Sprocket recommendation 82 GPZ

I have an 82 GPZ, it has 24,000 miles on it, the chain/sprockets have seen better days.
So it's time for a new one.
I have no idea what is on it now, but factory is 16 front 38 rear as far as I know.
I do mostly highway 84 miles round trip on my daily drive to/from work. About 10 miles/day is city.
Should I stick with the factory (or what ever is on there now) or would you recommend something different?
Occasionally I'll take it out on the windiest road I can find for some fun, but mostly it's cheap enjoyable transportation.
Also, to confirm that I'm not being overly cautious, is there a way to check the chain's wear without taking it off the bike? I know the method is to hand a weight on it and measure the distance between a given number of links, but is there another way?

I'm guessing you have a GPz550 (based on the # of sprocket teeth)...my inclination is to keep the # of teeth at factory recommendations...those Kawasaki engineers were pretty clever and it sounds like you do several types of riding. If you think the chain is worn, then replace it, don't worry about specs as it will generally break at the worst possible time...when you replace the chain, make sure you also do the sprockets, and vice versa.

Oops! yes it is a 550.
Stock specs it is.
I'm thinking my best bet is JT sprockets:
Front :
Rear
Chain is looking like an eBay deal .
Anyone got better ideas?
This is a *simple* installation as far as I can tell, remove the rear wheel, remove the rear sprocket using the allen-head bolts, replace, re-install the rear wheel w/o the chain.
Remove the front sprocket cover, chain, remove the sprocket (I'm assuming it's bolted on?), replace.
Then install the chain and tension it.
Anything I should be aware of? Should I use a rubber mallet for installing the rear wheel bolt or will it slide in easily? I don't have a dead blow hammer since I rarely need one.
Anything I'm forgetting?

It may be best to keep everything together and start off by getting the countershaft nut off first; then remove the chain and wheel. It's the easiest way to remove the front sprocket. Have a friend step on the rear brake pedal as you loosen the front nut.

I just replaced the sprockets and chain and had to have my son stand on the rear brake pedal to lock the system up, while his friend pushed on a 6ft pipe attached to the breaker bar as I heated the countershaft nut to a dull red with a torch.

It was fun.

NEVER use red loctite on the shaft threads (as I did 2 years ago) or you will need a pipe and two friends to get the sprocket off in a couple years.

Forgive my stupidty.
The countershaft bolt is the 3/4" diameter bolt that runs through the rear wheel?
I loosened that last year when I adjusted the chain, no problem, but I didn't take it the whole way off. Or is this not the bolt your're talking about?
Do you know what the torque spec is?

No, the countershaft is where the front sprocket is.

Ah, thanks for the warning.
I hope I don't have to put a torch to that.

The countershaft nut is big, on my bike it's 1-1/16" or something like 27mm. Check yours now before the parts get here so you have time to run out to the store and buy one.

That would figure too. I have a 26mm socket, a 28mm socket and even a 29mm socket. No 27.
I'll pull the cover off and check.
I've also got a 1 1/2" socket that I tried to get a water heater element off with. Using a 3' pipe, I had that 18" breaker bar bent like a banana and it wouldn't move. Didn't try torching it because it was installed in a "closet" and thought replacing the water heater would be cheaper than replacing all my stuff after the house caught fire.

Doesn't the GPz550 have the countershaft sprocket held on by a lockplate that is retained by two bolts?

steell wrote:

Doesn't the GPz550 have the countershaft sprocket held on by a lockplate that is retained by two bolts?

Yep that is the setup on the 550's lockplate held on with 2 6mm bolts. Piece of cake to change.

I didn't know that this sprocket was bolted up like that! Learn something new today.