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-1/+2 520 conversion considerations


jhenley17

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I must be an Alexander Dumas!!!! Why would you buy a Sport Tourer and then muck about with the standard gearing. Get a Fireblade, if you need to go quicker off the lights.
 
I have just done 10130 km from Sydney to Perth, and back, on the Viffer and it worked brilliantly. Even knew what gear I was in!
 
110 kph to just over 200 kph passing a Road Train happened in a blink. Plenty quick enough! Only concern was that the panniers and top box might not come with me!!!!!! Fuel range was over 400 km a tank, so the gearing was ideal for the tour
 
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I see you've mucked about with the exhaust, windscreen, and top case. Don't think Honda had those figured out perfectly for you? How about any other mod? Because my particular use for the bike doesn't involve riding thousands of miles. That's not particularly enjoyable to me. I bought the bike because the motor should be rock solid and it has a fairly comfortable riding position, both of which are good for commuting. I put over 1,000 miles a month from commuting alone. I spend over two hours trying to get home some days and don't want to make my constant back pain worse than it has to be. I also want a fun bike with some cornering clearance for cutting up once in a blue moon without having to own two bikes. I also know what gear I'm in. Once upon a time, bikes didn't come with gear indicators, yet I knew what gear I was in then, too. Weird. I gave that piece of information for the benefit of others who might not be able to function without a gear indicator. Good enough?


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On 11/4/2017 at 4:23 AM, VFR78 said:

I must be an Alexander Dumas!!!! Why would you buy a Sport Tourer and then muck about with the standard gearing. Get a Fireblade, if you need to go quicker off the lights.

 

I have just done 10130 km from Sydney to Perth, and back, on the Viffer and it worked brilliantly. Even knew what gear I was in!

 

110 kph to just over 200 kph passing a Road Train happened in a blink. Plenty quick enough! Only concern was that the panniers and top box might not come with me!!!!!! Fuel range was over 400 km a tank, so the gearing was ideal for the tour

 

 

 

 Changing the gearing is very simple!  If you can make it better why wouldn't you?  The stupid gear indicator will still work if you need it.  It did in my case.

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Mate if you can't see it as an improvement then clearly it's not something for you.

 

But altering gearing to improve certain characteristics of a motorcycle, or any vehicle - I changed the diff ratios in my Nissan Patrol to better suit what I use it for - is perfectly normal to most people.

 

You don't have to like it, and you really don't have to post negative comments about someone else altering their bike to suit how they use it.

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jhenley17, the only issue I can see with your spec is "15/45".

 

I've always understood one of the rules of motorcycle gearing as you shouldn't make the rear sprocket directly divisible by the front, because it means the same links will always hit the same sprocket teeth. Leading to premature wear and/or tight spots on the chain.

 

Might be an old wives tale, not sure.

 

It's certainly some serious gearing for a VFR!

 

I also have a 520 conversion on my 4th Gen project, 16/45 with alloy rear sprocket. But that bike is all about improving the power to weight ratio and drivetrain longevity is not a consideration. My 'stock' one keeps the 530, but also 16/45 with Chaingang hardened steel sprocket.

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J
 
Off topic!!!!! But who cares.
 
I don't do big miles as a habit, it was a get together with old school mates. We are all in our mid sixties and try to get away every couple of years (before the final BBQ). Been to good ole USA a couple of times (Route 66, Sturgis etc.) and the IOM last year. Otherwise just muck about around Sydney, with the odd trip to Philip Island, for the Supers.
 
The exhaust is just a slip on with the dongle out. I really only did it for the sound. Arrow says it adds a bit of power, but I didn't notice much change. The top case is a Givi on a sw-motech alu- rack, it was much cheaper than the Honda bits and has worked well so far. The panniers were second hand from a copper who crashed his Viffer without them on it. I don't keep them on day to day.
 
The screen is an Ermax Double Bubble. It looks good, but it tends to create more wind buffeting. Seems to direct the airflow straight to the helmet, rather than the chest. Seems to work better when you are on the rivet, with the chin on the tank.
 
I started Road riding and racing in the early 70s without a gear indicator also and still seemed to manage. My original response was only to say, why muck about with the gearing, seems perfect to me. 
 
Also has R&G Crash and radiator guards.
Strud


You're missing the point. I don't care what mods you've done to your bike, you've done it to suit your liking and use of the bike. The VFR is a jack of all trades, but my particular use places little importance on sustained highway miles. Should I tell the guys getting bar risers or lowered pegs and aftermarket seats that they should leave it as Honda gave it to them and just get a Goldwing?

About the chain and sprockets hitting the same mark every time, it seems like I've heard that, but I don't know. The wear on the steel sprockets is so small, I would have used the originals at least through one more chain if I hadn't wanted to change the gearing. They looked practically new. I'm too tired and sick to give this my full thought right now, but it seems like the 112-link chain I'm using would prevent the situation that you described from happening, as neither 15 nor 45 go evenly into 112. Could be completely wrong, but just a thought.


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It wasn't intended to be negative or directed to anyone. It was just a comment about the concept. I have to apologise if that was the way it came across. Lesson learnt, time to can it! 

 

 

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