Hawk Talk

[timcosby]

17 front sprocket and 40 to 45 on the rear sprocket for highway.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by timcosby

17 front sprocket and 40 to 45 on the rear sprocket for highway.

The reason I did not reccomend the 17 tooth countershaft sprocket is because they are somewhat difficult to mount. 16-40 ought to work fine....ARH

[pistolclass]

ARH can you mix and match even and odd number tooth sprockets? and if not, why?

[timcosby]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

The reason I did not reccomend the 17 tooth countershaft sprocket is because they are somewhat difficult to mount. 16-40 ought to work fine....ARH

mounted easy pezzy for me just had to jigg;le the cover a coup;le times to get it on. i think someone had trouble with the shaft being shorter or longer best i can remember. of course my chain is not stretching like some do either????

[Jarwolf]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

For which tire? I'm confused, what do you mean, which tire?...ARH

Do I change the sprocket on the front or rear tire?

EDIT: Okay, I see that I can do a 16 tooth sprocket for the front and a 40 tooth sprocket for the rear and will be able to go up to 65.

EDIT again: I went to Hawk250 for the sprocket and it says to pick 17 tooth sprocket for front and 45 tooth sprocket for the rear, would that work, as in going 65, and 60 cruise?

[timcosby]

front sprocket is the easiest to change it is on the engine. rear sprocket is on the rear hub and you have to take the rear wheel off to change it or at least pull the axel. front sprocket is a five minute job.

[JeremyC]

I have found that just changing to the 45T rear sprocket was just right for me, but then again, I won't be seeing much highway, if any. After the change, the gearing is pretty close to my old mid-70s Yamaha enduro (then again, that was well over 20 years ago, so my memory may be off a bit).

[Jarwolf]

Originally Posted by JeremyC

I have found that just changing to the 45T rear sprocket was just right for me, but then again, I won't be seeing much highway, if any. After the change, the gearing is pretty close to my old mid-70s Yamaha enduro (then again, that was well over 20 years ago, so my memory may be off a bit).

Nice! Yeah, I just wanted to try to get the max speed I can get just in case I want or need to ride on the highway. Most highways around here are 60's and 70's.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by pistolclass

ARH can you mix and match even and odd number tooth sprockets? and if not, why?

Yes, you can mix and match odd number toothed sprockets. There is/was a theory that using odd number sprockets increases sprocket life by always having a "hunting tooth" between the two. That means that the chain does not put the same link of the chain on the same tooth over and over. It averages the wear over the whole sprocket. If that makes sense....ARH

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Yes, you can mix and match odd number toothed sprockets. There is/was a theory that using odd number sprockets increases sprocket life by always having a "hunting tooth" between the two. That means that the chain does not put the same link of the chain on the same tooth over and over. It averages the wear over the whole sprocket. If that makes sense....ARH

as long as the link of chain are not equally divisible by the number of teeth on either sprocket there shouldn't be any problem. But I wouldn't worry about it to much it's likely you will wear the chain or sprocket out unless there is a bent tooth on the sprocket.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

as long as the link of chain are not equally divisible by the number of teeth on either sprocket there shouldn't be any problem. But I wouldn't worry about it to much it's likely you will wear the chain or sprocket out unless there is a bent tooth on the sprocket.

Well, I can pretty well guarantee you will wear the sprockets out much quicker than you want to if you keep the stock chain on the bike for very long. One reason to upgrade the rear chain is to ensure long sprocket life...ARH

[Ariel Red Hunter]

OK, assuming we have made the cable run as smooth as possible, and that the cable adjustments have been done, but the clutch still drags, We'll have to take the clutch cover off, remove the spark plug, and roll the engine over on the starter motor. Pull the perfectly adjusted clutch lever all the way back to the handlebars. If the release plate (the one with the springs) wobbles with the clutch lever pulled tight to the 'bars, that will cause this problem. Now the problem is, are the screws holding the springs out of adjustment, or does it have a broken spring....You should be able to figure this situation out and rectify it....ARH

[Gunrunner Doc]

Originally Posted by Jarwolf

Nice! Yeah, I just wanted to try to get the max speed I can get just in case I want or need to ride on the highway. Most highways around here are 60's and 70's.

Jarwolf, I bought/built my hawk for same exact purpose (something cheap to go to and fro college). Personally, I would recommend going with a 15/40 sprocket combo. With the other mods I've done to increase airflow and upgrade the carb, I have more than enough power to get up to and cruise comfortably at 65-70 for short rides. I chronicled everything I've done thus far on here, so be sure to check out my posts. This bike will be perfect for you as long as you're willing to put some work into it. I get 76mpg, fyi. Just be sure to weigh out the risks/rewards of riding faster on the highways vice taking the slower backroads routes.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Just a reminder to everyone who's gotten a new bike recently to keep after the spokes. Just like the engine/transmission needs running in so do the spokes. The rims are made one one machine and the spokes are made on another one, so the need to bed in to each other. I like to keep mine at about middle "C" (on a piano). Hopefully you have a short spoke wrench, so you don't over do the tightening. I use a small thin screw driver to ping the spokes. If they need tightening, I go three times around the wheel, so as to keep the wheel in line. So, I start at the valve stem tighten the third one, then go three more and so on until all the way back to the valve stem. You will have been through 12 spokes the first time around. Now, start again from one spoke farther, do all 12, and then the last set of 12. 3 times 12 is 36, which just happens to be the number of spokes in each wheel. It may make it easier if you use a magic marker to mark where the first 12 are located on the rim. It will be pretty obvious if you have got them wrong. After you have finished, ping them again to make sure they are all even...ARH

[pete]

i really don't think a bike chain oparates in a clean enough enviroment for the
tooth count to matter.... the standard gearing on the XT660 is 15/45 3:1
so Yamaha don't think it matter's to much..
In a gearbox for sure but a chain/sprockets no...
chain tension & lubecation have a bigger bearing on chain/sprocket life..



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