nath981

My gearing may appear silly to you when you look at some abstract calculator, but have never actually tried it yourself. I, unlike you, have tried 16/41(530), 15/44(520), and now 15/43(520), and will likely try others in the future. I like 15/44 and 43, esp with the 190/55 Q2 on a 5.5 rim, which is probably silly to you also and, of course, you never tried that either.

I say, try **** for yourself and see if it works for you. How do you learn anything if you are unwilling to experiment and contrast diff set-ups. Yeah, sometimes you end up where you started, but at least you know why the real way and sometimes you learn something new and better that you never would have known had you not experimented.

HRCA#1

What utter nonsense! 8451Hawk made it perfectly clear that you were effectively eliminating 1st gear with those ridiculous ratios. Hell why not try 14/41 and get rid of 2nd too.

You claim to know alot of old racers ask them, I'm sure they will set you straight.

smokinjoe73

Hey this is like an oil thread. For sure it is a personal preference. Some guys dont mind shifting thier asses off. For me I would think 15/43 low enought to make me shift too often. Especially when the bike will easily loop you on your head in low gears.

Its a torquey bike anyway so getting to redline fast is not always the goal. You should try it but be prepared to maybe hate it. You can always swap to another ratio.

Twins+1

The opinions are many, I guess I won't know till I try it. I'm gonna start with a 16/43 and see what that does. Thanks for all the input. I do have one more question. I looking for a superhawk for my buddy. I found one that has a worn shift lever (description guy gave me) as the only issue for the bike. I got him down to $1200, it's a 98 and I am unsure of the mileage. How hard is that to replace and do you think that is the issue? Has anyone else ever had this problem?

nath981

"Just plain silly", thank you hawk, then his good buddy chimes in scolding this aberrant child with more unwarranted derogation, neither of whom has any experience with 15/43. Unbelievable to me! And, where did i claim to know alot of old racers who can tell me what to do.....pathetic. I don't mind some constructive criticism, but like joe said, "personal preference". And joe, I don't have to shift my *** off, in fact, it's the opposite.

I have approx 20 thous miles on 16/41 and another 20 thou on 15/44 (and now 43 for testing)so I ain't talkin out my ***. While I don't advocate this set up for everyone for sure, it's perfect for those who spend the preponderance of their riding in the esses, which is what the new guy, twins+1, said he was going to use his hawk for.

What's nice about 15/44 or 43 is that you can short shift to second without too low rpms, unless you want to loft the front wheel in which case, just roll it on and enjoy. Arguably and oft mentioned here, the gearbox is notchy and not the smoothest shifting from first to second, and with the lower gearing, the issue is minimal to negligible because you got the gears to get out of first earlier. Nice!

So, first gear is to get you off smoothly, shift early to second, and for roll-on wheelies. Now this leaves you with 5 more gears of which I predominantly only use 5th, 6th, and occasionally 4th. This is perfect because most often you end up shifting between 5th and 6th to keep the rpms at 6000 where you can squirt out of turns with smoothness and ease, w/o the need to get into 2nd or 3rd, thus you end up shifting less, not more.

Of course, top speed is cut from the 150s to the 140s with the lower gearing if that's a problem, however in most circumstances you get up there quicker, esp if you max throttle from 3rd or 4th as opposed to drag racing from a dead stop.

All positives in terms of the 15/43 gearing for ripping.

smokinjoe73

Hey Bob Marley, dont look at me, I didnt shoot the sheriff.

I am actually looking at my gearing now as I am putting first a rear on then a whole new 520 set up. I am willing to try some other combos, but my environment is different.

I found in the concrete jungle I was shifting my own personal *** off with lowered gearing only to shift back down to N.

I can tell you after 13 yrs of racing that for any given track there is a sweet spot gearing that WILL give you better drive and quicker lap times. If you know your riding speeds you can find it.

That said, the street is not a track & only some stuff translates.

But from a stop, if you go too low, you tend to lose acceleration to wheel loft. Fun yeah but not effective for escape.

comedo

I'm sorry to see two excellent people like nath981 and 8341hawk going at it. I think that they're both right. nath981 has a Superhawk that's set up to turn very quickly and be ridden intensely in the sweet, curvy stuff in Pennsylvania. Short gearing works for him. 8341hawk has a beautifully carburretted VTR that is a very strong performer. Stock gearing works for him. They've both made intelligent, informed decisions about making their bikes better for the kind of riding they do. Neither would be happy with the other's bike but that's OK.

8541Hawk

Well this is why I really don't come on the board all that much anymore. It's hard to say anything with out someone getting bent out of shape of thinking they are being personally attacked.....

But yes, IMHO, that gearing choice is silly. I won't bother with the assumption that I have never tried that set up..... I will say it has never been on my bike but I have ridden a few other VTRs over the years and they might have had set up but then it would just be my word on it and no proof so believe whatever you would like.

On the other hand, if you mounted a 140 series rear tire, I might say that was silly also and not have to run it to stand behind my opinion..... and yes this is just my opinion.

As a reply to the list of "positives" of running 15\43 I have these replies...

The whole short shifting out of first, well you pretty much have to with that gearing unless you have the throttle control of Rossi. I don't know how else to put it but first is all but unusable with that gearing.

I also guess our bikes are a bit different as mine shifts nice and smooth between 1st and 2nd. I even posted a vid a while back of me riding through a little Bay Area goat road where I was shifting between 1st & 2nd with no issues through the whole thing.

Back on topic.... to this:
"So, first gear is to get you off smoothly, shift early to second, and for roll-on wheelies. Now this leaves you with 5 more gears"
I would say, sure it is easy to do roll on wheelies in 2nd as it's just like 1st with stock gearing and I guess you got a "special" bike as I only have 4 gears left after I hit 2nd......

Now for this:

"of which I predominantly only use 5th, 6th, and occasionally 4th. This is perfect because most often you end up shifting between 5th and 6th to keep the rpms at 6000 where you can squirt out of turns with smoothness and ease, w/o the need to get into 2nd or 3rd, thus you end up shifting less, not more."

So can you explain what is the big difference between riding in 5th & 6th instead of running in 4th & 5th? The final drive ratio is is close enough to be called the same in each case so what is the difference and what has been gained?

As for shifting more or less, not that makes a lot of difference but with 15\43 you do have to shift more. You need to hit 6th while a 16\41`geared bike would still be in 5th so you have shifted more. After that it would be the same for both bikes. The only difference is that they would be one gear higher or lower in the transmission.

Maybe Markus can come by and explain it again, you guys seem to like his answers better than mine or at least don't get offended when he posts up.

So once again,IMHO, if you need lower gearing (and my bike will pull from a dead stop in 3rd so is a lower 1st really needed?) then drop either 1 tooth in the front or add 2 to the rear. Anymore than that and you have gone too far for the reasons I have just listed.

Sorry if anyone has been offended or felt personally attacked.

7moore7

Nath, I'm going to criticize this point. Your following posts make up for it, but I winced a little when I read that. Not about the actual gearing recommendation, but reading a very direct statement without any support that MAY not be the best for the person asking If someone's familiar with gearing threads, they would know why you do what you do, but twist may not actually have given the same thought or consideration to the pro's and con's. It's not like the reasons to run 16/41 gearing don't make sense or aren't true (even for the curvies), it's just that you've found benefits to 15/43 that outweigh them.

In other words, the proper gearing is 16/42, rear shimmed 8mm, USD front end, removing all that extra plastic wind tunnel bs, and yellow rims are the only way to ride a superhawk. Also, size M helmet. Size L is just too large.

nath981

Sorry?........ really ha

I believe you misread causing you to prematurely shift to second. it's okay though. i'm not going to laugh at you>

8541Hawk

Well that is why this place is pretty much a joke anymore. Disagree with someone and its all personal attacks from there.

Once again, the questions I asked can't be answered just more BS so have a good time in your hate filled world.

8541Hawk

I will add one last thing to all this.

First Nath I really don't understand your issue with me but you have been a consistent smart *** to me for a while now. I ask a question or disagree and you go into a childish rant of pure BS.

Second I'll steal Markus's last post on this the last time it was covered..... As
it seems to be taken ok when he says it:
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...e2/#post296041

With that I have to post up one more time to see if anyone want to take over the VTR of the Month gig as I'm about done here.....

HRCA#1

Mike don't leave the Newb's still need he advice, the others can figure it out for themselves or not.

On another note Happy Veterans Day Bro!

mikstr

I believe the 94-97 VFR750 front also fits

BTW, I find the (personal and downward) evolution of this thread to be disturbing and regrettable. Take a pill gents, we're all here to share and learn, not shoot and ask questions later

smokinjoe73

My slightly confused point was that stock gearing on most sports bikes is too tall. All the Northest tracks I race you have to lower gearing. For Daytona you actually go back to stock which is mad tall.

I wanted slightly lower gearing thus down one in front. I just dont get how guys go down in front AND up in back. But if they like it then fine. That to me is too stunty and loopy. And if you have a passngr even more so.

Twins+1

Dang fellas I feel like I started this **** storm that flew through here. I'm just new to the SH and wanted some opinions on how to make it more bad ***. I am going to experiment on my own with the gearing to see what fits me best. "Can't we all just get along?"

nath981

nah........ain't your fault twins. Please ignore these indiscretions. Just normal **** here.

Gearing or anything..........try to figure as best you can with available info/others experience/common sense, etc., and then turn into your own test pilot. I call it learning the real way.........ya got to feel it if it is important to you.