New Oversized Sprockets Available Now on eBay for 86-87 Bikes

(This is just new info and not an ad)

A week ago I was searching rear sprockets on ebay to find the biggest I could and I bought a JT 46 tooth steel.

Now I happen to run across a company called riders-resource out of Michigan offering Vortex aluminum sprockets for our 86-87 bikes in both 530 and 520 widths in all diameters up to 66 tooth. The 55t and up are about $99, but 54t and smaller are $64.

I wanted to reduce the gearing on my bike a little, but heard that 15 tooth front sprockets are really hard on chains and that it's best to stick to the stock 16 tooth. So 16/48 rear should be the same as 15/45. I might even go 50 or 54 tooth, just to see how it feels. I can always swap back to the 46 I have if I don't like it.

It would be fun to lift the wheel if I wanted to, plus lower gearing should make it easier to make u turns and maneuver at low speeds.

Has anyone run such low gearing on these bikes?

 

Aluminum rear sprockets suck. Unless you like changing them out frequently, then go ahead.

The VFR already has decent torque. Not sure why you would want such a large rear sprocket. Your highway cruising rpm's are going to be annoyingly high.

 

Can't be any worse then my little CBR250R trying to do 85 mph at ~9000rpm

 

With an automatic oiler it should last just fine. I'm going to be swapping rear wheels soon so I won't be using the aluminum sprocket more than a couple months or so. I'm just curious about it.

My bike doesn't pop wheelies, even little ones, so I might give that a try. It will probably take off quicker as well. That's something I want.

I also know a lot of folks would like to swap to a 520 chain. No one has sold a 520 rear sprocket for our bike model before. The few I heard about had to be custom made and took a long time to get.

 

I've tried it all. Factory 6th gen is 16/43. I've done 15/43 and 15/46 and now 17/43. One down up front is great, lots of torque and highway isnt too bad. One down three up is insane, wheelies everywhere in the first two gears and roasts the tire when traction isn't perfect, long distance highway is miserable, but short commutes on highway is a blast, city commuting is great. One up in the front is 17/43 is pretty lame. Its still clutches up first and still roasts the rear with hard clutching and a forward lean if the traction conditions aren't great. Clutching up second gear is sadly impossible now though and sixth gear doesn't pull anywhere very much. Cruising at 100+ mph is nice and relaxed and the mpg are way up though

In the end its all a trade off. You just need to pick what's more important to you

Hooning or Touring