Sprockets / Chain

[phoo1234567]

Hi Guys,

The weather here in NH has been absolutely fantastic lately.  I just got back from a cookout and it was fun to be on the bike again after the recent carburetor exercise.

I've been running a 17/40 drive/rear sprockets for some time now and I've been mostly happy with it.  It's still a little buzzy on the highway and the tach runs at 4K@75MPH.  I'm replacing the chain/sprockets and I thought I'd ask about any experience you guys may have had with other possible combinations.

I'm inclined to try a stock 16 tooth drive with a shorter 36 tooth rear.  That gives me a little taller ratio to drop the highway RPMs but I don't want first gear to become unmanageable either.  As a side benefit, it also make my chain a bit shorter although I don't know if it will drop to 116 with this combo.  My knee jerk tells me it should but I'd have to do the math to be sure.

Does anyone else have any experience or thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Mark

[hootmon]

I ran the 17/40 for a while, but I found that at "higher speeds", the motor had trouble keeping up in 5th gear and I would have to downshift in order to really get any acceleration out of it. I wouldn't go any higher ratio than the 17/40 unless you do exclusive highway miles and 75/80 is the max you want to do..
I commute a lot on my bike as well as longer day journeys on the week-end.. I went back to the stock 16/40..
When I bought my original Magna it had a 16/44 set up. I will tell you that it needed a longer than stock chain..

I hope any of this rambling helps you in some way..