gearing question
 

I have a 99 superhawk and love it. But now It needs chain and sprockets. I have 16 front with 45 rear but seems to low everyone is saying on forum that 15 front and 43 rear is better. which gearing is lower 16-45 or 15-43? also looking for good deal on chain and sprockets non aluminum....thanks

The larger the rear sprocket, the lower the gearing. Opposite for the front one.

16/45 and 15/43 are almost exactly the same.

You might want to go 16/43. I like it.

I have tried 15/43 and find that 16/43 is better.

It gets my vote. :iagree:

I found the complete opposite to be true for me. I like the 15/43 much better, but I mostly ride twisties.

I just started riding a 16/43 from a 16/41(stock). I was looking for a decent improvement in torque, to my surprise it wasn't as noticeable at i thought it was going to be. just ordered a 15 tooth front to satisfy my hunger. I'm not going to miss going 150 mph either, theres no need for it. going from 30 to 60 in a snap of the wrist while out on twisties...thats more my style.

With 15/43 you can still accomplish 150MPH, it'll just be at the top of 6th instead of in 5th.

I did the same, went 16/43, it's what came in the kit. Was as big a change as I thought. Went with the 15/43, I LOVE IT.

15/43 is a lower gear ratio than 16/45. If you want more torque, then 15/43. Want a little less, 16/45

15/43 = 2.86666667
16/45 = 2.8125
16/43 = 2.6875
16/41 = 2.5625


Remember, gearing is inversely proportional (big words for me). The larger the number, the lower the gearing. The smaller the number, the higher the gearing.

16/45 is about 9.8% more rpm (than stock) at any given speed. 15/43 is about 11.1% more rpm at any given speed. Very close.

In any case, he thinks 16/45 is too low- too buzzy so why would folks be advising him to go 15/43?

RK1, you're correct. He does say that. Didn't see the buzzy part.

Super Duper Hawk, give us more info, please. Is it to buzzy. RPMs too high at cruise. Where do you want to be?

When I did my build in 07 I tried everything but could not get the rear sprocket off. Broke the only cheap-shit chinese socket that would fit in the process to I just changed the front down one. So I'm running 15/41.

At first it was "snatch it out of your hands quick". As I got used to it, it's become a very fun ride. In Texas you need a machine that can knock out the slabs to get to the twisties. This is hoot to drive on the road because it's 60 to a 100mph in a few hundred yards.

Once you're in the twisties you have that "graba fist full and haul ass" that I really like. Not many people here run it but after TxSuperChicken and I traded bikes he went straight to Cyclegear and bought a 15 front. $27 worth of some real woopie!

I grant you, these are well built and well maintained bikes.

Chas can do a power-on wheelie and stay on it until it feathers back down in second. He can get to 9 or 10 on the clock. Terminal speed about 75mph. He has had the bike nearly vertical in first and said never again. It's just too heavy for that kind of stunting and it really fucks up the forks in a hurry.

Well I took out my bar ends and also my inners to put bar end mirrors and It seams a little buzzy. But after reading all the posts I think I will stay with 16-45. I ride mostly canyons and like that torque. Does any one know how many links for this set up?

Well without bar-ends any gearing what so ever is going to be buzzy on a big twin... Fact of life...;)

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/p/3703...00f-97-06.html

in my opinion this bike could stand -1 +1

The smaller the front sprocket, the quicker both the sprocket and the chain will wear out. If you are buying a new chain and sprocket set, stick with the stock front (16) and go to more teeth on the back i.e. 43 or 45. One option if the existing chain is still good is to go with a smaller front until you wear out either the chain or sprocket(s).
I personally went with the 16/43 rear because it gave me the perfect gearing at the track I most often ride. The one regret was not going to a 520 chain. This is still the cheapest mod for improved performance.