Topic: Can somone please explain the benefits of more teeth on a sprocket

[njcafe84]

Sorry for the new guy thread but Motorcycles are completly new to me and Im trying to learn as much as possible as Im doing my resto-mod on my 71cb500.

I have heard many times of changing the chain sprockets to ones with more teeth than stock and Im wondering is there any benefit to this or am I completly stupid?

[Logan80]

More teeth = higher top speed, but slow acceleration. Sometimes better highway cruising RPMs.

Less teeth = quicker acceleration at the expense of top end.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Depends if you are adding teeth to the front sprocket or the rear.  Think of the sprockets on a 10-speed or mountain bike, same principals apply.  The more teeth up front, the more speed you have, but you give up torque.  More teeth in the rear any you have greater torque at the expense of speed.

Something to think about, if you go with too few teeth up front, the chain has to bend around a tighter circle.  This can prematurely wear your chain out.

[SanDogDewey]

Did you ever have a 10 speed bike? Shift into first gear (large sprocket) and you can peddle like crazy and climb any hill, but not much for top speed. Shift into tenth gear and you go faster but don't have any torque for climbing hills.

[njcafe84]

thankyou!!!

[myhondas]

Logan got it pretty much right with a little clarification.  If you increase the rear sprocket only....more torque
If you decrease the front.....same thing. The inverse is lower rpm's and less torque but higher top speeds. You can really push it with decreased front and increased rear for massive increase in torque or  increase the front and lower the rear for a great top end increase and great mileage.