DaNewKidd

hi guys...

got some unfortunate news from my mechanic guy today...the wrong rear sprocket was shipped from sprocketcenter.com and does not fit my shawk ...i ordered 530 DID chain with stock 16/41 sprockets...except sprocketcenter ran out and can only ship me a 42 rear sprocket as exchange. crap!

long story short, will the 42 rear sprocket work with the 16 front and 530 chain? or will my guy have to cut the chain to make it fit???

and will that affect the bike at all????

thank you!!!

killer5280

If it's a 530 sprocket it will work without any problems. It will shorten the gearing ever so slightly (better than stock), but lots of guys here run 16/43 to shorten up the gearing even more.
Some of us even run a15/43 combination for a really revvy setup.

DaNewKidd

hey man thanks for the tip, i was really worried that i'd have to keep the bike at the shop even longer, hopefully the 42 sprocket will work out

how will this affect performance top-end wise, like on the freeway?

7moore7

You can run 16/42 or 16/43 with a stock length chain...

Just FYI, running larger gears in the back lengthens the chain, so IF you were to run into problems, cutting the chain wouldn't solve it. You'd have to buy a new (longer) chain... you won't need to worry about this with a 16/42 gear ratio though.

Also I believe that the 520/525/530 designates the weight/strength of the chain and has no relation to the length. The smaller the number you have, the lighter the chain (faster rev up, but wears out quicker). So the 530 relates how the sprocket is designed (width and such) and not to the number of teeth it has.

Edit: Freeway speeds are still plenty fine, you will be running at higher revvs, but you will be way past the speed limits before you are out of this bike's comfort zone... you'll more than likely be pleased with the benefits of a 16/42 gear ratio.

DaNewKidd

thanks buddy, that eases my mind...time to browse the forum for a good superbike bar riser

D VTR RIDER

The numbers on a chain refer to the pitch and width of the chain. For example a 530 chain has a 5/8" chain pitch i.e. distance between rollers and the 30 is the width i.e. 3/8" (inside dimension between plates). A 520 chain is thinner i.e. 2/8" (1/4"). Standard chain on the VTR is 530, however many people will do a 520 conversion to save weight and increase performance. This requires the corresponding 520 front and rear sprockets. The 520 chain/sprockets combo will wear out faster than a 530 chain/sprocket. When a chain wears out, it is a good idea to change your sprockets at the same time otherwise the chain will wear out much faster since the new chain doesn't seat correctly with the worn sprockets.
As for the 42 rear, no worries there. This is arguably the cheapest performance upgrade you can do. I run a larger 43 tooth rear and have contemplated a 44. My bike now is strictly for track riding and any change in sprockets will affect revs and gear selection in different parts of the track.
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Stevebis1

Odd that sprocket center shipped the wrong sprocket. I ordered mine from them last week also. converted to 520 with a DID 520zvmx chain with 16 front and 43 stealth rear. They were out of the 43 and called me to tell me it was back ordered. Asked me if I wanted a 44 or 42 and I told them I would wait for the 43. With over 2 feet of snow on the ground I told them waiting a bit was not an issue

8541Hawk

This might help you visualize what the chain numbers mean

DaNewKidd

yeah...i never got that call, they just decided it was a good idea to grab a random one off the shelve and ship it...they got the front sprocket right though, and even upgraded my DID 530 vm chain to a DID 530vzm2 chain for free, SCORE!

the exchange was a bit confusing though. since they were out 41s Chad said he could ship a 42 or 43...it was hard to decide on the spot without reading up on the effect, but to not lose time in shop i agreed to the 42, and immediately logged on to superhawk forum to see if i made the right choice.

looks like i did?

7moore7

You made one of a possible few "right" choices... for some people, 15/44 is the right choice, for some the stock 16/41 is.

Super vague way to say it, I know. But, for most people and situations, yeah you made a choice that is an upgrade. And works with your stock 102 length chain.

8541Hawk- that pick is great... I've never had it illustrated that simply before.

DaNewKidd

picked up my shawk yesterday, noticed a slight increase in power in first gear...not that this thing needed more torque but any addition to speed is welcomed

also got my CCT changed to APE, adds a slight touch of red bling factor (and peace of mind), but he mentioned the manual CCT will not need to be adjusted once set...that can't be true right? especially during the first few months...when would i know that I have to make some adjustment to the APE CCT? sound? mileage interval?

next mod: RSI bar riser and superbike bar conversion