kz1000 gearing question

Ive read multiple places how people will pop the front wheel up on there kz1000? what gearing are you guys using? mine doesnt come close unless i pop the clutch. i believe my gearing is 15/33 on my '80 ltd

when i want to do wild and crazy stuff on my z1 i swap sprockets over toa 14 front and a 39 or 41 rear same gearing that i use at the drag strip with my little drag bike it isn't any problem for me to do so i do it quite oftem i have an extra long chain and the sprockets already set-up and put aside just for fun riding under normall circumstances i use my highway gearing 15/33 just like stock ltd gearing with my super low gearing the bike top's out at 125 at 10,000 in 5th but it sure gets there fast.

the bike top's out at 125 at 10,000 in 5th but it sure gets there fast.


:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

gvsu141 wrote:

Ive read multiple places how people will pop the front wheel up on there kz1000? what gearing are you guys using? mine doesnt come close unless i pop the clutch. i believe my gearing is 15/33 on my '80 ltd

While it may not seem like it would, pop a 35T rear sprocket on with the 15 next time you do chain and sprockets. Makes a nice little improvement without raising your cruise RPM up very high.

Search for and download a handly little program called gearcalc.

"sure gets there fast".... Yup!

I have a 15/37 combo, with low to mid range performance cam, 1015cc kit, 29mmCR specials and Kerker w/1.5" comp baffles.... Oh yeah, slightly larger SS valves and P&P head via Cavanaugh Racing Heads (thanks Larry).

As can be reviewed in the attached image of the gear-calc program in my build, @ 71mph equates to 5428rpm... My tach displays 5500 rpm so it's pretty damn close...

@ 9000rpm, 117mph is about max which is exactly what I desired in my engine build... Didn't care so much on the top end speed for I just didn't see myself riding over 100mph much, if at all....

But she sure get's there quick! Freaking rocket ship.... As mentioned in a couple other postings, friend w/new Inteceptor VFR can't believe how fast the old girl...

Actually, the VFR won't really hit in peak performance until around 6Krpm... By that time I've already gone and pulled away from him. Pisses him off! :laugh:

As for your question.... 3rd gear @ ~ 4Krpm, whack the throttle and she'll rise off the ground...
Same time, Wheelie, why? :huh:

OMR

what do you weigh because that can make a difference as well. the way my bike is set-up it wont wheelie hardly at all some times if the planets alighn for a milli second or two it will come up under power in 2 and third but i also weigh over 200 pounds not like some people on here mister OMR wheelie king. also it makes a difference how stiff your front and rear suspension componets are as well.oh and by the way it does get up there pretty quick 10.50's at 123-125 mph pretty good for a 34 year old stock bore bike. with my fat ass on it.

I weigh about 175 w/ gear on... I think i might try a 14/37 and see how that does :woohoo:

ok from what i can gather the 77/78 kz 1000 ltd stock gearing is 15/33 and many think it's beneficial to change it over to 15/35? i have a 77 model that is in desperate need of a chain/sprocket change ( a tight link that i have to lubricate once a week) and was wondering if i should change the gearing on it. it is a daily rider (to and from work about 40 miles a day). she runs great but would like a little more zip getting up to speed. not wanting a to do too much triple digit speed on this bike, i have an 06/zx-14 for that. what brand chain and sprockets do you guys recommend for this ole girl? iv'e had the kz for just over a year and have put more than 3k miles on it for a total of just under 22k. motor looks stock except for v/h 4 into 1 and after-market air cleaner (elongated single unit- not the 4 pod type). she is a gas guzzler as it is so gearing it lower isn't going to help with that but might make it a bit more fun to zip around in.

thanks in advance,
rey

i run a 14/33 with a stock chain.....revs up quicker than stock......on highway,from 55, no downshift,pork and go...
i love it......:woohoo:

hey, with the drag gearing like you describe timebomb, what rpm's do you run on the highway? I would like to run this gearing all the time if its not revved up too high

keith so 14/33 works well? what brand sprockets and chain. was thinking vortex and d.i.d., these street bikes still use o-ring style chain do they not?

rey

I have used vortex on several of my bikes, not overly impressed. Sure.. they are lightweight, but that comes at a cost of longevity. I have had a vortex last 5,000 miles on hard street riding. I only run steel sprockets now, sunstar is the best bang for your buck in my opinion.