Instead of making two threads, I'll just combine the two. SUSPENSION SETTINGS So how does it all come together? With a setting of hard, what are the pros and cons? Does a softer suspension give better traction? Which will give larger lean angle or is that built into the tire/ cycle already? Which is better for lighter riders? In general that is. SPROCKET CHANGES When one increases or decreases the number of teeth on the sprocket(s), what is the outcome? When you add a tooth to the rear, what is the result, quicker acceleration, faster top speed? When someone changes sprockets on say a GSX-R1K for "real world usability" what do they do to make it more street wise? What do you gear for? Just kinda curious on the two. I have been contemplating adjusting my suspension to match my fat *** (140 pounds) and am curious on setting results. I might need a sprocket and chain change and was just curious on teeth count. Stock is 16/41 with a 530x102 O-ring on my '81 Suz GS450.
The smaller the rear sprocket, the lower the engine speed at a given velocity. So, theoretically, if you drop a tooth on the rear sprocket you'll be going faster when your rev limiter kicks in, thus giving you a higher top speed. Since the engine speed is lower, you'll probably get slightly better fuel mileage. All this comes at the expense of acceleration, however. If you go up a tooth from stock, you'll have better acceleration off the line, but mileage and top speed may suffer.
For every change of one tooth on the front sprocket, it is equivelent to changing 3 on the rear. As stated,bigger rear sprocket = more accelleration, less top end and visa versa. Wear a helmet! Hoepoe
I think you are misunderstanding the suspension set-up a little. It isn't a hard=good or soft=good equation. You want to set up the suspension to reflect your weight. Your MOM should help you out, but you will need to have someone help hold the bike upright, and measure sag with you on and off the bike to get it set up correctly. Probably the easiest thing to do is google motorcycle suspension set up and find a nice illustrated guide. Although with your bike it probably is just adjustable for preload on the rear shocks, so it should be easy.
Suspension setup itself is every bit as much of a science as an art. First of all, you set it to your weight. And then you set it for the type of riding you do. In order to do this, the suspension guru will set up preload (usually to handle your weight), rebound and compression rate. It's pretty much that you start out by setting the suspension to your weight (if you're on the hefty side like me then the basic springs may not be strong enough to handle the mass, or it may, depending on the bike) and then set the rebound and compression for your type of riding. And then you go riding and see how the suspension had changed for better or worse and you try to describe to the guru how your bike performs and how it feels to you and he/she will tweak it a bit here and there even more. It's hard to describe but a properly setup suspension doesn't wallow or jar. Firm but positive. My Aprilia rode not too hot for me because I was too heavy for the rear spring and the front springs were too heavy from the factory for most everybody. So I got Race Tech to put in the correct spring weights for me and the type of riding that I do. They also revalve the shock & forks with their own valve kits and put in their fancy oils so that the action is smoother and better controlled. OK, so you ask, if retrofitting ala Race Tech is so great then why bother with the fancy stuff from Ohlins, Penske or Biturbo? The Race-Tech retrofit is great but it's limited in the adjustments. With the fancy stuff from Ohlins, Penske or Biturbo, you have nearly infinite adjustments for a multitude of ridings (i.e. different canyoan roads, different riders, different race tracks, etc.).
As far as changing the gears go, by decreasing the rear sprocket tooth count (or conversely increasing the front sprocket tooth count), you will theoretically have higher top speed assuming that your bike's capable of pushing the top speed. You'll cruise at lower engine RPM for a certain speed and maybe you'll get better gas mileage. By increasing the rear sprocket tooth count; or decrease the front sprocket tooth count, you sacrifice top end for acceleration. Most bikes are geared too high and make the engine work too hard at low speeds. They do this so that the bikes can get the best gas mileage and comply with noise emission standards and probably exhaust emission standards as well.
