Change gearing to compensate for added weight?

What gearing mods would benefit someone who is going to be running the bike at maximum load or even over maximum load weight?

I am not even sure offhand what the maximum load weight is, but I am a big guy and though it carries me down the road just fine at over 75mph, I am probably too big for my bike and would like to at least optimize it for me.

I believe factory gearing is designed to handle riding two up so you should be fine as is. Most stock bikes are geared pretty low.

My gearing isn't factory. I went up a tooth in front (along with a 530 conversion). I am wondering if I should have stayed at stock.

You would have been better off going a tooth up in the back instead of the front if you needed more torque at the wheels. I have a 41T on the back of my 650 and it's just right for the 350# two up riding I do. The 5 grand I turn on the freeway might make a harley owner squeamish, but it's pretty much in the zone for this engine and really only a couple hundred rpm over stock. MPG still averages between 37-44 with a leaky set of carbs. I will probably go back to stock when this chain gets replaced. The extra torque isn't entirely necessary.

Increasing the front sprocket by 1 tooth is approximately equal to decreasing the rear sprocket by 3 teeth. The stock setup on the 750-Ltd-4 is either 13/32 or 13/33, which is kinda high revving. I really don't know which ones to use for a heavy load, but I'd guess stock might be worth a shot.

If I could, I'd go larger on the rear sprocket, but I just bought my chain and I really don't want to have to buy a new one. I would think that going down by a tooth in the front would allow me to keep my chain.

I would be more concerned about whether or not you are satisfied with how the bike performs instead of whether or not you should go up or down just because of load or weight. If you like the way it runs then leave it alone....if not, then you may have to make changes.

By big, are you more than 350 or so? I'm 195 and my wife is around 115; we've never had any weight related issues on my stock KZ650C1. In fact, I'm always surprised that it's as quick as it is when we're riding 2-up. Ed

650ed wrote:

By big, are you more than 350 or so? I'm 195 and my wife is around 115; we've never had any weight related issues on my stock KZ650C1. In fact, I'm always surprised that it's as quick as it is when we're riding 2-up. Ed

375 ish.


I don't get that "pull" in 1st or second gear, but when I get to third it really pulls. Not sure if thats tranny/ gearing related or not. I also never go above 5k in any gear except 5th. I don't know why, but it just seems like its not pulling anymore and the motor screams at that RPM. It seems to me that with a 9k redline, I should be revving higher, but it just seems like it's running high, so I shift.