Quote:
Originally Posted by kentbiker
This is the whole point,as also made by OldBMW and others. The gearing (gearbox and final drive)is carefully matched by to the engine design so as to enable the best compromise of acceleration, MPG and cruising speed. ... So unless you're planning to do this kind of work I suggest you leave well alone.
Geoff
|
I would agree, with one small observation. Manufacturers these days are not free to engineer an ideal compromise between performance and economy, because of noise and emissions laws. Two bikes I have owned recently (Ducati 1000 and Yam XT660R) were both badly over-geared in stock form. This is, I understand, to pass noise regs which measure noise at a certain road speed. Gearing the bike up makes it quieter at the measured speed.
Both bikes had useless 1st gear (the Yam wouldn't plod on a trail, and on the Duke I had to feather the clutch on a tight low-speed turn) and a pointlessly-high top speed. I fitted a +1T sprocket to the gearbox on both bikes and they were transformed from a riding point of view, with a useable 1st gear and much better acceleration through the 'normal' road range. It was interesting that, in both cases, the bigger sprocket was available from the manufacturer as an accessory part.
I would argue that, by doing this, I returned the bikes to the gearing that was best for normal use, and that without the noise/emissions regs that is what the manufacturers would have given us in the first place.
|