DIY- Sprocket Swap

[hzrnbgy]

the sucker finally succumed to the mighty power of an impact wrench

took it less than 5 seconds the one ive been trying for almost 15 hrs now (cumulative)

oh well...

thanks guys

[Buffalony]

Wow..had to go impact wrench. yikes
I think I need to do what kkim does and give every nut and bolt a once over with a torque wrench. I think my front axle is way to tight.

BTW: can someone give me a link to a 15T front sprocket that doesnt need shimming? please.

[welcome2thedawn]

everything i have been able to find on the subject of sprocket change everyone is doing 15 in front and either leaving the rear alone or going smaller....after going nuts trying to decide...since i really don't understand how or why with the gear ratio works...i ordered 13/47 i would like to be able to pull out into traffic faster...has anyone done this???

[voodoomaster]

Originally Posted by welcome2thedawn

everything i have been able to find on the subject of sprocket change everyone is doing 15 in front and either leaving the rear alone or going smaller....after going nuts trying to decide...since i really don't understand how or why with the gear ratio works...i ordered 13/47 i would like to be able to pull out into traffic faster...has anyone done this???

That sprocket change should do the job!

[Alex]

Originally Posted by welcome2thedawn

i ordered 13/47

Check out the gearing commander site where you can put in the stock 2008 Ninjette, and play with the ratios to see how things will change. With a 13/47 setup, the engine will be turning 10,000 rpm in top gear at about 72 mph, and will hit redline in top gear at less than 90 mph. Most folks tend to change the gearing to something taller on the ninjette to smooth out the highway ride (by lowering revs); it's rarer to go shorter as you're suggesting (which will increase revs).

[JessyBee]

Lovely DIY, wondering if it applies to an 09 250r. Looking to do my front sprocket to a 15, not gonna touch the rear cause i dont have any stands for it.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by JessyBee

...wondering if it applies to an 09 250r.

yes

[eddiekay]

A possible addition to pp2 of this excellent DIY:
To fully remove the shift link rod / clamp from the rod that enters the engine, you MAY have to loosen the silver hex bolt immediately to the rear of the assembly. This is the bolt that holds both the shift lever and link rod to the engine case. I had to back mine off 1 1/4 turns.

[Johnnyscoots]

@Alex:

The gearing commander saved me from hunting for the calculator! Thanx. I just bought a 41 tooth rear ($41.99), must get stands first. Already got a torque wrench, impact driver, metric sockets (deepwell), and threadlocker (blue).

@Ninjette.org:
Any recommendations for axle lube? What about the chain? Stock OK, or do you recommend aftermarket? Mine has 1800 miles on it, have cleaned it once, lubed twice. Thanx for any help!

Johnny

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Johnnyscoots

@Ninjette.org:
Any recommendations for axle lube? What about the chain? Stock OK, or do you recommend aftermarket? Mine has 1800 miles on it, have cleaned it once, lubed twice.

I use Belray waterproof grease on any axle, bearings, linkages or pivot points.

stock chain is okay as long as you take care of it. at your rate, you are under maintaining your chain. check your owner's manual for cleaning/adjusting intervals.

I use wd-40 or kerosene to clean, maxima chain wax to lubricate. I've also started using dupont teflon spray as a lubricant, too.

[shavelieva]

I've actually wondered much of this about gear ratio on motorcycles and always decided that shift patterns really determine your gas mileage. Riding CVT Scooters(ranging from 25-150) you can really tell a difference in acceleration and top speed(woohoo 50mph;(] when changing variators, roller weights, and springs. But being a CVT bike I've never really been able to control my shift pattern.

I've also thought about what a street bike would be like with a CVT setup.... just googled and obviously its been a few years since I've thought of this so here are actually some CVT motorcycles, an aprilla, a honda, a ridley(some company in Oklahoma?) and Dutch E.V.A.(actually a pretty interesting bike)

At any rate gas mileage can be simplified by how much gas you burn in a given time(which for most is in correspondence to a distance). You don't generally refer to a trip somewhere in how long it will take when talking about gas usage.

btw, I know this thread is old(playing catchup), I'm new however and just thought I'd give a mention of what I didn't see people mention.

If you are going to ride a distance of 10miles and you plan on riding this distance @ 60mph.
For Instance A. You give it full throttle asap you will burn a decent amount of gas. Obviously because you are displacing a lot of gas from your gas tank out to your muffler in trade for that nice boost of speed. This is where time comes into play, you were sitting @ 0mph and it will literally take you seconds to reach 60mph. Thereafter you will cruise the rest of your ten mile trip(assuming no stops) in a decent time.
For Instance B. You are lenient on the throttle and accelerate slower than normal taking your time to reach 60mph. Obviously going slower you will travel a much longer distance for more for a longer period of time before achieving sweet 60. This ends up meaning your overall trip time will be longer all the while traveling the same length.

All in all it seems equal to me, not really to comparable either, I tested this with my 08 mustang. POS never got great gas mileage for obvious reasons, however, it did give a readout as far as mpg that were being achieved which was entirely accurate. By calculation of odometer reading and current gas tank fill at time car was started it would deviate a rather disgusting number at times. As a side note I did find out you could cheat and fill the tank up while it was still running(obviously not safe , but it only happened twice to confirm the readings). At any rate, I put 30k miles in the first year and mostly city with moderate traffic so I felt the burn. I tested out gas mileage by resetting the meter at rest and accelerating at tire squelching force and maintaining 45mph and counting the next green light as a marker. At first within the window of acceleration I "blipped" by using 8-12mpg(such a waste) for about 4 seconds and finished the distance in a rather timely manner. This worked well as I drove back and forth across town through many of the same intersections just for the sake of testing, right? I then would reset the counter and tested gas mileage with granny acceleration of 0-45 which was in the range of about 40seconds. Obviously I got my 20mpg out of it but it took me nearly a minute of gas burning to get a fraction of the distance. Maybe you can say you saved some gas in the comparing how much was used in acceleration, however when it came to distance/time I was burning a comparable amount of gas. I'd also imagine this would be equivalent to a motorcycle.

So I guess this run on rant on a dead thread has gone on much to long, then again what else better am I doing at work?... P.S. Kudos to you if you are reading this.

[scotty]

Hey, where did you buy your sprockets at? This was a good DIY thread!

[shavelieva]

Originally Posted by scotty

Hey, where did you buy your sprockets at? This was a good DIY thread!

I've seen a decent range of sprockets on http://cheapcycleparts.com

[scotty]

Cool! Thanks!

[paterick4o8]

thinking of going 15T front. does anyone know if the stock chain will fit ok, or is it necessary to get a new one?

[europachris]

Originally Posted by paterick4o8

thinking of going 15T front. does anyone know if the stock chain will fit ok, or is it necessary to get a new one?

Just did the swap yesterday on the wife's '09. The 15T fits perfectly and there is more than enough chain to go around (ended up on the second adjustment "notch" from the front on the swingarm). I installed an AFAM 24502-15 sprocket and it needed no shimming for proper alignment.

Just make sure you have a 27mm impact socket and a stout 1/2" drive impact wrench.

We went out riding last evening and she gave me a big on the switch. I've not ridden it yet, but I did with the stock gearing and I thought it was just stupid under-geared. Granted, it's a polar opposite to my Buell, but first gear on the Ninja was like the granny gear on old Ford pickup.

Chris

[paterick4o8]

Thanks for the report, Chris.

May I ask, where you purchased the sprocket? possible link perhaps?

[europachris]

Originally Posted by paterick4o8

Thanks for the report, Chris.

May I ask, where you purchased the sprocket? possible link perhaps?

Sure, I'll look it up and post it.

[EDIT]: Here's the link: Drive Systems USA

[europachris]

Took her bike out for a spin on Saturday. I must agree with her wholeheartedly - !!!!

IMHO, it's where the bike should have been geared from the factory. It's a street bike, not a trials bike. It settles into a groove right about 60mph and ~7700rpm and it feels "happy". Acceleration isn't quite as snappy, but overall I think it's a wash because you don't have to shift like a trucker with a 13 speed Road Ranger who's in 6th by the end of the intersection.

I think the swap makes the bike a lot more friendly for the "average" rider looking for a more relaxed, longer distance bike. I don't think I would want to ride it on the expressway for hours on end at 75mph, the seat is too hard for my bum, but the bike would certainly handle it. I can't help from getting a big grin every time I ride it - it's amazing how well it handles for such a basic bike. I can't come up with a good enough excuse to buy one and also keep my Buell, unfortunately.

Chris

[red]

Originally Posted by Buffalony

27mm. Search?

Then 1-1/16 should also work fine if you have one lying around. There is one-half of one-thousandth of an inch difference between 27mm and 1 1/16 inch. 1.0625 inch = 1 1/16 inch 1.063 inch = 27mm

[red]

Originally Posted by Buffalony

BTW: can someone give me a link to a 15T front sprocket that doesnt need shimming? please.

The Drivenracing.com sprocket 1098-520-15T measures the correct 9.3mm if anyone is searching for the new gen one.

I did the swap but could never get the nut to budge with a breaker bar. I had to resort to an electric impact wrench (2x4 through the wheel not required) on the sprocket nut and the rear axle nut to adjust the chain.

An impact wrench removes these buggers in about 3 seconds.

http://www.ridegear.com/detail.cfm?m...2&related=long

Random link, the picture is not correct, but this is what it looks like.

[Johnnyscoots]

Howday All:

I had the 41 tooth rear sprocket installed along with a 2 Bros Racing slip on (kinda tired of people not hearing me and merging with traffic). The 41 tooth has been so far remarkable. Stock, the bike would turn about 5000rpm @ 45mph in 6th gear, now it goes about 50mph (indicated) in 6th at 5k rpm. Highway speeds (65+) are more relaxed, even with the bark from the new lungs!

Johnny

[Fleshbazbo]

An air wrench with an impact socket makes the take off a real breeze.

[FerociousNINJA]

Good write up. Some additional information should be added in the original post like needing a 27mm socket to remove the front sprocket, etc.

QUESTION:
I removed my OEM 14 tooth sprocket and will be replacing it with JTS 15 tooth sprocket a noticed it has a rubber washer on each side. Do I need remove these and place them on the new sprocket?

JTF515.15
PN: 80-985-15

EDIT:
Don't need the rubber and for sprocket (JTF515.15). I need to add shim (spacer) http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showp...6&postcount=42

Thanks everyone.

[eddiekay]

Common sense suggests that a taller gear will make the bike go faster. As it was brought up by Alex, I believe...it doesnt work that way on these ninjettes.
I went to a 16/41 and finally had the chance to run as fast as i could over some distance, maybe 3-4 miles giving plenty of time for the bike to do its best.
Indicated speed in 5th was 100+ and it got right up to speed.
Indicated speed in 6th was 100+ and it took maybe a minute to get there.
In both...I had a strong head wind.
But the good news is that I can run at 80+ and the engine just sits above 8k.
At this point, got 119 mi out of 2.3 gallons running at 70-80 all the way.
Soooo pleased with this simple mod.

[almost40]

Originally Posted by eddiekay

Common sense suggests that a taller gear will make the bike go faster. As it was brought up by Alex, I believe...it doesnt work that way on these ninjettes.
I went to a 16/41 and finally had the chance to run as fast as i could over some distance, maybe 3-4 miles giving plenty of time for the bike to do its best.
Indicated speed in 5th was 100+ and it got right up to speed.
Indicated speed in 6th was 100+ and it took maybe a minute to get there.
In both...I had a strong head wind.
But the good news is that I can run at 80+ and the engine just sits above 8k.
At this point, got 119 mi out of 2.3 gallons running at 70-80 all the way.
Soooo pleased with this simple mod.

You have to mod the bike for more horsepower to get the benefit of more speed with the taller gear. Increase the power and tourque and the motors ability to turn the taller gear and presto faster bike. In my opinion you went too far 16/41 is way too tall for the best speed with bolt-ons. (great for mileage no doubt) I tested a number of sprockets on the dragstrip. Got the best results with a 14/41. Weight plays a factor. Im a lightweight under 150 geared up. Over 150lbs my best guess would be 15/45 or 14/42 over 175lbs 14/43 over 200lbs leave it stock.

[eddiekay]

I posted it becasue it's a pretty good illustration of what Alex brought up...top speed is based on the work it takes to move a bike and not the way you gear it. Yes, you're right...the gears are a little tall for street work but...ya gotta understand....I have to travel miles and miles to get to the playground...even a little 200 mile saturday spends maybe 150 miles on parkways. Jetting and stuff is more than this noob mechanic wants to attempt. At this point...anything more complicated than turning a wrench and getting the screw to go back into the hole it came from is beyond me.

[Fleshbazbo]

When I ordered the larger counter shaft sprocket I also ordered a new lock washer for the nut. Since my sprocket choice needed to be shimmed I simply put the old lock washer on the drive shaft on the other side of the sprocket and used it for the spacer/shim.

[almost40]

Originally Posted by eddiekay

I posted it becasue it's a pretty good illustration of what Alex brought up...top speed is based on the work it takes to move a bike and not the way you gear it. Yes, you're right...the gears are a little tall for street work but...ya gotta understand....I have to travel miles and miles to get to the playground...even a little 200 mile saturday spends maybe 150 miles on parkways. Jetting and stuff is more than this noob mechanic wants to attempt. At this point...anything more complicated than turning a wrench and getting the screw to go back into the hole it came from is beyond me.

I hear ya.
Your good for mileage with your set up. No doubt. DONT be afraid to jet the bike. Follow the step by step instuctions in the DIY its a breeze. Check out the jetting database Its full of info on the proper jets for your area, altitude etc. That is if your willing of course. OTHERWISE enjoy your MPG gains. God knows your gona need them with these gas prices.
Besides if you want to go fast you can always strap on your FZ-6.

[want1sobad]

great source for sprockets and chains:

www.sprocketcenter.com

or

www.rockymountainatvmc.com

also, both sites offer free shipping for orders over $100

[CThunder-blue]

I just got my Driven sprocket from Fatbikez.com. http://fatbikez.com/driven-kawasaki-...520-chain.html for $22.99 shipped after the "ship4free" coupon code. The Driven sprocket is advertised as lighter than the oem one. I need to weigh the oem one when I remove it. I weighed the driven sprocket on our shipping scale and it came up at 6 oz. Too bad our scale isn't accurate to a decimal point in ounces.

[CThunder-blue]

Well, I got my Driven sprocket on last night. It took a 4' cheater bar and a 2x4. When I heard a loud crack, I thought my 2x4 had just snapped. My impact gun didn't do anything to it. It was crazy tight.

I got a chance to weigh the oem one with the rubber still attached to it. On the same scale as the one I used before, it actually comes up slightly lighter than the Driven sprocket. Maybe I was wrong and they advertised it to be light weight, but not compared to the oem sprocket. Maybe compared to the other aftermarket sprockets? The oem sprocket with rubber weighed in at 6 oz, just like the Driven one, but when I switched to lbs, it read .3 whereas the Driven read .4. I let it sit there to see if the weight would change, but it didn't. I wonder how heavy the JT one is? As far as weight is concerned, I'm glad the Driven one is comparable to the stock one.

One question though, was it ok for me to not reinstall the rubber pieces onto the new sprocket? It seems like they're designed to be dampeners.

[CThunder-blue]

Finally got my rear 43T Superlite Black 520 Driven sprocket in. I put it on the same scale I used for the 15T front and it reads 1.5 lbs. When I get the oem rear sprocket off, I'll weight that as well.

[red]

I put a 15T on last year and like it, the rear is the stock sprocket.

How small can I go on a rear sprocket using the stock chain and the 15T front?

Thanks.

[CThunder-blue]

I just put on a 43T with my 15T front and it dropped the RPM's by a lot on the freeway. So much so that I now have to down shift if I need to pass someone. I kinda like it. I believe people have gone down to a 41 before.

[slolane]

Originally Posted by red

I put a 15T on last year and like it, the rear is the stock sprocket.

How small can I go on a rear sprocket using the stock chain and the 15T front?

Thanks.

I run 15/42 on stock chain, no problem. Can't comment on smaller.

[CThunder-blue]

Just to update, the stock sprocket weighed 2.2lbs on my scale. That's 0.7 lbs heavier than the Driven sprocket I installed. Nice amount of weight savings in rotational mass and it's still steel.

[red]

I got around to putting on a 43T Renthal rear sprocket 210U-520-43P-HA after sorting out the strangled flat spot in the carbs, thanks to Kelly and others. I had put a 15T front on last fall, but the poor running down low made taller gearing seem not the way to go until that was solved.

Now that the bike is running flawlessly, probably like it *should* have come from the factory, the 43T rear went on today and the taller gearing makes the little Ninja start to feel like larger (more normal) bike gearing to me. I probably could even have gone to a 41T and been even happier, but this it for a while it for a while.

Pulling the rear nuts, axle, and countershaft nut is a really good excuse to buy a cheap HF electric impact wrench and reduces coaxing nuts to a 2 second battle.

Thanks to everyone for the info on the forum.

[glitch]

Count me as a happy 15t front-sprocket convert. I was replacing & shimming my cush drive, and took the opportunity to try the 15t front sprocket.

I purchased the JTF1539.15 I found from a seller on Amazon.

I could not get the factory-torqued sprocket nut to budge with the tools I had, and darned near snapped a piece of wood I had placed through the rear rim.

I wheeled the bike 2 houses over to my neighbor's and used his air impact wrench. A few seconds later the nut was off, and I didn't hurt myself nor the bike. I fussed a bit getting the chain remounted, but I'm sure there's a knack to doing it that I hadn't learned.

I'm 200+ lbs with gear on, have 150/60/17 & 120/70/17 BT-016's mounted, and I'd say the gearing & ride quality is just about dead-on for me and areas where I ride.

In 6th gear, I see an indicated 10mph per 1000 RPM on the tach, like others. 60 MPH is a sweet and smooth purr at 6000 RPM.

Thanks you all that take to the time to write-up these great DIY's and share what they've learned.

[Fleshbazbo]

LOVE the 15/41 set up and I weigh 215 lbs. Can't wait to put a 130 tire on the back . Mileage update later.