Gear change.. 56 to 45 rear Offl/Onroad Review

[PorterzCustomz]

I changed my 56 for a 45 today. It was 70 deg and sunny here in CT. The change was the best thing I ever did to my bike yet!! I can now actually drive it on road!! The bike accelerates faster overall now because its actually going somewhere instead of just reving and making alot of noise. It is also better offroad because when I do hillclimbs in first gear I can go faster with more momentum and if I loose traction in loose dirt I can spin the tire faster to dig down. It also gets better traction in the back when climbing because it reduces the torque at the wheel so its less likely to slip. The 56 was too low even for offroad conditions!! The new change is great and being able to ride on the road is alot of fun!! The 45 IS the best all around gear for this bike!!

[TeamCheap]

Yeah that is a good ratio mine came with a 17/46.

revving and going nowhere reminds me of my 99 ranger.

[PorterzCustomz]

Originally Posted by TeamCheap

Yeah that is a good ratio mine came with a 17/46.

revving and going nowhere reminds me of my 99 ranger.

You think thats bad how about my Zook Samuri it was something like shift out of first at 3-4 mph

[kczukiman]

PorterzCustomz,What is your front sprocket at 15 or 17 ?

[TeamCheap]

I sold my sammy.

I may get another at sometime if I ever get a bigger workshop and put the sammy axles under an old style VW convertible with a tube frame.or just go all VW and use a VW syncro van driveline with the bug body.

[PorterzCustomz]

Originally Posted by kczukiman

PorterzCustomz,What is your front sprocket at 15 or 17 ?

17-45 It's geared like a stock GY5. Some people with stock GY5's may think about gearing lower or higher but I can tell you that your not going to get a better combo when using that engine. Any bigger and you could not do any moderate offroad riding without riding the clutch alot. Anything smaller and the bike will rev wildly on the road and you will take away engine life and be vibrated off the seat. They did a nice job choosing this ratio if you mess with it you will loose the driveability of dual purpose. If you do only road you could go SLIGHTLY higher IF you have power mods and you ride highway alot and want to keep the revs a little lower but thats about the only purpose. Then again this bike is pretty scary on the highway at 65-75. It just don't feel right.. The bike frame seems to twist & flex OR its just the wind pushing it around im not really sure. I know with my crotch rocket the faster you go the more stable and steady the bike gets but with this the faster you go the more the bike seems to be unsteady. .

[PorterzCustomz]

Originally Posted by TeamCheap

I sold my sammy.

I may get another at sometime if I ever get a bigger workshop and put the sammy axles under an old style VW convertible with a tube frame.or just go all VW and use a VW syncro van driveline with the bug body.

Sold mine too, it was just so hard to keep speed on the highway a small headwind or slight incline was all it took to slow you from 65 to 45. Around town it was decent and offroad it was alot of fun!

Did I mention it was great in very deep water?

[motohillbilly]

Portez we have the same bike I think. Did you confirm the front sproket? My gy2 came stock with a 17/56. I changed it to a 46. I am waiting for a 42.

[culcune]

I thought the GY-2's and GY-5's came with a 17 front (Lifan "exclusive").

[Kawazacky]

Um....I really don't think you can definitively say after one or two sprocket swaps that you have the best all-around combination for everyone.

But having said that, I'm happy with my GY-5 stock gearing.

[PorterzCustomz]

Originally Posted by Kawazacky

Um....I really don't think you can definitively say after one or two sprocket swaps that you have the best all-around combination for everyone.

But having said that, I'm happy with my GY-5 stock gearing.

I did not say it was the best for everyone, I said it was the best for dual purpose. Any higher and it would bog and you would have to ride the clutch going slow offroad or climbing hills any lower and it would rev too high on the road. Then I based this on others that have had different ratios and agree that stock GY5 is the best for dual purpose along with the sellers. If you don't do moderate offroading you can go with a 42. I called the dealers that sell 42 rears and they have told me that very few buy them and the ones that do usually do all onroad. Keep in mind some people have different ideas of "offroad" use. driving down a fireroad or in a field is not really offroad use and can still get away with a 42. If you do real woods riding, hills, deep sand tight trails you will hate the 42.

Hope this clears it up

[PorterzCustomz]

Originally Posted by motohillbilly

Portez we have the same bike I think. Did you confirm the front sproket? My gy2 came stock with a 17/56. I changed it to a 46. I am waiting for a 42.

yea we probably do. The 56 was awefull both on and even offroad! I am so happy its like a brand new bike with the new 46. I actually ride alot of offroad so it works great.

[TeamCheap]

I cant even imagine riding with a 56, it would turn my bike into a 4 speed because first would be useless.

I'm concerned a bit with the gearing of my ChinaBlaster project and expect to have to do some calculations to even get it close.

[dscratch]

Originally Posted by PorterzCustomz

yea we probably do. The 56 was awefull both on and even offroad! I am so happy its like a brand new bike with the new 46. I actually ride alot of offroad so it works great.

Hey Porterz...did you have to change or cut links from your chain when you put the new sprocket on?

[katoranger]

I too have the 17/45 and it is a good combo. Slightly tall for offroad, but not too bad.

I ride slow and steady on the trails using more low end torque than high revs so for me it is kinda tall.

On the street it is a great combo, but I can see going to a 42 even.

Also I had to remove a few links from the chain.

Allen