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Rob F: on my second 800 with stock gearing and have never been moved by the discussion of changing sprockets. It does depend on where and how you ride. I am Maryland where it is fairly flat; I ride one up and do not ride highway at 70-75 mph.

That said, I also went to the Drift-In in 2013, some 500 miles each way and had plenty of 65MPH time on the highway with no issues.

To my sprocket changing friends, Mr. Greenbarn and Mr. Ratman.....we have had this discussion before. This is not a Harley; it is a better engineered engine designed to run at higher RPM. Because the swap results have been subjective without quantitative back-up from a tachometer or other info on power to RPM at shift points, most of the discussions have been about sound and feel.

I looked at the recommended shifting range that is published....it is much higher than what you feel when you actually ride....as a matter of fact I tried to ride the bike that way as a test...it was ridiculous how much I was winding out the engine. Talk about feel, that just didn't feel right. After that anecdotal test, wasn't convinced I need to change the sprocket ratio, which would only lug this engine... to what end.... just so it sounds like what some may be used to. As a non-Harley guy...I had no frame of reference for that, so stuck with what they built.

Again, just another view and not condemning others experience or preference. Also, to be fair...I have never ridden one with the swap. That might be the only way I might be swayed.

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Topic summary

Posted by rob f

- April 28, 2018, 17:41:24 PM

From the sounds of it I may have a power issue with my bike. But from my years of running equipment I am confident that this bike is running as well as it should through all gears ( except 5th) with exceptional low end torque. Maybe I should take the tranny apart ,remove the 5th driven gear and chuck it in the trees. I"ll never use it at this rate.
What I mean by 1st being too tall ..its a dirt biker term for a first gear that gives too much ground speed for the rpm. The Buell that i owned had a very fast first gear and I dropped it many times turning around because it liked to stall out because of this. I fixed it by installing a smaller drive gear in the tranny. I suppose this turned me off to speedy first gears.
Gonna order a 17T today and will let you know what I think in a week or so.
R

Posted by CDNRatMan

- April 28, 2018, 15:44:39 PM

rob not sure what you mean that 1st is too tall. I had switched my sprockets. Bike is completely stock other than a Roadhouse exhaust and K&N air filter. Now to get it out I am 5'11" and about 250 lbs. First picture is of my bike prior to going to the East Coast and riding the Cabot Trail. For shits and giggles I weighed my gear prior to leaving and that included 3 gals of gas in case. That put the weight of the bike at 325 lbs.
I have never had to feather the clutch to take off. I cruised out to Montreal along the TC and maintained 120 to 130 kms all the way, from Montreal to Sackville I was again along the TC and was cruising along at 120 to 140 km. I think I might have had to gear down for one long hill but do not recall having to downshift often if at all.
Now Rob I am not going to get my panties in a knot because you disagree with me, I will say each to their own and I stand by my liking the gearing I have set up for my riding style and my riding speed. I have ridden from North Bay to Billings MT, and back via the TC in Canada with this set up and it has proven itself to me.
I would like to find a stock set up and ride along with them and see when and how often the shifting is done......Soon as I can get out I will try and make a record of my shifting at what speeds and what the tach is showing.......

Posted by greenbarn

- April 28, 2018, 10:08:17 AM

Wow, I'm really surprised- first time I've ever heard of anyone thinking the 18/38 was too high. I have never mapped my shift points, but I know before the swap, with stock gearing, at 70 MPH it would seem to be revving so high on the highway it would seem like it was coming apart.

Also, I know the 18/38 gearing is nearly identical to the gear ratio of the belt conversion kit.

Posted by Tfrank59

- April 28, 2018, 09:25:42 AM

Well I've been running the stock gearing on my Drifter and I think like you I found it a little tall to begin with. I have no intentions of gearing up, but that's because I do very little riding at higher speeds. Mostly I ride between about 35 and 55 miles per hour and occasionally for an exit or two I'll get on the freeway (as a point of reference the stock gearing on my 800 is roughly the same as the gearing on my 1500 Valkyrie). I've made friends with the stock gearing on my 800, so I'm good with it just the way it is. I know some of our friends on this forum will chime in and say they like what they did gearing up but perhaps that's because a lot of them go on long trips (some of them even riding 2 up and they still find sufficient power to climb hills). To each his own.

Posted by rob f

- April 28, 2018, 09:11:17 AM

I have done the 18/38 sprocket swap and just finished my first highway ride. I was not impressed.
Now , I am sure this comment will get a lot of VDR member's panties in a knot but hear me out.
I needed to change out the sprockets and chain anyway so I will not be asking GB for a refund as Ratman had suggested in an earlier post
Some background info first: I have not ridden this bike with the stock sprockets it came with, as I just bought it Dec2017. The bike is pretty much stock except for a k/n filter, so hp is pretty much factory. Most of my roads are 90kph to 120kph (55mph-75mph). My personal comfort zone is around 105kph (65mph) These are my shifting speeds with the 18/38 conversion......
1-2 @40k/25m
2-3 @ 70k/45m
3-4 @95k/60m
4-5 @110k/68m
Does this shifting range sound right to you other 18/38'rs?

My experience: Took it on a 2hr run on the hyway into a strong crosswind. Could not hold it @ 110k/68m in 5th gear on any kind of hill. Ran it most of the way in 4th @ 105k/65m and on occasion had to dump it into 3rd on a very steep hill. The bike seems to be running fine and has new plugs. New properly inflated tires and I only weigh 170lbs ,solo, no luggage.

Bottom line: For my riding conditions the stock 800cc's cannot handle the 18/38 conversion . Also am finding that I am feathering the clutch too much at start up and also braking too much coming into intersections. 1st is way to tall for my liking.
I will try the cheap route first and change the front back to 17t. May be just enough. If not, I will have a pair of slightly used 18/38 sprockets for sale.
R

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