03-04 Monster Gearing
 

Heres the thing......

I've been looking into gearing this week and found that Renthal don't make a rear sprocket over 46 teeth for this model, which to me means that anyone running a 03-04 620ie is going to have very limited gearing options if they want to sacrifice top end for acceleration.

Standard
15/48 - 3.20

Options
14/45 - 3.21 (almost same as stock)
14/46 - 3.29 (slight improvement)
14/48 - 3.43 (best your gonna get using the stock rear and a new 14t front)

Dropping below 14 on the front isn't really an option (?)

I would expect everyone to drop the gearing at our first outing (Cadwell Woodland) so are the new Monster boys already at a disadvantage??

Unless any other manufacturer are making bigger than 48 tooth rears for the newer bikes.

or........

is it going to get even more complicated and gearing be assesed using only the first 4 or 5 gears in the box, which means lots of practice time with a lap timer and spannering.

I suppose by the end of the first weekend we will all know how to change the rear wheel blindfolded in the dark

:o:o:o

i wont be chuffing around with gearing too much else to worry about.

i would have thought you would gear for top speed anyway everywhere apart from on the woodland and maybe the extra little bit of power a stock 620 has over a 600 will make up for it?

shouldnt having 6 gears as oppsed to 5 on some of the older bikes help too?

I think the 6spd box will be an advantage because it gives more flexibility when selecting gearing - but only if the parts exist (sprockets) to expoilt that advantage to the max.

following on from Weeksy's point

I see the 2 important areas at Cadwell (woodland) as the exit from Barn and the loop back from the end of the start finish straight onto the Mountain. Two conflicting parameters !!

I can't see the little bikes pulling 6th on the straight coz you can't gear them down enough so pulling max revs in 4th or 5th 3/4 (or so) of the way along the straight has to be a goal subject to the correct gearing for the drive out of Barn.

Theres no precedent so that means....

Fit a 14t front before race day and then experiment with up to 4 different rear sprockets and possibly 2 chains on the day......

I'm reasonably handy with a spanner, but thats still seems like some work to fit into what I assume will be quite a limited practice/qualifying session

sometimes i feel out of my depth with this desmodue lark................this is one of them!

with regard to gearing i was just going to check i had 6 of them and then get on with it:o

not that it really mattars but standard gearing on a 2005 is 15/46

weeksy,

assuming i'm an average rider (at best) will i really notice a difference between different gearing or should i just concentrate on getting round the track ??

You'll definitely notice it.

I only did a few track days last year, buton my first one I was bitching about been completely mis-geared for the Russell Chicane at Snet. Everytime I came out I'd get wasted by people who were already in the power in second while I was bimbling around at 1500rpm or screaming in first...

Also had the same (as did a few others) with Club corner on silverstone GP. Should be a fast double-apex right which opens out, but on an SS/SL the standard gearing sees you shifting up mid-corner. This led to the single biggest 'moment' I've ever had on a bike:o:o:o:lol:

I'm sure Weeksy is bang on the money, get it right for one corner and another's buggered. Just depends on where the best over-taking opportunities are and how your bike makes its power.

ali