What final drive ratio should I go for with a 17" wheel conversion?

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  • Spiff
    Forum Mentor
    • Dec 2013
    • 318
    • Norway

    #1

    What final drive ratio should I go for with a 17" wheel conversion?

    I've been fiddling with a bandit swingarm and wheel and now I'm gonna order sprockets and chain but I'm not completely sure what size sprockets I should go with.
    My bike is a 750 with a 850 cylinder and head.
    Stock gs750 gearing is 15/41 for a 2.7xx final drive ratio, the stock bandit 1200 gearing is 15/45=3.0 final drive ratio.
    But considering the new 17" wheel results in a 3.9% decrease in rolling diameter over the stock 110/90-18 I'm not sure if I should try to stay close to the stock gs gearing or the stock bandit gearing or even lower or higher as I'm sure the decreased tire size impacts the final drive(a smaller tire would be the same as a lower final drive right?)

    EDIT: If my math is correct then changing from stock to 17" tires will change the effective drive ratio from 2.7 to 2.808, which is pretty negligible. But if I want the same performance as before I would have change gearing to be in the 2.59 range. I think I might have overthought this whole thing
    Last edited by Spiff; 03-07-2017, 01:58 AM.
  • Agemax
    Forum Guru
    • Apr 2008
    • 8371
    • plymouth uk

    #2
    i run a 19/48 530 conversion on my GS1000 with a 17" rear wheel if thats any use.
    1978 GS1085.

    Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

    Comment

    • Steve
      GS Whisperer
      • Jun 2005
      • 35924
      • southwest oHIo

      #3
      Personally, it is my opinion that unless you are at a dragstrip that measures elapsed times down to 1/1000 second, you will not notice a difference in performance with the 17" wheel.

      It does not really matter what the stock Bandit gearing was, you don't have a Bandit engine. It also doesn't really matter what Agemax is running, he has a 1000 engine (that has been "enhanced"), you have an 850.

      By the way, if you are going from an 18" wheel to a 17" wheel, your tire choices are going to change a bit. Not sure that you will have a 110/90 available, but there is a 120/90. I don't have time to do the math right now, but the overall rolling circumference will be pretty close, likely even smaller, which would ENHANCE your performance, not decrease it.

      What is your incentive for the change?

      .
      sigpic
      mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
      hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
      #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
      #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
      Family Portrait
      Siblings and Spouses
      Mom's first ride
      Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
      (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

      Comment

      • Nessism
        Forum LongTimer
        GSResource Superstar
        Past Site Supporter
        Super Site Supporter
        • Mar 2006
        • 35783
        • Torrance, CA

        #4
        41/15 = 2.73

        If you bump the front to 18 then that same ratio suggests 49.2 (or 49 teeth). If you want to adjust for the smaller wheel/tire then you may want to bump that tooth count down one or two teeth. You should have plenty of torque to push a bigger gear.
        Ed

        To measure is to know.

        Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

        Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

        Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

        KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

        Comment

        • Spiff
          Forum Mentor
          • Dec 2013
          • 318
          • Norway

          #5
          Rear tire size would be 180/55-17 for the Bandit 5.5" rear wheel.
          I was thinking about a 17/46 or 17/47 combination, that's 2.7 and 2.76 respectably.

          @steve my incentive for the change is looks and hopefully performance. I've swapped the front end out with a sv1000s fork and will be doing some frame bracing also, hopefully I can find a 1000cc engine to really make it a restomod.

          Comment

          • Steve
            GS Whisperer
            • Jun 2005
            • 35924
            • southwest oHIo

            #6
            OK, I saw the "Bandit swingarm and wheel" mentioned, but did not realize the size of the wheel/tire involved.

            Doing the math on the tire sizes, the 180/55-17 has 96.1% of the circumference of the 110/80. In theory, that will give you a 4% advantage with no gearing changes.

            .
            sigpic
            mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
            hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
            #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
            #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
            Family Portrait
            Siblings and Spouses
            Mom's first ride
            Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
            (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

            Comment

            • Agemax
              Forum Guru
              • Apr 2008
              • 8371
              • plymouth uk

              #7
              that is why i mentioned mine, 19/48 gives a 2.52 ratio. ok so it wont upset anyone on the drag strip but it still accelerates pretty fast and pulls like a train through all the gears. plus, the 19t front sprocket gives plenty of clearance for the chain on the swingarm pivot.
              if you went 49 or even 50 on the rear then your acceleration would be much better.
              1978 GS1085.

              Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

              Comment

              • Spiff
                Forum Mentor
                • Dec 2013
                • 318
                • Norway

                #8
                Yes that's why I was thinking of going up to a 17 front, a 19 would probably get even more clearance as you say. Thanks for the help guys!

                Comment

                • Spiff
                  Forum Mentor
                  • Dec 2013
                  • 318
                  • Norway

                  #9
                  Btw. Does anyone know how long of a chain I'm gonna need? Or how I can figure that out?

                  Comment

                  • Nessism
                    Forum LongTimer
                    GSResource Superstar
                    Past Site Supporter
                    Super Site Supporter
                    • Mar 2006
                    • 35783
                    • Torrance, CA

                    #10
                    It's customary to bump up 3 teeth in the front when going from 630 to 530.

                    Stock chain is 96 links (630 chain)

                    96 x 3/4" = 72"

                    72" / 5/8" = 115.2 - round up to 116 links

                    Of course this is simply showing how to convert from 630 to 530. With the different swingarm all bets are off.
                    Last edited by Nessism; 03-07-2017, 02:29 PM.
                    Ed

                    To measure is to know.

                    Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                    Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                    Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                    KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                    Comment

                    • Agemax
                      Forum Guru
                      • Apr 2008
                      • 8371
                      • plymouth uk

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Nessism
                      It's customary to bump up 3 teeth in the front when going from 630 to 530.

                      Stock chain is 96 links (630 chain)

                      96 x 3/4" = 72"

                      72" / 5/8" = 115.2 - round up to 116 links
                      thats odd, in a previous thread, you swore it was rounded down to 115. changed your mind now Ed?
                      Anyways, wont it all be different with a Bandit swingarm fitted?
                      Last edited by Agemax; 03-07-2017, 02:04 PM.
                      1978 GS1085.

                      Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

                      Comment

                      • Nessism
                        Forum LongTimer
                        GSResource Superstar
                        Past Site Supporter
                        Super Site Supporter
                        • Mar 2006
                        • 35783
                        • Torrance, CA

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Agemax
                        thats odd, in a previous thread, you swore it was rounded down to 115. changed your mind now Ed?
                        Anyways, wont it all be different with a Bandit swingarm fitted?
                        Are you always an a-hole are just practicing on me?

                        Ah, negative on the calculation with the Bandit swingarm. I overlooked that detail.
                        Ed

                        To measure is to know.

                        Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

                        Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

                        Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

                        KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

                        Comment

                        • Agemax
                          Forum Guru
                          • Apr 2008
                          • 8371
                          • plymouth uk

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Nessism
                          Are you always an a-hole are just practicing on me?
                          eh? lost your sense of humour now as well Ed?
                          1978 GS1085.

                          Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

                          Comment

                          • Spiff
                            Forum Mentor
                            • Dec 2013
                            • 318
                            • Norway

                            #14
                            If you know how long one 530 link is, can you take a piece of string and wrap it around like a chain and then measure how long it is and divide it by the length of one link to find out roughly how many links you need? Maybe add some extra and remove the excess if need be....

                            Comment

                            • Agemax
                              Forum Guru
                              • Apr 2008
                              • 8371
                              • plymouth uk

                              #15
                              this may help.......

                              1978 GS1085.

                              Just remember, an opinion without 3.14 is just an onion!

                              Comment

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