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Thread: Chain Links & Sprocket

  1. #1
    Member Richie-Rich's Avatar
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    Chain Links & Sprocket

    Trying to get some more acceleration for the track on my 2008 ZX-6R and I think I need a new chain but not sure...was hoping to get away without getting a new one. Did a little research and came up with this.

    Does this look right?
    Stock: 16/ 43 112 - Links
    Current: 15/ 45 - 112-114 links
    Upgrade: 15/ 48 - ? links
    Last edited by Richie-Rich; Tue Jul 15th, 2014 at 11:20 AM.
    08 Kawi Green Ninja ZX-6R

  2. #2
    Member big_sur's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Unless it's a pretty new chain, I'd probably replace it. A worn chain will accelerate wear on new sprockets.

  3. #3
    Gold Member Kim-n-Dean's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by Richie-Rich View Post
    Trying to get some more acceleration for the track on my 2008 ZX-6R and I think I need a new chain but not sure...was hoping to get away without getting a new one. Did a little research and came up with this.

    Does this look right?
    Stock: 16/ 43 108 - Links
    Current: 15/ 45 - 112 links
    Upgrade: 15/ 48 - 118 links
    Holy cow!! One down, five up!!!! That sounds like insane gearing!!! Don't know much about what gearing a 600 might need, but I went one down, two up on my R1 racebike and it was almost uncontrolable! It wanted to wheely while ideling!

    I've done several laps on Kim's R6 and got sick of shifting! If that thing was geared down, I would think that you would be shifting more than accelerating...
    Kim & Dean
    60th Anniversary R6 - '16 R1M


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  4. #4
    Member Richie-Rich's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Talked to some guys at the track and they told me they are running -1 +5 on theirs. I Don't know if my bike needs a tune or what but I'm getting killed in straits. I want to be in 6th gear on straits and I'm not as of now. I have maybe 5k miles on this chain. Prob should just get a new one...Was just hoping to throw a new sprocket on quick and call her good.
    08 Kawi Green Ninja ZX-6R

  5. #5
    Gold Member Kim-n-Dean's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Sprockets are cheap. Always change your sprockts with a new chain!
    Kim & Dean
    60th Anniversary R6 - '16 R1M


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  6. #6
    Senior Member UglyDogRacing's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by Richie-Rich View Post
    Talked to some guys at the track and they told me they are running -1 +5 on theirs. I Don't know if my bike needs a tune or what but I'm getting killed in straits. I want to be in 6th gear on straits and I'm not as of now. I have maybe 5k miles on this chain. Prob should just get a new one...Was just hoping to throw a new sprocket on quick and call her good.
    They are probably getting a better drive than you on to the straits. Work on your corner speed and getting on the throttle earlier instead of trying to hit 6th gear.
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by UglyDogRacing View Post
    They are probably getting a better drive than you on to the straits. Work on your corner speed and getting on the throttle earlier instead of trying to hit 6th gear.
    Pretty much what I was going to type.

    I rarely get to 6th gear on my racebike, most of the time I'm in 5th at the end of our straights at Pueblo and HPR and 4th at PPIR. One of the skills I work on the hardest is picking up the throttle at the exit of the corner. Make sure that you are taking away lean angle before you start picking up the throttle big or a high side is in your near future.

    I look at changing gearing when I'm between gears at critical points on the track. A good example of this is from T9 to T10 at Pueblo. In that space I was either riding the limiter when I could have been accelerating or having to catch an upshift and a backshift within a couple seconds of each other. This is when I think a gearing change is necessary.

  8. #8
    Senior Member One-ops's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    I have this problem a lot it feels like at pmp. From 3-4 4-5 and 9-10. Only really felt like an issue at hpr down the hill from 5-6. I'm -1 +2.

  9. #9
    Member milehizx6r's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    I ride an 04 636 and I'm running 3 up in the rear and my entry, mid corner and acceleration out of corners are great for me. It's all in how we like to ride and where our power band is. Each track and turn would be different. It just sounds like that is excessive. If that is a track only bike then yeah, try it out, sprockets are cheap. But you also have to understand, going down too much up front puts more stress and rpm on the trans.

  10. #10
    Senior Member The Black Knight's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by One-ops View Post
    I have this problem a lot it feels like at pmp. From 3-4 4-5 and 9-10. Only really felt like an issue at hpr down the hill from 5-6. I'm -1 +2.
    I'm not sure what gearing my bike has, just that when I bought it from the previous owner he said it had vortex sprockets on it. It feels close to OEM gearing though. I've only gotten in one track day with the bike so far and it was more of a laid back get back into the swing of things track day. I did have one good session where I felt I was pushing myself and started getting back into a mindset of trying to get better lap times. Even though my lap times were horrendous compared to what I used to be able to do. Here's the gears I was using at my last track day at Pueblo.

    Front straight: I was taking it to close to redline in 4th, then braking and took T1 in 3rd. Shift down into 2nd for T2 and T3. Stay in 2nd all the way to T4. Stay in 2nd and redline into T5, brake and stay in 2nd gear through 6A and 6B, brake and shift from 2nd to 1st through T7(although I was playing around with staying in 2nd going through T7, first worked better), accelerate out of T7 and short shift into 3rd for T8, hold 3rd through T8, shift to 4th down the back straight and then bang two quick down shifts and take T9 in 2nd gear, across the paddock in 2nd gear to T10 and then repeat process all over again....

    From what I remember on my 02 GSX-R1000 that was only one down in the front and stock in the rear. I was able to hit 5th going down the front straight and would usually take T1 in 4th gear. All other corners(except T7) were the same as my current 03 GSX-R1000. I do know I could just get into 5th going down the back straight but would have to many downshifts to take T9 in 2nd. T7 I would always take in 2nd as the rpm was higher.

    The difference now and back in 2006(my last track day) was I'm a lot more cautious now with getting up to speed. I was either way braver at 26 than I am now at 34 or I just didn't know any better LOL!! I remember flying way faster into T1 off the front straight. T7 has always caused me issues but the real problem I faced at my last track day was T10. That corner sucks for me. Some laps I felt I was hitting it just right and getting good drive and other laps I felt I scrubbed off way to much speed and then got a lazy drive onto the front straight. Again, I wasn't there to set any blistering lap times as I was on a set of tires that were done and it was more of a get reacquainted with the track sort of day. I'm looking to do better on my next outing.

    A quick question to you MRA guys. Did turn 10 drastically change your previous lap times, or can you guys still lap the same as before the corner remodel???
    Last edited by The Black Knight; Tue Jul 15th, 2014 at 08:36 PM.
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by The Black Knight View Post

    A quick question to you MRA guys. Did turn 10 drastically change your previous lap times, or can you guys still lap the same as before the corner remodel???
    Without question the new configuration is slower. The apex of the corner is further out and more squared off meaning you have to lots slower there than we had to before. Also, you can't exit as wide cleanly, so drive out is somewhat inhibited.

  12. #12
    Senior Member The Black Knight's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by rybo View Post
    Without question the new configuration is slower. The apex of the corner is further out and more squared off meaning you have to lots slower there than we had to before. Also, you can't exit as wide cleanly, so drive out is somewhat inhibited.
    Thanks Rybo, that confirms my initial thoughts and helped me realize it all wasn't just in my head as far as getting a good drive was concerned. I do remember the old configuration allowed for a lot more speed to be carried through there and the drive was seemed to flow a little better, other than the bump I recall at the start of the drag strip.

    Just curious, how much time are you losing because of the new corner??
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  13. #13
    Senior Member UglyDogRacing's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Absolute track record with current configuration is 129.2 by Rob Christman. Previously it was 128.6 by Shane Turpin on the old turn 10 configuration. For the average rider it's around 2 seconds slower.
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  14. #14
    Senior Member The Black Knight's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by UglyDogRacing View Post
    Absolute track record with current configuration is 129.2 by Rob Christman. Previously it was 128.6 by Shane Turpin on the old turn 10 configuration. For the average rider it's around 2 seconds slower.
    Thanks for the input

    Kinda figured it would slow even the fastest guys down. So for the average rider 2 seconds feels about right. I know for me it felt a lot slower.
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  15. #15
    Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Stock gearing, I ride the entire track at Pueblo in second gear, minus the front stretch where I get into 5th, and the back stretch between 9-10 where I'll hit 3rd. I used to go down to 1 for turns 7, 10, and 11, but found it was actually slower because of how nervous I was to get on the throttle in 1st. Either the rear wheel spins, or the front comes up, it's very difficult to ride. It'll still lifts the front tire through 2nd gear, but DTC does a much better job of controlling it since it happens much slower.

    Turpin used to hold the record eh? He was at PMP with me a couple months ago, almost scared me out of track riding he'd pass so close. He's a good rider I know, and I'm sure he wasn't actually close at all, it was just my first time ever on a track and he was ridiculously fast.

  16. #16
    Senior Member The Black Knight's Avatar
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Turpin is an alien at PMP. I remember the first time he went by me down the front straight into T1. I always got a rush when the racers would buzz past close. I would just focus on their lines and try to emulate what they were doing. You learn so much from them by just being on track and observing. I remember at La Junta I tried to stay with David Lambert for several laps and it was a blast. Finally he just started to pull away but it was great to follow him around and use the lines he was using. For me, I learned a lot by trying to tag along with the fast guys even if it was just for a few corners.
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    Re: Chain Links & Sprocket

    Quote Originally Posted by The Black Knight View Post
    Turpin is an alien at PMP. I remember the first time he went by me down the front straight into T1. I always got a rush when the racers would buzz past close. I would just focus on their lines and try to emulate what they were doing. You learn so much from them by just being on track and observing. I remember at La Junta I tried to stay with David Lambert for several laps and it was a blast. Finally he just started to pull away but it was great to follow him around and use the lines he was using. For me, I learned a lot by trying to tag along with the fast guys even if it was just for a few corners.
    I still use this method. If Rob or Shane are going into a corner near me I pay close attention to what they are doing.

    I agree with Jim that the average rider is about 2 seconds a lap slower in the new config.

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