Topic: Chains and Sprockets?

[seaweb11]

110 views on my build thread with no answers to this so I am duplicating my questions here.
My 836 Tracy build.

Looking at chains and sprockets over at cycle exchange today.

Description of chain I like...........530 SEALED CHAINS (0-Ring) AVAILABLE AND IT'S NICKEL CHROME PLATED!!! Comes in 530 only and is available in 120 links.
Will this work OK?
I assume it can be shortened?

Sprockets:
Should I be looking at 17 front - 48 rear?  18-48?
This will not be a hwy cruising bike. Hell it only holds 1 1/2 gallons of fuel

Ideas thoughts on sprockets>>??

[RRRToolSolutions]

Derek, I hardly get time to eat and sleep now days, so checking post comes few and far between. A lot is happening - I finished the Bomber, currently in the middle of restoring my 1970 H1, just sold one of my H2's and am buying a Z1 - oh and I am working 12-14 hours a day so the groceries keep coming.

To your question - I really like the stock gearing for street riding. Any shorter and I'd lose the advantage these bikes have in from 4-9,500 rpm. Any taller and I'd lose the great roll-on that these make in the same 4,000 ~ 9,500 range. At 60 I'm pulling approx 4,000 rpm and I would neither want that higher or lower. Assuming your engine is similar, a cruise at 60/4000 is effortless and if you decide to pass it's just a turn of the throttle. If you decide to do it in a limited spot - 1 or 2 downshifts brings on a monster that eats up asphalt real quick and you're back in your lane and the fella in the car just passed knows that it wasn't his daddy's Honda....

I prefer the endless chains and I try to buy the highest tensile chain I can - they don't seem to wear nearly as much and I'm not worring about breaking one made for a Busa. I found one at Chapparal with 11,000 lbs tensile where normal chains have 6,500. I did have a little clearance issue with my gold o-ring chain, but a stainless washer between the gaurd and the frame tab gave me the stand-off I needed for the gaurd. A 10" flat file removed the slightest amount of the case where the chain entered/exited the sprocket. There are some vertical ribs there that my chain's pins hit while rolling.

Gordon

[HondaMan]

This sounds like a cosmetic makeover(?) situation, but here's my thoughts about them:
the stock 736 engines do well with the 17/48 sprocket ratio (late K0, early K1 came with this setup). This puts the gearing at almost exactly the original design spec of 16/45, but with less chain wear, due to larger base circles. While it does add a bit of extra weight (unsprung weight is a no-no for performance), the chain life improvement is really worth it.

Now that you've overcome the upper midrange "flat spot" that the 18/48 sprockets encounter (with that bigger engine), using it would not enforce that loss-of-performance penalty that these sprockets used to introduce. These sprockets are even better for longer chain life. With that big, honkin' HP under you, it should theoretically raise the top speed, but in the range where jail looms ominously...    ..so this may be a moot point. Except for the better MPG, helping out with that little tank.    Especially if you go touring!

[Terry in Australia]

As has been said above Derek, the 18/48 combo is good for touring, better fuel economy etc, but my K0 is fitted with a 17/48 combo and it certainly feels a little "grunt-ier" down low, with good acceleration, and at 60 MPH it's only pulling around 4400 RPM, so if I was overly worried about fuel consumption (and I'm not) I still wouldn't be concerned. I'm more than happy with CycleX's products that I've bought (fork tubes, gasket sets etc) so I'm sure that their chain and sprockets are good quality too. Cheers, Terry.  

[754]

Derek, I will try to finish up your stuff this weekend, got an inner for you.

As most like to twist the throttle I would reccommend the 17 48. If you have a cam you have raised your rev ceiling and will still go faster..low gearing is way more fun. cheap grunt too.. I run 17 54 sometimes!

Plated chain, I have run it but does not seem to last real long.. Do you think you do not have enough chrome yet??

A buddy had a small tank like that, it should still go 75 miles....not too big a problem if with other bikes.. make sure you have a beer can you can drain if need be and the otherbikes have easy to pull gas line.. by yourself think about a way to pack some gas..

Grind the peened ends off and push out the link to shorten the chain.. I rin 120 cause my bike is so long.. thinking of shortening an inch to be able to run the 54 on the back!