13 tooth sprocket. Just my opinion…

[5150dude]

Changed to the 13 tooth sprocket today. Here’s my $0.02…
BTW well worth it for my riding style. I weigh in at 210 lbs.

*It pulls much better from a start.
*Third gear has much better acceleration. Feel’s torquey
*Climbs better.
*Did not effect my top speed. The 14T it struggled a bit to KEEP top speed. 50-55 depending on conditions but the slightest hill would slow things down. The 13T seems to hold strong.
*Installation was easy-peasey. I spent more time looking for the right size socket/wrench then doing the install. Less cursing then most of my projects.

Not exactly a game changer or night/day but much better for me.

 

[RustyRodder]

Did you GPS the top speed?

 

[5150dude]

Did you GPS the top speed?

Not yet but that’s a good idea!

 

[SneakyDingo]

The biggest benefit to me for my 2021 model bike is the gap between 1st and 2nd is smaller. When riding off road, that makes the swap great. On road, I don't notice it nearly as much.

 

[m in sc]

yeah gps it. but a lot of people dig the 13.

 

[Edwardmichaelmotorcycle]

Changed to the 13 tooth sprocket today. Here’s my $0.02…
BTW well worth it for my riding style. I weigh in at 210 lbs.

*It pulls much better from a start.
*Third gear has much better acceleration. Feel’s torquey
*Climbs better.
*Did not effect my top speed. The 14T it struggled a bit to KEEP top speed. 50-55 depending on conditions but the slightest hill would slow things down. The 13T seems to hold strong.
*Installation was easy-peasey. I spent more time looking for the right size socket/wrench then doing the install. Less cursing then most of my projects.

Not exactly a game changer or night/day but much better for me.

Good to know, I have a little more "chunk" than you but it's encouraging to know that a quick sprocket change helps.

 

[sieg]

Changed to the 13 tooth sprocket today. Here’s my $0.02…
BTW well worth it for my riding style. I weigh in at 210 lbs.

*It pulls much better from a start.
*Third gear has much better acceleration. Feel’s torquey
*Climbs better.
*Did not effect my top speed. The 14T it struggled a bit to KEEP top speed. 50-55 depending on conditions but the slightest hill would slow things down. The 13T seems to hold strong.
*Installation was easy-peasey. I spent more time looking for the right size socket/wrench then doing the install. Less cursing then most of my projects.

Not exactly a game changer or night/day but much better for

I have found exactly what you say. I see no down side the the sprocket. change.

 

[5150dude]

It is typical for a manufacturer to “dial it in” based on the average riders size. In Honda’s case I am betting that is based on Japanese or other Asian counties rather then the average overweight American.

 

[ThrasherC]

I have found exactly what you say. I see no down side the the sprocket. change.

I’m really surprised by the lack of top speed impact - have you verified with GPS? I had been holding off on sprocket change because I need to be able to hit near 55 on some of the roads near here, but maybe I’ll reconsider.


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[Fishwishin]

I’m really surprised by the lack of top speed impact - have you verified with GPS?

Maybe it is due to the overall lower gearing?? The engine is able to overcome resistance more easily and reach the same bike speed as before at the expense of more engine speed (RPM's)?

 

[m in sc]

here's the rule of thumb i go by on pretty much anything. If it cant hit the revlimiter in the second highest gear, its geared to softly to ever use top gear effectively. My XR150L was like this as well, i dropped 2t on the back and it did make top gear more usable and move the speed/torque curve to a better more usable place. Going down 1 on the front on THAT bike was too much. but 2 on the rear was just right and yielded a consistent 5mph increase .

Stock, on any uphill would lose speed up a slight uphill, lots of trails stock are the same way. gearing, or a big bore typically are the 2 ways to combat this. however, the top speed comment is due to the fact the speedometer is read off the countershaft sprocket, NOT the front or rear wheel, so speedo error will be very optimistic (read higher than actual), typically, dropping the front tooth count. (or going up on the rear)

 

[SneakyDingo]

here's the rule of thumb i go by on pretty much anything. If it cant hit the revlimiter in the second highest gear, its geared to softly to ever use top gear effectively.

Is this on flat ground or on a slight uphill?

 

[m in sc]

either really, downhill doesn't count. I would say a slight uphill is the true test.

 

[NMCoyote]

Thanks for this post, I was wondering about swapping it out. Now I know!

 

[backfill]

This is interesting. I am over 6' and weigh 230. Stock, I can go almost as fast (by the speedometer) in third gear, as I can in fourth gear. So my understanding of this thread is that lowering a tooth on the front sprocket will lower the overall gear ratio, allowing the engine to rev more in fourth gear and giving it a similar top speed. Just curious, but given the lower gearing and therefore the engine will be reving higher in the power band, is it possible that the tops speed might be a bit higher?

Given my size, I can use all of the help that I can get!

 

[m in sc]

my xr150 was like that, it put 5th gear in a more useable range of the torque curve and was able to maintain higher top speed.

 

[sieg]

I’m really surprised by the lack of top speed impact - have you verified with GPS? I had been holding off on sprocket change because I need to be able to hit near 55 on some of the roads near here, but maybe I’ll reconsider.


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Yeap, I'm running a GPS and that's what I'm going by. If you can run 55 with any sprocket you must be lighter than me.

 

[NMCoyote]

So I installed the 13 tooth front sprocket this morning then took it out for about 100 miles in and around town. I like it better then stock. The 3.00 ratio is a bit more spunky. Might go back to 14 front and a new 42 rear for chain wear but it’s not a big issue really. This is the best $9 I’ve spent on modifications so far!

 

[Farmer Mike]

I did the 13 tooth (JA65), and I GPS's it today... same exact top speed on the same roads as stock, but a noticeable improvement in ability to maintain speed on hills, we don't really have hills in Florida, just pretend hills, but enough to bog it down stock. However, I really dislike the speed/odo not reading accurately. I would really like the gauge cluster to be close to accurate (working on a solution for that). I want to keep pretty close tabs on gas mileage just for the heck of it, so I need accurate data.

 

[Austin125]

I have a similar issue. I want to be able to change sprockets/tires while keeping the speedo accurate and the ABS light off. I’m working with 12 O’Clock Labs on a unit for the ‘23 (JA65) model. Should be happening within a week or so.