Front sprocket vs. rear sprocket change?

[Chackster]

Planning a few mod projects for the winter while the bike is off the road. One of them being a sprocket change. What is the difference between going -1 on the front vs. going + 2 or 3 on the rear. I'm think I would get similar results but I'm sure there's a catch? Also, why would I want a 530 vs. a 520 chain?

[AJ_rider]

Stock FZ6 gearing is 16/46 or ~0.347.

Going -1 in the front changes this to 15/46 or ~0.326.

Now if you were to only go +3 in the rear you would have 16/49 or ~0.326.

So to answer your question, going -1 in the front is approximately the same ratio as going +3 in the rear. A common mod is to go -1/+2, which is 15/48 or 0.3125. The lower the ratio the quicker the acceleration and higher RPMs, however you will have less top end speed. There is no catch, only that going -1 in the front is a quicker/easier install IMHO than going +3 in the rear.

Also regarding your chain questions, usually a change is made to a 520 chain to save weight as they are lighter than a 530 chain.

[reiobard]

and as far as your other question,520 vs 530 chain is the width of the chain, 520 will technically be lighter, while 530 is theoretically stronger, it is a trade off...

I also 2nd the -1 in the front equaling +3 in the rear...

[Chackster]

So I guess what I was asking was, aside from the difference in cost, is there any difference between going down in the front versus up in the rear as far at tooth count goes? ie. are they just different means to the same end? Is there any reason I would want to change one versus the other, or both?

[chiller]

maybe someone else can shed some light on it, but i thought i remember reading that doing the -1 up front makes that sprocket shaft spin faster, creating faster wear on the shaft and on the chain ( because now the chain has to wrap around a smaller diameter ) where going to a bigger sprocket in the back makes it just go around a larger diameter does not affect the spin ...

maybe someone else can answer as well, our speedo's i take it will be that much further 'off' if we change the sprockets right?

[Chackster]

I do know that a speedohealer is a must after a sprocket change, Speedo will read much higher than actual and the odometer will also begin to count miles that were never ridden.

[Nelly]

This is an add in not a

When installing the speedo healer, will it need to be re-calibrated after the smaller sprocket install? if I have already calibrated it for the standard sprocket?

As for extra wear I think its negligible when installing the smaller 15T sprocket?
A speedo healer will be required if you want accurate speedo readings and Odo readings after the 15T mod.

[AJ_rider]

Originally Posted by Nelly

When installing the speedo healer, will it need to be re-calibrated after the smaller sprocket install? if I have already calibrated it for the standard sprocket?

Yes, you would want to re-calibrate the speedohealer if you make any gearing changes.

I have mine set to -11.1 right now with the -1 mod as indicated by the speedohealer webstie, however, I'm thinking its a little too much as I feel like I'm going faster than my indicated speed. What is everyone else setting their speedohealer to?

Unfortunately I dont have a GPS to fully test my settings.

[opds9091]

I did the -1/+2 and i have the speedometer. I went to the speedometer web site and after putting in my old and new sprockets, there is a -14.8 difference. So i followed there instructions and now it's dead on. The instruction are easy to follow. "After i put the sprockets on the bike, it is unreal in low-mid and high power". If you have the money to do the conversion, DO THE MOD.

[urbanj]

i set it to -11.1 as well and when going past the speed markers they say the same speed i show so for me its accurate enough.