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aluminium rear sprocket - how long of life span, weight vs steel?

Chuck78

Chuck78

Forum Sage
Past Site Supporter
I've got a Hayabusa grade 530 o-ring chain, and now shopping for 530 sprockets. I am tempted to buy a nice looking aluminium rear sprocket, but I know the lifespan will be less than steel. How many miles or years do you think I can get out of aluminium vs. steel? It's an 844cc GS750 that I ride probably 5000 miles a year, sometimes fairly hard, but no wheelies or burnouts anymore.
 
Also, 15-41 (2.73 ratio) in a 630 was stock gearing, and it's fairly quick, but does spin about 5100rpm's at "70mph" which I think is really about 66 or 67mph with my 110/90-18 front). In a 530, a 17-47 (2.76 ratio) would be the closest gear ratio but slightly faster accelerating, or 18-50 at 2.78 ratio. I am leaning towards the 18-50 for a little extra chain clearance off of my new used aluminium GS1100E swing arm, as I don't want to ding it up if the chain gets loose. Think I will notice much rpm increase at 70mph, or much more acceleration power?
 
JUNK....Dont do it. Got less than 5,00 out of the one I put on the 77 750. Go with the Sunstar steel ones is my recommandation.
 
Once the sprocket wears a little bit, it starts to eat the chain, which eats the sprocket even faster. Vicious circle. My guess is that with both new sprockets and a new chain, the whole works with the aluminum rear sprocket would be shot in about 1/4 the miles as with a good steel sprocket. I'm sure it depends a lot on quality. There are also some aluminum sprockets with a steel rim, steel teeth. Almost as light as aluminum but without the wear problem. They are not cheap though, and I don't know if they are available for a GS...
 
I am running 16-43 's[ 2.68] on my 78 1000, seams to be a good ratio, I have a 160/60/17 rear tire. not sure what the final ratio is .Aluminum will wear much faster , and if you ride hard you can toast a sprocket in short order. I use to waste at least one a season road racing. And that was only 8 weekends a year.
 
There has got to be a better way to shave ounces than compromise the strength of something as important as your sprockets.
 
Aluminum is just not tough enough for the real world. Might be fine for a race bike on a clean track, where it will last a race or two, but if you want a reliable bike stick with steel. How much weight will it save, and what is a pound saved in the sprocket when these old steel frame bikes are so heavy everywhere else anyway?
 
FiremanBob said:
..what is a pound saved in the sprocket when these old steel frame bikes are so heavy everywhere else anyway?
Click to expand...

Removing a pound from rotational mass has a much greater effect than simply removing a pound from the frame or other parts of the bike.

Having said that, a sprocket change on it's own, isn't likely to make much difference :).
 
Yeah, it's unsprung weight too, so it's even better to lose the weight, but aluminum sprockets just don't cut it for me.
 
Got it... Cant find any 6 bolt gs sprockets with the inner piece aluminium & the outer in steel, so it looks like I'll be going with a 17-48 or 18-51. I'd prefer the 17-48 for weight, but with an aluminium gs1100e swing arm, I'm considering the 18-51 for more clearance as Ive read on Z1's 630->530 page that an 18 in a 530 is about the same as a 15 in the stock 630 in terms of diameter. I don't want to let an unnoticed loose chain gouge out my nice alloy swinger, but I do want a little more weight savings while running a wider gear spread to give me 3.2%-3.4% better acceleration but the same percentage decrease in vehicle speed at highway rpm 69mph@5100 approximately as is stock gear 140/70-18 tire, 5100 rpm will give me 66.7 or 66.9mph with the gears I'm contemplating. A worthwhile trade I think. I can always swap from 17-48 to 18-48 for a big change if a 17 is even a candidate
 
My options seem to be oem gs550 sprockets, JT, or Sunstar. Are there any other recommendations on brands or where to get good deals aside from ebay?
 
My point was not the weight by itself, but the infinitesimal advantage possibly gained against the cost of wearing out the sprocket in a short time under real world conditions.
 
mvalenti said:
forget aluminum and steel.....

http://sidewindersprockets.com/titaniumII-sprockets.html

buy one for life...
Click to expand...

You may want to research that one. Titanium is way more expensive than that sprocket sells for. A lifetime warranty.....biggest line of BS in existence. What happens if the company goes under in a couple of years?

I looked at their stuff a few weeks back when doing the sprocket/chain research.

The BS story on their website should get your spider senses tingling.....

For your reading
http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?123965-Krause-Racing-Sidewinder-experience

http://www.kingofthehill.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2918

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?123965-Krause-Racing-Sidewinder-experience

Just google " Krause racing chain" and there is more!
 
Fjbj40 said:
You may want to research that one. Titanium is way more expensive than that sprocket sells for. A lifetime warranty.....biggest line of BS in existence. What happens if the company goes under in a couple of years?

I looked at their stuff a few weeks back when doing the sprocket/chain research.

The BS story on their website should get your spider senses tingling.....

For your reading
http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?123965-Krause-Racing-Sidewinder-experience

http://www.kingofthehill.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2918

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?123965-Krause-Racing-Sidewinder-experience

Just google " Krause racing chain" and there is more!
Click to expand...

(rubs eye) but it was posted on the internet.... everything is true on the internet right? Or have I been lead down the wrong path?
 
my machinist buddy said that for him, buying raw titanium stock isn't really all that expensive surprisingly. maybe it's harder to work with or something which drives up the cost?
 
Last edited:
titanium isn't three times harder that Stainless steel, is it?
I've worked with it a little, it didn't seem THAT hard.
 
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