Sprocket Selection - Material & Ratios

[junior varsity]

I could have sworn there was an existing thread on that, but I can't find it or my coffee today.

I'm walking out in the garage to take some long over-due pictures of various things. One such picture will be of my very well-worn rear sprocket, and I was going to kind of use it to show how two considerations should be made when choosing your sprockets:


1. Material - Aluminum wears like a mofo, steel is heavy

2. Odd # sprockets vs. Even # sprockets to reduce wear - As shown in the picture, the wear pattern on these sprockets is from a combination of even number tooth front sprocket AND even number tooth rear sprocket. (14/40).  Notice every other tooth is worn the heck off, and the others are fish hooked. I remember reading that  odd # front paired with odd # rear is supposed to be the best for wear, then odd/even or even/odd, and lastly the "even/even" combination.


[picture to be posted when i get back in from the garage]

Picture now posted:

[stopintime]

SuperSprox steel outer and aluminum inner

I want to blame my 14/41 for the quick chain wear, but I think it's my riding
The Ducati steel sprockets have lasted two chains, or more...

Trying 15/44 next, but I'm not expecting much.

[booger]

I put on a 43T aluminum quickchange and have about 10k on it. It's an AFAM and the aluminum is just now peeking out from under the hard ano, but no fish-hooking yet. Bike's a low-HP Monster and I clean the chain & sprox religiously, and never ride in the rain. I do ride hard. It's a pretty good sprocket. I'll just get another one when it wears out.

[jerryz]

i have knackerd 2 Ducati steel sprockets in 17000 miles each one was 39 only lasted 7000 miles the 43 lasted 11,000 miles now fitted a Renthal Aluminium 43  much lighter so far 4000  miles no wear seen.

[Howie]

Once the hard anodizing wears through the wear happens very quickly.

[koko64]

Those alloy inner/steel outer sprockets seem like a good idea, but are expensive due to them being a two piece jobbie. If you hate the weight of steel they at least give some longevity.
I like the light AFAM front sprockets with lightening holes.
If I got the full alloy rear sprockets cheap enough I would use them though.

With four daughters, I hate anorexia: but I'm a motorcycle anorexic. Light is right.

I like to run the larger 15 on the front as I've raised the rear ride height, so I'm running 15/39 which is stock for an old M900 down here in Oz (the old belt 900 SS is 15/37 here). A tuned 900 engine pulls 15/39 quite well.

[Raux]

lightweight steel sprocket

[lazylightnin717]

I went with a Renthal rear in aluminum. I haven't heard much about the ratios and how they increase or decrease wear but I would like to know more about it. Nonetheless, I went with a 15/40

[koko64]

lightweight steel sprocket

Thanks for the picture Raux. They have really gone to town lightening that sprocket. A great compromise to longevity without the costly two piece manufacturing process. That could be the solution to my next rear sprocket choice.

[greenmonster]

Renthal alu rear, no excessive wear really, + 10 k km's.
15/41, no strange/uneven wear neither.


Even causes less wear than odd, is that really a fact?

[junior varsity]

Other way around. Odd causes less wear than even, or so I remember reading - sorry if I was unclear.

[greenmonster]

Any link or so?
Would be interesting to read more,
this is a new one f me.

[junior varsity]

I am searching for it - the topic dealt with inner v. outer links on the same sprocket teeth because of even numbers, even/even wearing worse than even/odd, odd/odd wearing the best.

[ducpainter]

google 'hunting tooth sprockets'

[junior varsity]

that's right! The name had escaped me. Before defunct VeeTwo had gotten rid of all their cool stuff, I had picked up a few sets of their lightweight primary gear kits, which also have the hunting tooth ratio. Tipped off to this from the Desmoquattro performance handbook by Falloon.