the same speed, it will change the turning speed of the other.
 
Chain.gif

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With 16/43 sprockets, the stock ratio is 2.68 to 1 (43 divided by 16). So, one tooth on the front equals 2.68 on the rear.
 
I thought about the possibility of me lowering the gearing, but I'm not certain whether or not I will.
If I do, I'll try 1 tooth less on the front.
 
I feel that 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear are just fine for the sport riding I do - well-spaced with no big gaps from gear-to-gear.
Then, there's a gap from 3rd to 4th that I wish wasn't there (wish 4th was a bit lower and closer to 3rd).
It's not bad, but noticeable.
 
To me, 6th gear is already quite tall, and I couldn't imagine anybody wanting to gear the bike taller, still.
 
Don't forget that unless you don't mind a messed-up speedometer/odometer, you'll need to buy a speedometer correction device if you change the sprockets.
I'd also buy a new front sprocket nut because the nut is locked in position by staking a rib on the nut into a cutout on the sprocket shaft, and once you unstake it to get the nut off, you're supposed to throw it away and replace it.
 
 
Why would the speedo/odo change? Aren't they driven off the front wheel?
 
That's the way my 400SM works.
 
Ron W
 
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Not anymore.
These days, lots of bikes use an electromagnetic device called a "speed sensor" that screws into the engine crankcase, measuring how fast (how often, actually) one of the tranny's gear teeth go whizzing past it.

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Well, finally broke down and ordered my sprockets today...Renthal Ultralights, stock size front, +2 in the rear. I'll be using this combo with a DID 520 ERV3 chain. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.
 
:)
 
- Paulie

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Oh, BTW, the bike is so new a a lot of companies don't even have a listing for it. Having said that, the part numbers from Renthal cross-check with a 2012 Yamaha R1 in the 520 chain size. So for those of you planning to change your sprockets and chain to 520 size, it's identical to a 2012 Yamaha R1. Renthal confirmed that for me when I spoke with them this morning.
 
:)
 
- Paulie

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Thank you. Is the same true for the counter sprocket?
Yes...both front and rear sprockets for the 520 chain size crosscheck with the 2012 R1. 
:)
 
-Paulie
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Over the years I have fitted hundreds of miles of chain to alsorts
of machinery and vehicles and I can tell you one thing for sure,
never fit anything but a D.I.D chain preferably a X ring one.

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  • 3 months later...
Well, finally broke down and ordered my sprockets today...Renthal Ultralights, stock size front, +2 in the rear. I'll be using this combo with a DID 520 ERV3 chain. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out. 
:)
 
- Paulie
So...? 
I just put a 15 tooth on the front of mine but it hasn't stopped raining long enough for me to go test it out.
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