Chain? 530 vs. 520

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by RVFR, Jul 19, 2017.

  1. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Just as an example, non VFR, but did roughly the same thing to a 6g

    [​IMG]
    Stock Ducati - all steel - 525 pitch

    [​IMG]
    520 AFAm Superlite countershaft sprocket, left, compared to stock Duc

    [​IMG]
    AFAM Superlite quick change sprocket carrier with Superlite dampers, ti studs, ti washers and bi hex ti lock nuts

    [​IMG]
    CNC'd Ergal sprocket carrier

    [​IMG]
    AEM Factory ti axle nuts

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Assembled with DID ERV3 520 chain, ti eccentric pinch, caliper mounting bolts and carbon fiber ABS sensor guard and ti bolt.

    Total savings over stock? 7.33 pounds. Significant weight savings. Lightening the rotor could make it almost a 10 pound weight savings. VFR was slightly less, but performed some other lightening treatments to the VFR to get close to this. I have pics of that stuff.....
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2017
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  2. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    Very nice Norca. I have used AFAM products for a long time. Have AFAM and DID EVR3 on the track bike right now.
     
  3. RllwJoe

    RllwJoe Insider

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    The burning question is whether you will stay with a 16 tooth front sprocket, or go to stock gearing.
    What are your thoughts?
     
  4. CandyRedRC46

    CandyRedRC46 Member

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    The 15/43 combo is great on the 6th gen. Awesome acceleration, without hurting highway cruising too bad. I would only avoid it if your daily commute involves +100mph turnpike for an hour a day. (16/43 is stock on the 6th gen).
     
  5. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    I have 17/45 on my 5th gen, and wouldn't go back.
     
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  6. James Bond

    James Bond Member

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    That would be an interesting change from stock to try in mountain twisties but otherwise, how much more does one really need to accelerate quicker than stock? Something for everyone is out there. The 15/43 combo would be a nice experiment given where I ride. I just hate replacing sprockets and chains....
     
  7. CandyRedRC46

    CandyRedRC46 Member

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    Well it looks like you have a fifth gen, so a 15/43 would be pretty extreme for you, being that 5th gens come with 17/43 as factory.
     
  8. James Bond

    James Bond Member

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    Nope, I have an 8th gen. The avatar pic is of a past 5th gen.
     
  9. sunofwolf

    sunofwolf New Member

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    520 chain still doing great, I oil every ride to make it last.
     
  10. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    I'm not a fan of reducing front sprocket.
    The chain is close to the swingarm as is and rubs on the rubber chain guide as it turns.
    Also the tighter the radius, the more work and stress for the chain.
    1 less front tooth is roughly equal to 3 extra teeth on the rear and makes a big difference.
    Plus 2 on the rear is a good compromise IMO.
    Go to www.gearingcommander.com to try different combinations, it will give you all the info you need to see wear, stress and velocity changes the different combinations will give.
     
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  11. RllwJoe

    RllwJoe Insider

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    I have a new 525 chain that was given to me, but am having a hard time finding sprockets to go with it for my '98 VFR 800. All of the online retailers want to sell me the stock 530 pitch sprockets.
    Can anyone post up information on where to purchase 16 front / 43 rear ,or 17 front / 46 rear in the 525 pitch?
    Are all of the 5th, 6th, and 8th gen sprockets interchangeable?
     
  12. 2027Matt

    2027Matt New Member

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    You can easily replace the front sprocket with a 15 tooth and use the stock chain. I think you will like the change.
     
  13. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    Unless you are racing and need every single bit of horsepower, what is the point of having a stock vfr and putting on a 520 chain, to save maybe 1 to 2 pounds. You are out riding and need to make up for your 530 chain? Then put half a gallon less gas in your bike and you’ve saved more than 3 lbs. If a 530 chain means it’s stronger and has a longer life, then that’s for me. Want more power, twist the throttle a bit more.
     
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  14. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Ran a 520 chain on a modified 6g, never had an issue. Vortex hardcoated rear sprocket, JT steel front, DID ERV3 chain. Lowered gearing.
     
  15. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    This^
    And less rotational mass is a big handling improvement if you like tipping it in.

    I know guys running DID EVR 520 setups on 200 RWHP track bikes with more than 12k on them.
     
  16. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    If the DID ERV3 is good enough for AMA, BSB, WSBK, and MotoGP machines, they are certainly good enough for me. It kind of makes me chuckle, the same people that tried to pick a fight with me about the 520 drive setup on my 6g project bike back in the 2000's , used the exact same arguments the non believers are using against the use of it today. Only the names have changed. Opinions become religions. I do the 520 ERV3 on every bike I own, too many benefits for such a small amount of money. Every bike in my sig line has the ERV3, except for the Sumo, which has a a DID 520 VT2 narrow x-ring...the RVF just got her ERV3 installed today.....
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2019
  17. Gator

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    Yep. When its time on the VFR its getting EVR3, and new sprockets and gearing. I want to look at some of the new super light steel rears. I have had great longevity with AFAM aluminum with their special hardening on the teeth. Got about 15k on a 1k track bike with that set up with EVR3 in a -1 +1 gearing.
    Just the unsprung weight and rotational mass alone are way worth it. Any of the guys on hear that like to canyon ride and or track ride would definitely benefit from doing it.
     
  18. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    I went 15/45, to give the chain a nice smooth angle over the swingarm pivot, saving wear on the chain slider and to ensure the suspension didn't have any unnecessary friction. Used the Vortex F5 hardcoated rear and lightweight steel countershaft sprocket, minus the dampers. Just enough to provide a nice oomph out of the corner without additional shifting and a little additional engine braking going in. It also helped keep the R's in the VTEC zone in slower corners. A little less stress on everything. Lighter is better. Just added a speedo healer to correct for the gearing change.
     
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  19. Gator

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    Norca maybe you can answer a question I have had for a while. Say you can get the same final gear ratio on 2 different setups. Say 1 is 15/45 and the other is 16/42. (I don't know if this example is actually the same final ratio) but just for the purpose of this question assume it is. Is there a difference in acceleration between the 2?
     
  20. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    This will let you play around with that stuff for HOURS! I found myself sucked in by this website the first time I used it and burned up about 3 hours playing with it :Rofl:

    https://www.gearingcommander.com/

    But to answer your question, the lower gearing you have the faster you will accelerate, however, you have to take in consideration a few different factors, length of straights, how many times you will have to shift, will you be caught shifting at inopportune places that will upset the chassis, instead of just overreving a little to make it to the next corner without shifting, etc. It's a balancing act between bouncing it off the rev limiter, accelerating quicker, and not wasting forward motion by being geared too low and spinning up the rear tire.

    This is especially critical if you have traction control, because once the traction control senses wheelspin, it cuts the power. That is what the guys in Motogp are talking about when they say they have no rear traction...it means they are spinning up and the TC is kicking in and retarding the power, thus killing their acceleration out of the corners, or their ability to pick the throttle up early when still at max lean angles. That is why you see them force the bike up on the fat part of the tire as quickly as possible on corner exit.

    When you can't easily change internal transmission ratios, you have a relatively narrow window of adjustment. This was especially true with race bikes that were used on a lot of different types of layouts, which is why they developed cassette gearboxes to make changing the transmission ratios easy.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2019
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