Going down a tooth up front on my R-6

[FkNAmerican]

Hey all.....so my fender eliminator kit from "Clear Alternatives" came in the other day (hope to install it by this Sundays ride out so I can show it off hehehehe) and I went out to my dealer to pick it up. While there I ordered something I've been considering for a LONG time: sprockets.

I ended up being conservative and just went down one tooth on the front..so I went from a 16 tooth to a 15 tooth. Went with a Renthal sprocket b/c I trust the company and I figured it was so cheap I might as well go high end. Price was $39.95.

Im expecting a noticable increase in acceleration.....nothing crazy....but it seemed to me a very cost effective mod which is why I've been considering it to begin with.

Im curious if anyone on this forum has done something similar to thier 600 and how they like it.

Any input would be appreciated as the parts not due in until Friday, Im not installing it until next week, and I can still back out.

[vifferman]

Im curious if anyone on this forum has done something similar to thier 600 and how they like it.
I've never owned a 600. :blink:
But (however!) I've done the same with a VFR750, VTR1000 and VFR800. :niceone: It's like having a new bike in some ways (especially the VTR, which was doing only 2600 rpm at 100km/h - ~60mph - in 6th gear with the gearing it previously had.
The only negative thing you may find is chain wear: 15T is on the very limits for how small a countershaft sprocket you can fit, and the tight turn the chain has to take will accelerate chain/sprocket wear. It may also be a bit noisier.
If you do a lot of highway or freeway miles, it may be a little buzzier than before.

[glice]

my friend changed it on his 600 but he went one down on the front and 3 up on the back and he thought it was great.
sory to ask a question on your post FkNAmerican, but its on topic. anyone know what gearing changes works well on a cbr250r? or is stock best.

[FkNAmerican]

yeah.....chain wear is a concern.....and I also do some highway miles from time to time. But predominately Im doing quick blasts through the twisties in group rides where I have the smallest bike.

Most of my friends are on big boys bikes like:

tuned TL1000
tuned R-1
R-1
Ducati 1098
tuned K-7 GSXR1000 (actually a few of these in the group)
tuned K-6 GSXR750 (two in the group)
highly tuned ZX-9
ZX-10 (two in the group)
KTM 990
Fz-1
CBR-1000RR (two in the group)

These guys got mad skillz too and they ride balls to the wall. So I want a little more from my R-6. Either that or Im trading up to a '08 Zx10 :). I've been considering that for awhile now too hehehehe.

[vifferman]

It's not going to be like, "Omigod I put this chain on last month and it's already worn out!" It will wear faster, just because it's subject to more stress, and that's just something to be aware of. I still think it's worth it, although $40 seems higher than the last sprocket I bought, admittedly some cheaper brand.

[Shaun]

yeah.....chain wear is a concern.....and I also do some highway miles from time to time. But predominately Im doing quick blasts through the twisties in group rides where I have the smallest bike.

Most of my friends are on big boys bikes like:

tuned TL1000
tuned R-1
R-1
Ducati 1098
tuned K-7 GSXR1000 (actually a few of these in the group)
tuned K-6 GSXR750 (two in the group)
highly tuned ZX-9
ZX-10 (two in the group)
KTM 990
Fz-1
CBR-1000RR (two in the group)

These guys got mad skillz too and they ride balls to the wall. So I want a little more from my R-6. Either that or Im trading up to a '08 Zx10 :). I've been considering that for awhile now too hehehehe.


Stick ta ya R6 or a GSXR750 mate

[R6_kid]

Listen to that^^^ man!!!

Hope you're still enjoying it mate, let us know how it goes.

[puddytat]

Check out R6Messagenet.com, they'll have the info your after for your bike. Check out the mods section, & you will find heaps on all things R6. I will do a 520 conversion on my 04 soon & will go down 1 tooth front, up 1 tooth rear as I find she,s geared a tad too tall for the roads round here

[Cr1MiNaL]

Since ur bike is a road bike, ur going to have to look into getting a speedo healer too. Something I am looking for as well. Can't find a size 15 sproket in NZ, tried Cycletread to no avail. will make 3rd gear wheelies a reality !

[NZsarge]

Since ur bike is a road bike, ur going to have to look into getting a speedo healer too. Something I am looking for as well. Can't find a size 15 sproket in NZ, tried Cycletread to no avail. will make 3rd gear wheelies a reality !

Go up two on the rear sprocket, should be roughly the same as down one on the front, not so hard on the chain i'd suspect too.

[FkNAmerican]

yeah, I'm considering going up two in the rear Sarge. Yeah.......I think I am gonna do that. Thanx.

[Cr1MiNaL]

Go up two on the rear sprocket, should be roughly the same as down one on the front, not so hard on the chain i'd suspect too.

Up on the rear means a chain conversion which I dont want to do as the bikes still pretty new and that would be a waste of chain and $$

[NZsarge]

Up on the rear means a chain conversion which I dont want to do as the bikes still pretty new and that would be a waste of chain and $$

Ahh..............bugger.

[The Pastor]

Up on the rear means a chain conversion which I dont want to do as the bikes still pretty new and that would be a waste of chain and $$
I went up 3 on my rear and used the same chain?

[FkNAmerican]

well.....if I were to go down a tooth in the front I could keep the OE chain. If I went down a tooth in the front and up a few in the rear I would have to change it.......so that is a consideration.

Keep in mind the whole point of this mod for me was cheap performance. If it starts to get out of control then I might as well go full exhaust + power commander and get looks/sound with my performance rather then just pure performance :).

Still debating it. Right now alot of 2007 model liter bikes are on closeout sale and they are wispering in my ear at night as I go to sleep........so I'm thinking of cutting myself off from more spending on the R-6 and spending the cash instead on track days and then a liter bike for next year.

At the moment I'm thinking of waiting to see what Yamaha does with the R-1 for 2009. If its a vast improvement then I'll go with that. If its just color changes and a few tweaks here and there then Im getting myself an 09 Zx-10..especially if they release a red one for '09. Yum!

[Cr1MiNaL]

Dude ffs, stay true.

[homer]

wouldnt you think the bikes gearing is made the way it is for a reason ?

After all when you start changing the gearing , sure youll get more top speed if your lucky , or you may not , maybe even less top speed .
You may make the gearing higher so you get longer accleration in each gear .
Its all a personal thing really .
I do know this from experience , you may end up with vibration at the spot you dont want it .
It could have been there at 5000rpm. Change the gearing and now you may get it at the exact speed you need to sit at, previously you rode thru it didnt notice it .
You may find you have enough power in top gear , get some extra top end speed . What will happen in a strong head wind .
from experience i wouldnt alter the sprocket size .
I dont exactly know , just some thought .

[FkNAmerican]

Im not looking for more top speed. My R-6 tops out at around 155-160 indicated. Im looking for more acceleration.

Im not really worried about vibration either as the R-6 is generally smooth throughout the rev range........

Top speed blasts are fun and all.....but can also get you into BIG trouble. Im more interested in accelerating as quickly as possible to legal speeds (cough cough).

[discotex]

I've been debating dropping a tooth on the front on the CBR... I ran the change through a gearing spreadsheet and basically I'd be converting 6th gear to 5th gear as far as cruising RPM goes. Tried motorway riding in 5th and it was fine so I'm not worried about buzzyness. Would make powerstands at safer speeds easier :)

[Unit]

This is a standard mod we do to all our new bikes. No experience on a 600, but have done it to the following bikes:
Aprilia RSVR 1000 Factory; ZX10, GSXR, TL1000s, SV1000s, ZX14, Ducati 900ss, but not sure if we did it to the KTM Superduke.
Most of these bikes have been too long in first gear, so totally improves around town riding, and gives much quicker response out on the open road. Scrubs a bit off the top end speed, but hey, thats already 150kms over the road legal limit anyways, so not such a bad thing.

[discotex]

This is a standard mod we do to all our new bikes. No experience on a 600, but have done it to the following bikes:
Aprilia RSVR 1000 Factory; ZX10, GSXR, TL1000s, SV1000s, ZX14, Ducati 900ss, but not sure if we did it to the KTM Superduke.
Most of these bikes have been too long in first gear, so totally improves around town riding, and gives much quicker response out on the open road. Scrubs a bit off the top end speed, but hey, thats already 150kms over the road legal limit anyways, so not such a bad thing.

Hmm might have to do it then. 125km/h in 1st really is too much for around town and I think it'll be a wee while before I can top out my bike on the straight at Taupo so losing 10-20km/h in 6th is no problem.

[homer]

Im not looking for more top speed. My R-6 tops out at around 155-160 indicated. Im looking for more acceleration.

Im not really worried about vibration either as the R-6 is generally smooth throughout the rev range........

Top speed blasts are fun and all.....but can also get you into BIG trouble. Im more interested in accelerating as quickly as possible to legal speeds (cough cough).

oh i sees whats you mean
yeah the legal road speed limits that we as riders all obay. :clap:

cough cough

[robertydog]

I went -1 on the front and it is like riding a different bike. Bloody awesome.

[Cr1MiNaL]

I went -1 on the front and it is like riding a different bike. Bloody awesome.

but you ride the king of kings mate, respect.

[FkNAmerican]

hey robertydog.....yeah man thats what everyone tells me. Its literally like riding a new bike according to the peeps I know who have done it.

I've posted some pics of my friends '08 CBR600RR on here awhile back.

He and I are competitive freaks (and best friends since high school) so when I mentioned, off hand, that I was considering going down a tooth in the front he went off the same day and ordered sprockets so his would come in before mine. Bastard.

His sprockets are gonna be in next week and prolly installed before next sundays ride. I've ridden his CBR before when it was stock so Im gonna ride it again after the sprocket is in and let you all know how it goes.

Then, assuming I like it, I will have the same thing on my R-6 within two weeks or so depending on my schedule.

[discotex]

His sprockets are gonna be in next week and prolly installed before next sundays ride. I've ridden his CBR before when it was stock so Im gonna ride it again after the sprocket is in and let you all know how it goes.


Mate PLEASE make sure you tell us. Would be great to have a comparison for my CBR :)

[FkNAmerican]

Dont worry....he's gonna let me ride it ounce he gets them installed so I can feel the difference before going ahead with the same mod on my R-6.

I'll let you know what I think. I have a feeling its gonna be some good shit. :scooter:

[crash harry]

I went 1 down on the front and 2 up on the rear on my old 95 ZX9R. It was the best mod I ever did to a bike. I would have done it already to the R1 except that it's got a gearbox speedo drive and a speedo healer makes the whole thing a bit more expensive...

One other thing though, you're gas mileage will get worse. It'll go harder, so you'll go harder. And motorway cruising will be thirstier. But still, you never get something for nothing.