I'm Getting Ready To Do The -1, +2 Sprocket Change

[Guest Pete McCrary]

Anything funky or unusual about doing this? Any left handed nuts or bolts I need to be aware of? I bought the whole kit including a new chain.

[Ryanme17]

Anything funky or unusual about doing this? Any left handed nuts or bolts I need to be aware of? I bought the whole kit including a new chain.

Not sure, but let us know how it works out and how you like it!

[SEBSPEED]

Just be careful not to pin the throttle the first time you ride it. YEE - HAW!! :wheel:

[wooly72]

Nothing unusual. It is pretty simple. Did the same thing couple years ago. What sprockets did you get? Post some pics when finished.

Used AFAM front -1

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And Vortex CAT5 Black aluminum rear +2

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The rest is easy. Gave me a chance to clean up the road and chain gunk quite a bit too.

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[Guest]

-1 front AND +2 rear? :wheel: Wow, Pete, you may be redlining that mill at around 90 per in top gear with lots of shifting in between. Your speedometer and odometer will also become useless without electronic intervention in the form of solutions like Speeedohealer or Yellow Box in the speed sensor circuit. I'm curious how you're gonna' like this setup. Looking forward to the post-installation report.

[SEBSPEED]

-1 front AND +2 rear? :wheel: Wow, Pete, you may be redlining that mill at around 90 per in top gear with lots of shifting in between. Your speedometer and odometer will also become useless without electronic intervention in the form of solutions like Speeedohealer or Yellow Box in the speed sensor circuit. I'm curious how you're gonna' like this setup. Looking forward to the post-installation report.

It's not quite that drastic, but it does raise the rpm. :fing02:

[Veefer800Canuck]

I went -1 on the front for a season and found it to be really annoying on the highway.

Always looking for 7th gear.

And that was only a 6% gearing reduction.

-1, +2 is going to be like 12% or so. That'll raise you about 600 RPM on the highway at somewhat legal speeds.

FWIW, I went back to stock gearing after that one year.

[wooly72]

You will need a speedohealer of some sort. I picked up the Speedohealer Version4 for about $100 online. Thing works great. With the -1, +2 configuration (and obviously any orginal speedo error from stock), mine was off just over 17%. I believe I typed in -17.3% into healer.

Very easy to use. I had both my friend's GPS to set correct speed, plus a cop friend of mine clocked me on a back road to double check the accuracy. It was spot on.

Front end will be really light. If I lay on it on a straight away or coming out of a turn, I can bring it up to 10/11 o'clock no problem (and I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs).

[SEBSPEED]

Individual mileage will vary on the like/dislike side; those who live in or only ride on twisties will love the change!

[SEBSPEED]

You will need a speedohealer of some sort. I picked up the Speedohealer Version4 for about $100 online. Thing works great. With the -1, +2 configuration (and obviously any orginal speedo error from stock), mine was off just over 17%. I believe I typed in -17.3% into healer.

Very easy to use. I had both my friend's GPS to set correct speed, plus a cop friend of mine clocked me on a back road to double check the accuracy. It was spot on.

Front end will be really light. If I lay on it on a straight away or coming out of a turn, I can bring it up to 10/11 o'clock no problem (and I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs).

But your odometer is still off, right? :wheel:

[wooly72]

I ride the bike to work some days, and with the -1, +2 configuration, she is just under 7000 rpm about 96-100 mph. ONce I hit 100, she hits VTEC. That again is with a -17.3% speedo correction.

[wooly72]

You will need a speedohealer of some sort. I picked up the Speedohealer Version4 for about $100 online. Thing works great. With the -1, +2 configuration (and obviously any orginal speedo error from stock), mine was off just over 17%. I believe I typed in -17.3% into healer.

Very easy to use. I had both my friend's GPS to set correct speed, plus a cop friend of mine clocked me on a back road to double check the accuracy. It was spot on.

Front end will be really light. If I lay on it on a straight away or coming out of a turn, I can bring it up to 10/11 o'clock no problem (and I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs).

But your odometer is still off, right? :wheel:

Not enough to notice. I've watched the odometer and the mile markers, and they are pretty close.

[Guest]

Wow Wooly! Thanks a million! Great pics!

All of my VFR riding is twisty riding. I think this is the gearing change that BR recommends/endorses - and if it's good enough for BR, well, what can I say.

I got one of the kits with the gold chain and the steel outer/aluminum inner rear sprocket. Apparently this mod is popular enough that the kits come pre-packaged with the correct chain and the -1/+2 sprockets all ready to go. If they would include Wooly's pics it would be a home run.

Not worried about the speedo/odometer. I run a Garmin 276C mounted to the steering stem anyhow. I use it as my speedo/odometer/clock/tattle tale. GPS's are also great for letting you know where you are when you're lost.

[Baileyrock]

I went -1 on the front for a season and found it to be really annoying on the highway.

Rob, I find highways very annoying in general and not what I own a bike for, so I avoid them as much as possible! :fing02:

Been running 1dn for the last 50k + miles and love it! :wheel:

[Guest]

Always looking for 7th gear.

USA models come with a 7th gear Mr. Maple Leaf. :wheel:

[Guest]

(and I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs).

Dang Wooly - you're as big as I am.

[Guest]

Not worried about the speedo/odometer. I run a Garmin 276C mounted to the steering stem anyhow. I use it as my speedo/odometer/clock/tattle tale. GPS's are also great for letting you know where you are when you're lost.

Nonetheless, your bike odometer will still be "fast forwarding" mileage (17+% ?) without modification of the speed sensor circuit. This may or may not be of concern.

[wooly72]

Wow Wooly! Thanks a million! Great pics!

All of my VFR riding is twisty riding. I think this is the gearing change that BR recommends/endorses - and if it's good enough for BR, well, what can I say.

I got one of the kits with the gold chain and the steel outer/aluminum inner rear sprocket. Apparently this mod is popular enough that the kits come pre-packaged with the correct chain and the -1/+2 sprockets all ready to go. If they would include Wooly's pics it would be a home run.

Not worried about the speedo/odometer. I run a Garmin 276C mounted to the steering stem anyhow. I use it as my speedo/odometer/clock/tattle tale. GPS's are also great for letting you know where you are when you're lost.

No problem Pete.

I've been looking around for a GPS unit for my bike. It would really be nice to have, especially with long trips.

Those steel outer/aluminum inner sprocs look sharp and I'm sure last longer than the all aluminum. I think I'll get one of those next time. Haven't gotten any wear on my aluminum ones yet, but I know it is just a matter of time.

[Guest]

Wow Wooly! Thanks a million! Great pics!

All of my VFR riding is twisty riding. I think this is the gearing change that BR recommends/endorses - and if it's good enough for BR, well, what can I say.

I got one of the kits with the gold chain and the steel outer/aluminum inner rear sprocket. Apparently this mod is popular enough that the kits come pre-packaged with the correct chain and the -1/+2 sprockets all ready to go. If they would include Wooly's pics it would be a home run.

Not worried about the speedo/odometer. I run a Garmin 276C mounted to the steering stem anyhow. I use it as my speedo/odometer/clock/tattle tale. GPS's are also great for letting you know where you are when you're lost.

No problem Pete.

I've been looking around for a GPS unit for my bike. It would really be nice to have, especially with long trips.

Those steel outer/aluminum inner sprocs look sharp and I'm sure last longer than the all aluminum. I think I'll get one of those next time. Haven't gotten any wear on my aluminum ones yet, but I know it is just a matter of time.

That sprocket that you have looks like it would work nice on my table saw. That is one wicked looking piece of aluminum.

[Guest]

You midgets and other assorted small/normal sized people have to realize that Wooly and I (and others like us of substantial size) need all of the extra punch we can get to make up for our "weight" penalty. Spotting somebody 100# on an equal bike makes us have to work twice as hard.

[Tightwad]

When I changed mine I don't recall taking off nearly so many parts! As I recall it was 5 bolts, and the cover slid off, then right back on with the new sprocket.

I went with stock gearing...I like my highway mileage and don't ride in the twisties nearly enough.

[Peto]

As to the discussion on odometer. Here is the scoop. When you change sprocket size (front and/or rear) your odometer will be off. Better acceleration (i.e., -front,+rear) will lead to a faster odometer count (more miles than actual). So, you get a speedohealer and get your speedo dead on using GPS or Radar and you are good, right? Nope. Your speedo is now 100% accurate, but your odometer is now reversed. It is recording less miles than you are actually going. The reason is speedo's are already off 5+% or so from the factory, whilst odometers are right on. So when you make the speedo perfect you are actually "correcting" the odometer beyond the perfect point and making it 5+% to the negative. The way to keep the odometer accurate after sprocket size change is to only reduce the speedometer error to the original factory error.

Lastly, the X% (in my case 11.1% with -1 front) you reduce your speedo with a healer will cause an X% error in the odometer. You probably would not notice this on mile markers, 1/10th (ish) of a mile. However, at 50,000 miles we are talking about 5500+ miles off...

Just food for thought.

[FotoMoto]

Been running 1dn for the last 50k + miles and love it! :biggrin:

-1 isn't nearly as drastic as a -1 +2 combo. I've done both on VFR's and won't do the -1 +2 again that I currently have on the RCBVFR. I did 550 miles on it yesterday (took the day off) and even after nearly 12 hours of riding (6 gas stops for another bike, grrrrr) I was still looking for 7th gear. It's just too much for me.

Also, it really depends on the stock gearing too. My RC51 has a -1 front yet I find myself staying in 5th on the highway so a -1 +2 change would probably work well for me. Currently there is nearly a 2k rpm difference at highway speed between the two (4.1k vs 5.9k). The lopey, torquey characteristics of the V-twin exaggerates it too.

[KevCarver]

Been running 1dn for the last 50k + miles and love it! :biggrin:

-1 isn't nearly as drastic as a -1 +2 combo. I've done both on VFR's and won't do the -1 +2 again that I currently have on the RCBVFR. I did 550 miles on it yesterday (took the day off) and even after nearly 12 hours of riding (6 gas stops for another bike, grrrrr) I was still looking for 7th gear. It's just too much for me.

Also, it really depends on the stock gearing too. My RC51 has a -1 front yet I find myself staying in 5th on the highway so a -1 +2 change would probably work well for me. Currently there is nearly a 2k rpm difference at highway speed between the two (4.1k vs 5.9k). The lopey, torquey characteristics of the V-twin exaggerates it too.

Hey Doug, my Fiddy One came to me set up -1/+1 (15/41) street and -1/+3 (15/43)track. Both seem pretty right to me.

My VFR is still at factory, and I don't feel any need to change that based on my riding style. (slow ass)

[Guest]

I've gone -1 on the front and I absolutely love it. Acceleration is much stronger and highway riding is fine if you keep it under 90mph. Around 95 or 100mph, the VTEC kicks in (in 6th). I'd never go back.

[Guest]

I do practically zero interstate riding on the VFR - that's what my ST1300 is for. To me, Interstates are boring and very dangerous. An Interstate is where I nearly got killed a while back. There is too much crap lying on Interstates and big rigs and bikes aren't good dancing partners.

The last trip I made to the north GA mountains, I seldom used 5th or 6th gear unless I would hit a stretch of 515. That's the whole point of this exercise - to get more "flexibility" from the transmission in the north GA mountains. I seldom drop below the V-Tec engagement point when riding up there.

It has been my experience that few bikes similar to the VFR can pull redline in 6th gear. I have "down geared" bikes before and actually picked up speed on the top end because I could get the engine to work in it's peak torque/hp range with the lower gearing in 6th gear.