[Mark1305]

;D I just put on a new 15/41 combo and new chain over the weekend and tried it out yesterday. At first I didn't think it was going to be noticeable until I got out in the open and could really cruise under variable conditions.

What an improvement - nothing radical, just a subtle but real improvement in the bike's feeling in all gears. It will pull away from a dead stop without any throttle if I'm easy on the clutch, and parking lot speeds can now be done in 2nd gear where the extra load on the engine smooths it out more.

At 70-75 indicated mph, the exhaust note really sings without sounding over revved. Well, even up to 80 indicated mph.

In the looks department, the gold sideplates on the new DiD chain look soooo much better than the OEM chain. Now I'll be more motivated to clean it every few hundred miles.

And lastly, a plug for Chris at CA Cycleworks: quick shipping and the Jumbo Chain Tool he sells is first rate! I'm a tool junkie, and that thing is definitely worth the money if you are going to be working on your own bikes for any length of time. It pushed the pins out of the OEM chain like they were butter. Good visibility when you're setting the rivets on the new master link so you can tell how far you have spread the ends.

Mark J

 

[allreddedead]

do you have any idea how much your top speed was effected?

 

[ScottRNelson]

Isn't that amazing how just a 5% reduction in gearing can have such a big difference? I really liked the improvement when I did it to my bike.

As for top speed, you get a 5% theoretical reduction in top speed, but that assumes you were able to hit redline in 6th gear. It might actually raise the top speed.

Monsters aren't about top speed anyway, though. 8)

 

[Mark1305]

Not sure about top speed. I've only wound the bike up all the way about twice before. Much over 90-95 and I get tired of the wind buffeting after about 30 seconds.

Depending on the individual bike's condition and tune, it may not affect top speed at all. It's not a big rpm change in top gear.(Only about 255 rpm at 8,500 if I did the math right). If the bike hasn't gone much past it's individual hp peak with the new gearing, it should still make the same speed more or less. Of course if the new gearing allows the bike to pass peak hp by enough that the hp curve starts falling off, then it will lose a few mph. If on the other hand, a bike reaches top speed with stock gearing before it reaches peak hp, then the new gearing could actually raise top speed slightly by allowing the engine to turn up to that peak rpm.

I worked it out mathematically once a long time ago and figured that evrything else being constant it might lose 3-4 mph if I remember correctly. Somebody else may have some real world experience to add in.

Mark J

 

[Guest]

Just curious how much you paid for the chain tool, my shop quoted me $75.

 

[Mark1305]

Check CA-Cycleworks.com in the Tools section. I looked at some tools at my dealer that were cheaper, but put my trust in Chris regarding the quality of what he sells. He works on bikes and knows what is good and not so good.

Mark J