I'm new to bikes in general and I keep seeing posts with mention of dropping teeth at the front etc...

My question(s) would be:
* Why would someone do this?
* How would someone do this?
* Advantages & Disadvantages?

Thanks guys,

TooL

 

They're referring to the front and rear sprockets. Here's how it works:

Adding teeth to the front or taking teeth away from the rear increase top speed but decreases acceleration. You will run lower RPMs to go the same speed as before.

Losing teeth in the front or adding teeth to the rear increases acceleration but decreases top speed. You will run higher RPMs to go the same speed as before.

All this is accomplished by changing the OEM sprocket with one that has a different # of teeth. Most people do this to increase acceleration. The general thought process is "I don't really need to go 186mph so a couple teeth won't really matter -- and then I'll be able to smoke that Busa".

Advantages/disadvantages depend on what you're trying to achieve. To gain in one place you're gonna have to give up something somewhere else. By increasing acceleration you'll lose gas mileage, top end speed and you'll generally feel buzzier. By increasing top end potential you'll get better mileage but power wheelies will be harder to achieve and other bikes will destroy you off the line.

 

Aha!!! It's almost clear now. Thanks for the reply.

So in both scenarios if i add to the front will i need to remove from the back or do i have the choice to either add to the front or remove from the rear to increase acceleration and vice versa?

 

Decrease front or add to the rear to INCREASE acceleration. And yes, you can drop a tooth up front and add two in back. Usually there is enough adjustment on the stock chain to do this.

Another thing to remember is that the change is going to be proportional to the sprocket size -- 1 tooth on the front will do more than 2 on the rear because the sprocket is already small (usually 15-17 teeth). So take baby steps or you could end up with something you don't want. Also, if your chain isn't in really good shape you might consider changing it also with new sprockets. That's a generally accepted procedure.

 

On ebay they said for our bikes the optimal combo is one tooth down in the front and two teeth up in the back, has anybody ever ran this combo and how did you like it?

 

Ive got a 99 CBR 600 and run just one down in front. It works for me, gives adequate acceleration and still allows me to move 90 down the freeway without vibrating myself to death on the commute to work. It really just depends on how you plan on using the bike. It's all personal preference when you start messing with things like that. not to mention increasing acceleration makes wheeling easier....so be rather careful if you start changing sprockets until your used to them or you might scare yourself half to death.

 

I dropped one tooth in front and added two out back and I love it! Great acceleration but you do give up top speed, but I don't use the top end of my speed limitations anyway, so I feel I gave up nothing. I have a buddy that has a -1 front with a +22, yes 22 rear!! I call it the pizza cutter!! But damn the wheelies are sooooooo easy!! It al comes down to what YOU want out of YOUR bike.[8D]

 

Do not forget that your speedo is driven off the gearing on newer bikes (95+ on CBR600, 929/954, 600RR,CBR1000RR, ect..)so the more you change your gearing the more your speedo/odometer will be off

 

Thanks for all the info guys, I'll keep all this in mind if i ever decide to go in either direction.