Downgear the storm?

[Korn]

Right, I really fancy giving this a go. I've worked out that 2 down on the front and 4 up on the back should still leave it doing 140 in 6th but make it an utter nutter's bike in the low gears

Question is, where can I get a 14t front and 45t rear sprocket for a Firestorm? That sprocketspecialist.com place is over the pond.

Also, I'm thinking the speedo will stop reading correctly (ratio is changing from 2.56:1 to 3.21:1) so what's the best way to sort this? I've heard of those little boxes you can plug into the wiring between the sensor and speedo but how easy are they to set up and does anywhere apart from M&Pisstake sell them? I don't really fancy having to fit a pushbike speedo
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3516 Miles, 11 Countries

[TiN]

Demon Tweeks should be able to supply you with whatever sprockets you need. But check out the Renthal website for a list of available sprocket sizes.

I'm thinking about getting a Yellow box, but you'll need to order from Oz, and they cost around £70. But if you're still interested, give me a shout, and I'll be motivated to put an order in.
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TiN
dotgems.net

[Demonic69]

I've wondered about this too. Mainly the speedo issue. Does it underread or overread?
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[Stew]

AFAIK if the speedo reads from the front sprocket and the bike is downgeared then the speedo will over read.
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"Unlike public school you don't need to have your arse up and your head down to go a long way...."

[Demonic69]

[Deano]

Good luck with trying to keep the front down hehe
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Dean Stone #777
EMRA 2012 final standings, Formula 600s 3rd, Superstock 600s 3rd.
www.triplesevenracing.co.uk: www.ljmotorcyclerepairs.co.uk www.gettaylored.co.uk BN RaceScience, Now officially run out of money to carry on racing

[Demonic69]

How do you figure out the best ratio?
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[Korn]

Here's the table I used to work out what sizes I wanted, check out the plan Zim thought up (and yes, they do actually do those sizes)

[Stew]

Who ever got 175mph from a standard storm??
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"Unlike public school you don't need to have your arse up and your head down to go a long way...."

[Scotty]

let me get this right, Zim wants his bike to have a top speed of 80mph ish.
Thats slower than an NSR.
(obviously it will get there alot quicker, and probably wheelieing all the way there...)
wont that speed up chain and sprocket wear...
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Regards
Scott

[Korn]

[Deano]

Yeah but scotty if zim start to miss the top speed then he will just change the sprockets back. it only takes 10-20 minutes depending on the person.

Also I can Zim flippin his bike if he's not careful I'm sure he won't but bloody helly is that throttle gonna be dangerous
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Dean Stone #777
EMRA 2012 final standings, Formula 600s 3rd, Superstock 600s 3rd.
www.triplesevenracing.co.uk: www.ljmotorcyclerepairs.co.uk www.gettaylored.co.uk BN RaceScience, Now officially run out of money to carry on racing

[Scotty]

Well least he can just leave it in 6th and never change gear.
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Regards
Scott

[Ste]

You'll probably need a new chain if you are making thost changes, as its going to want two extra links.

As Tin said, it's called a Yellow Box and G has one for sale I think

[G1_]

Downgearing the bike sounds like a good idea, something I may concider doing to my next bike.
However surely if you downgear it too much you make it unrideable? You would have a slower 0-60 time, for example, as more gear changes are involved.

[Korn]

Phoned B&C Express and they had the sprockets I wanted in stock so I ordered. I'll see what happens with the chain when I get them, hopefully it will fit as it's getting towards the stretch limit as it is, if not or if I have to shorten the wheelbase too much I'll have to get a new one.

£49 including delivery for hardened Renthals, should be here Monday or Tuesday. I reckon it will wheelie 1st through 3rd off the throttle, should be fun
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3516 Miles, 11 Countries

[Stew]

And if the chain doesn't fit you could always do it in stages, such as change the front sprocket first. That way you could get used to the change gradually too.
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"Unlike public school you don't need to have your arse up and your head down to go a long way...."

[Kickstart]

Hi

Wouldn't bother down gearing it much. After all if you go as far as Zim is suggesting then 1st gear will be just about unusable, and if you try wheelying it you are likely to hit the rev limiter before you have a chance to change gear in the lower ratios.And if you are not going to have useable gears then you may as well raise the gearing and then you can just drop a gear to do a wheely.

One other problem. If you lower the gearing you will increase the fuel consumption. A 1 tooth smaller front sprocket on the 1200 Bandit knocked 5mpg off the fuel consumption. Are you actually going to be able to get the Storm from one petrol station to the next if it uses any more fuel?

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[G]

I've got a vid of someone parking 12oclock highchairs (sitting on the bars then doing a wheelie to vertical, onto the wheelie bar, then slowing it right down until you stop. The blokey doing them went 20 up on the back, dunno if he bothered with the front.
For anything apart from that (or maybe the same thing two up on the front )... it aint going to help anything much. 6th will probably be similar to what was 1st .

[TiN]

[kevo]

[Dusty]

You need to find a balance between keeping the gears useable and getting good exceleration in each gear. If you go too far it may actually slow you down overall due to the fact you'll be changing gear all the time. And yes fuel consumption will go up, because you'll be at higher revs more of the time.

The best option is to buy a load of sprockets so that you can chop and change depending of the road/track being ridden. For motorway miles a downgeared bike(especially a storm ) will cost you more per mile at a given speed.

I have one of those yellow box doobries, they are made by Black Robotics afaik. Never actually got round to fitting/calibrating it though.
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Gallery

[MarJay]

Thats funny, I was just going to say "Ask Dusty, he'll clue you in on down gearing!"
Then my rubbish Dell laptop crashed
Haven't gotten around to downgearing the Daytona yet though... I think I might need it for wheelies though... its more difficult to lift the front than my old SV650
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Korn]

I'm doing it for fun more than anything, so as long as it puts a smile on my face then fuel economy can bollocks

Besides, I may have found a new source of power
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3516 Miles, 11 Countries

[Deano]

Silly question but WTF is that?