Thanks Petei. So you and I either have the same defects or, ours are fine and others' maybe have a cog missing somewhere
PS - Have you been able to bend enough pieces to ride since your misunderstanding with that curve?
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Looking for more speed from a sprocket
- Thread starter cutlass400
- Start date
Thanks Petei. So you and I either have the same defects or, ours are fine and others' maybe have a cog missing somewhere
PS - Have you been able to bend enough pieces to ride since your misunderstanding with that curve?
It would be interesting to know all your bike's numbers for all the possible variables (including wheel size) per: http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?p=80962#post80962
Rumbaldi
XS400 Enthusiast
Sorry for the late reply. I was mistaken, the bike is a six speed and I thought it was a five. So it hits 80 in fifth but wont hold that speed in sixth. Don't listen to me as I do not know what I am talking about.
Sometimes the best conversations are between 2 people who don't know what they are talking about. I pretty much don't know what I am talking about (on motorcycles at least), so we should get along great.Don't listen to me as I do not know what I am talking about.
I don't know what speed mine will hit in 2nd-last or whether it will hold it in last. I haven't been up to 80 yet (well, up here I have gone over what we call 80 - but not REAL 80).
According to my wife, I never know what I'm talking about.
I remind myself that the path to wisdom starts by knowing that you know nothing.
Which is why I don't mind my wife.
I remind myself that the path to wisdom starts by knowing that you know nothing.
Which is why I don't mind my wife.
Sounds more like you hit the jackpot when that woman married you.
I have a fair idea how you would treat a finely tuned high performance motorcycle - and since she is obviously the human equivalent, I have no doubt she is pleased with you too.
I have a fair idea how you would treat a finely tuned high performance motorcycle - and since she is obviously the human equivalent, I have no doubt she is pleased with you too.
Truly, I'm a very lucky guy.
Anyway, back to the thread!
Anyway, back to the thread!
... 4 months later .... So much for back to the thread
.I guess sprocket ratios aren't the fascinating subject I thought they were ...
XSLeo
XS400 Junkie
Ok, in theory increaseing the front sprocket size or reducing the rear sprocket will increase top speed. You can only go so far with the sprockets. If you gear to hugh the engine won't have the power to reach top speed.
If you have a video game like GT 2 or GT3 you can get a fully adjustable drive train. You can play with the gear ratios to increase the top speed. Get on there and experement with a car with a lot of HP and one with not much HP and test them with different gear ratios. You will soon find the a low power engine can't pull very high ratios.
This will help you under stand the relation ship between HP and gearing.
My self I have found dropping the vrear two or three teeth is about right. Any more and you start to loose speed.
Leo
If you have a video game like GT 2 or GT3 you can get a fully adjustable drive train. You can play with the gear ratios to increase the top speed. Get on there and experement with a car with a lot of HP and one with not much HP and test them with different gear ratios. You will soon find the a low power engine can't pull very high ratios.
This will help you under stand the relation ship between HP and gearing.
My self I have found dropping the vrear two or three teeth is about right. Any more and you start to loose speed.
Leo
At a certain point, you just have to try something and see what it does. You'll never reach a consensus on the 'net.... except that most starting, idling and hanging RPM issues are caused by dirty carbs.
Lionheart1980
XS400 Member
I had bought 17T front and 35T rear sprockets for my 83 xs400 Seca recently. I haven't put it on yet but after reading your posting, I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it. But intentionally I did want to lower the rpm all the way down to as much gas saving I can get while cruising along the highway. But when I start reading your post about it can start losing power as trade off... i started to wonder... is it worth it? Now I'm debating on returning one of the sprocket or not, lol.
It won't be an exact comparison since the SECA and the MAXIM are set up so differently. The rear wheels are a different rolling circumference, the Seca has a 6 speed while the Maxim has a 5, and, I believe the rear sprockets are different too.
My goal was to have a lower "note" at cruising speed and allow me to sometimes not have to up-shift while going through town (revving high while putting along at 50 kph(30) is pretty tacky).
Simply adding one tooth to the front sprocket did this for me - shaved 400-500 rpm off in top gear (5th).
The only time I ever perceived any performance difference was when starting from a dead stop on an up-slope, and even then, it only affected the initial engagement of the clutch. Once the engine is into its power-band in low gear, it doesn't know the difference.
On the flat, I couldn't tell at all. That's the reason I did the "time-trials" on the very steep, tall hill. While it didn't accelerate to quite the same speed at the top of the hill, it was still accelerating and, had the hill been taller, it would have continued.
As to top speed, I have no idea. I never once drove the 400 over 115 kph (72).
I don't think you can lose with the simple front sprocket +1 switch. I'd be cautious with combining that with fewer teeth on the rear until you try the front only first.
