[Erics75218]

I just got mine back with 14 - 38 and good lord it pulls like a raped ape in every gear. It feels like I've installed at least 11ty turbos. Honestly at 14-38 it feels a bit high strung, which I love, but I may go up on the rear at the next opportunity.

It's totally transformed the feeling of the bike in a really positive way, it's so much more alive and the overall feeling is that of a lighter machine because of the massive increase in responsiveness to throttle inputs.

What are you all running/loving at the moment?

 

[bradblack]

i always go 15/43, same as 14/40 pretty much.

 

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

15/42 for me, love it for the twisties that surround me. Always got 6th gear if I need it (so far I haven't).

 

[Coconut]

My GT had 14-41 when I bought it and have stuck with it. It works for me and my riding preferences.

 

[telekon]

15/41 here, since 2007.

Recommended by Silverback Performance -- works perfectly for me.

 

[jahjah]

Went from stock 15-37 at 2.47:1 to 14-42 at 3.00:1. No tension issues.

Imposing a redline at 9K, not hitting the rev limiter, it seems like it is in 6th gear for less than a second but time distorts for me some, 6th seems to be almost 130mph based upon an 8% over error in the speedo. The speedo was about 10% low before. The error is actually reduced, but in the other direction. I don't do big bore bikes on the track anymore so the more limited top end is just fine with me.

For my riding, it's perfect. I have not had a situation where I would change it. I don't cruise it any distance but it feels perfectly fine for the occasional 40-50 miles on the highway, which is about as far as I go, at 60-80mph.

Clutch is playfully easy from a stop. Before the change, I always wanted to be between 1st and second a lot in town. It was irritating. Now, it seems to be in a sweet spot for all the riding I do.

 

[Duccout]

14/42

 

[bradblack]

the s4 has the close ratio gearbox, so the top 4 ratios are shorter than the wide ratio boxes in the sport classics.

 

[bobby]

When changing the stock gears, does the speedometer lose accuracy?

 

[bradblack]

When changing the stock gears, does the speedometer lose accuracy?

speedo runs off the rear wheel, so gearing makes no difference.

 

[duc96cr]

15/41 on 900SS, 14/43 on S4RS . Both seem just right for me, mostly back roads.

 

[bradblack]

i dont wish to be some sort of know all nanny, but this is one discussion where comparisons across models and years are often misleading and people who don't understand that read and interpret incorrectly.

as above, 1996 900ss and s4rs share the same gearbox ratios, but the 900ss has the old 2:1 primary drive, whereas the s4rs has the later 1.84:1.

 

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Prior to my above sprocket change I swapped the stock 15t front for 14t since it's simple & cheap enough to do yet still use the stock chain. That made a HUGE difference in ridability at in-town speeds, making the bike way more enjoyable and usable overall.

 

[bobby]

And the only compromise by going down to 14T on the front sprocket is top speed, right?

 

[adidas]

Yes, but the difference is insignificant.

 

[duc96cr]

When I rode slower bikes I used to gear them to pull top gear to redline, which usually meant installing a smaller front or larger rear sprocket. This resulted in a bike that was geared lower, pulled a little stronger than stock, yet lost no top end speed. Sometimes this change would actually raise top speed a few mph. With the top speed of the bikes I have now being ridiculous I gear for keeping the engine in its happy range .

 

[Erics75218]

well shit it looks like 38 on the rear is pretty crazy. I went down 1 in the front on my previous Duc, but not sure what a 2001 M750 had gerabox wise.

Thanks for all the responses. I think when I next do something at the rear I'll go up at least 1 or 2

 

[duc96cr]

I’d go at least two more teeth in the back or you’ll barely notice the difference.

 

[Linemanclassic1000]

15/42 for me much better ride IMO.

 

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Gearing change is up to how you want to ride and where you want to ride. Without knowing that info, or with that info not provided in responses, it's all pretty meaningless.