1 Down Front Sprocket

[Deleted member 438]

The weather has been so great here in the Midwest that I've been too busy riding. Haven't had a chance to instal it.

 

[Hoover]

The weather has been so great here in the Midwest that I've been too busy riding. Haven't had a chance to instal it.

YES IT HAS. What a fantastic Fall. I have put a ton of miles on. This is borrowed time for us.
I even rode the backroads down to Chicago and fooled around in downtown traffic just for fun. What a blast ripping through traffic under the train tracks.

 

[djcecil]

i'm on a larger rear tire, so my results are diff. but the power is WAY more fun with this gearing. i love sliding the rear on the exit of corners out where we ride, little ones but these are tight corners and i stay in my lane

 

[Deleted member 438]

YES IT HAS. What a fantastic Fall. I have put a ton of miles on. This is borrowed time for us.
I even rode the backroads down to Chicago and fooled around in downtown traffic just for fun. What a blast ripping through traffic under the train tracks.

Next time you are in the Chicagoland area let me know.

 

[kbrink]

If anyone is still looking for an (AFAM) 15 tooth 525 pitch front sprocket thats made for our bikes, I just ordered mine from a Italian company called Red racing parts, for just over $20 with free shipping right now. check out the link below.

http://www.redracingparts.com/en/english.htm


_______________________________
Ride safe & have FUN!!!!!!

 

[Deleted member 438]

That's a great deal.

 

[Speedo007]

i'm on a larger rear tire, so my results are diff. but the power is WAY more fun with this gearing. i love sliding the rear on the exit of corners out where we ride, little ones but these are tight corners and i stay in my lane

Where did you get your sprocket and do you have pictures of your bike with the larger rear tire on it?

Thanks

 

[Crazywb23]

The weight difference thing isn't about unsprung weight, it's about rotational mass and inertia. The heavier the chain/sprocket the more resistant it is to changing speed. Lighter sets will allow marginally quicker acceleration cuz there's less mass to accelerate. Real important on the track, almost certainly not noticeable on the street. But you can often get lightweight aluminum (ok, aluminium if yer not US) sprockets in cool colors, so there's that. (LOL-my szpell czecher changes unsprung to unworthy. Interesting idea. Worthy weight and unworthy weight?)

Strong work Spunky, I myself will go with a lighter set up as well when the drive chain needs replacing.

 

[Crazywb23]

Curious why you are gearing down on the front instead of gearing up on the rear.
I have always been of the thought that a smaller front puts unnecessary strain on the chain by reducing the radius it travels through.

A one down sprocket is easier to install using the stock chain and sprocket. The one down in the front usually works out to the equivalent of 3 to 4 up on the rear sprocket. If you go big on the rear sprocket without the conversion then its just adding more mass to try and turn, and a longer chain.

Your'e correct the chain drive radius changes, but its not enough to put a lot of strain on the chain. If it was a 14t or 13t then that would be a big deal.

If you can do it all at once with a 520 conv. then that's definately the best way to go...

I know for myself the drive is fine for now, I will wait til the chain needs replacing before I go to the 520. I had an older FZ6 that I put a 520 convo. on with vortex aluminum and the chain and final sprocket only lasted about 2000 miles. Wont go that way again. Its steel or titanium.... Hopes this helps and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Speedo007]

My chain and sprockets are to be replaced in spring. Will the FZ8 power wheelie in 1st and 2nd gear with that change (just to have an idea of the difference possible) and by how much does it affect the speedometer?

 

[Crazywb23]

My chain and sprockets are to be replaced in spring. Will the FZ8 power wheelie in 1st and 2nd gear with that change (just to have an idea of the difference possible) and by how much does it affect the speedometer?

If you do the full conversion with 1 down front, and 4 or 5 up rear you should get a good amount of lift. Especially from a launch... So be careful and have fun.

 

[Speedo007]

As long as is engine isnt reving 6500rpm at 120km/h

 

[Hoover]

I have thought about doing this for a while. I am sure now that I will only switch out when the factory stuff has worn out. Clutch wheelies are very easy in 1 and 2, and as an "old bastard", I don't need to crank it up on every launch.

 

[Crazywb23]

I have thought about doing this for a while. I am sure now that I will only switch out when the factory stuff has worn out. Clutch wheelies are very easy in 1 and 2, and as an "old bastard", I don't need to crank it up on every launch.

I fully agree, I am not as young as I once was and the injuries seem to hang on for a lot longer.. Even when I do the conversion I will only go 1 down on front, I feel the bike has plenty of torque all thru the range, and i got the silly dip out of it between 4-5000.

 

[kbrink]

My chain and sprockets are to be replaced in spring. Will the FZ8 power wheelie in 1st and 2nd gear with that change (just to have an idea of the difference possible) and by how much does it affect the speedometer?

Just piggy backing on speedo's post. Does anyone know how much the speedometer will be effected, by making these changes to the Final drive (-1 on the front sprocket)?

 

[kbrink]

If anyone is still looking for an (AFAM) 15 tooth 525 pitch front sprocket thats made for our bikes, I just ordered mine from a Italian company called Red racing parts, for just over $20 with free shipping right now. check out the link below.

RED Racing Parts - Accessories and parts for motorbikes and scooters (English)


_______________________________
Ride safe & have FUN!!!!!!

Just letting you all know, that the deal at "red racing" in Italy, appears to good to be true! After ordering the AFAM sprocket from them, I waited 4 weeks without any word from them (btw, after only 2 days the $ was taken for payment) or any product at my door, I then contacted them via e-mail. They replied back with obvious difficulties with English, that they were sry for the delay & they would send me a "nice gift". Only be concerned about the sprocket, I replied again, asking if they were shipping the item I ordered, they're reply: "we sorry for big delay, will give you a nice gift". After 5 weeks I then asked for my $ back, which they did, without any grief.
So inturn I ordered the same -1 sprocket from sprocket center in Cal. (like many others have) should be here any day. It's what I should have done in the 1st place! But I was trying to save a few bucks, not worth the head ache!!

 

[frmtbiker]

Just letting you all know, that the deal at "red racing" in Italy, appears to good to be true! After ordering the AFAM sprocket from them, I waited 4 weeks without any word from them (btw, after only 2 days the $ was taken for payment) or any product at my door, I then contacted them via e-mail. They replied back with obvious difficulties with English, that they were sry for the delay & they would send me a "nice gift". Only be concerned about the sprocket, I replied again, asking if they were shipping the item I ordered, they're reply: "we sorry for big delay, will give you a nice gift". After 5 weeks I then asked for my $ back, which they did, without any grief.
So inturn I ordered the same -1 sprocket from sprocket center in Cal. (like many others have) should be here any day. It's what I should have done in the 1st place! But I was trying to save a few bucks, not worth the head ache!!

Same here. Yes this is my first post, but the above statement motivated me to share my identical experience, that being I ordered the 15T sprocket from Red Racing on November 27th and still (2 months later) have not gotten my order. In late December I did get a reply saying it would come in January, but it didn't, so I just cancelled my order. Hopefully they refund my payment as I just ordered it from sprocketcenter.com.

Anyway, hopefully I can contribute more to this community in the near future. My name is Peter, nice to meet you all.

 

[frmtbiker]

So look what showed up today, just 2 days after I email them to cancel the order. I also already have one coming from sprocketcenter.com, so Im sure one of these will be in the for sale section soon.

 

[kbrink]

Ha ha, Nice. Funny it shows up now, you had slightly better luck with red racing than I did. I'm sure you won't have any trouble selling your other one. This is a great mod, it helps wake up the bike, in my opinion, its how it should have been geared from the factory. (you will need a speedo tuner to do it right, it puts the speedo off by about 5 mph at 60 mph)


_________________________________-
Ride safe & remember to have FUN!!!

 

[Hoover]

Ha ha, Nice. Funny it shows up now, you had slightly better luck with red racing than I did. I'm sure you won't have any trouble selling your other one. This is a great mod, it helps wake up the bike, in my opinion, its how it should have been geared from the factory. (you will need a speedo tuner to do it right, it puts the speedo off by about 5 mph at 60 mph)


_________________________________-
Ride safe & remember to have FUN!!!

So now it's off by 10mph then. Mine is off by almost 5 at 60, stock gearing.