Aluminum vs Steel Rear Sprocket Gyroscopic Effect Question

Hello. I have a 2013 Suzuki GSX-R750 that is a dedicated track bike. I converted my chain and sprocket to a 520, but have a steel rear sprocket. I also have a lightened rear rotor.

I am trying to reduce the gyroscopic effect as much as possible without buying forged aluminum/magnesium wheels.

Is it worth going to an aluminum rear sprocket to reduce the gyroscopic effect and will it be noticeable?

Thanks for reading.

 

No, steel all the way. No comparison between the life of a steel sprocket vs aluminum.

I'm guessing 2 pages, minimum

 

Your lap times will benefit more by spending that money elsewhere.

 

On the other hand, if you are looking to spend money on weight savings, changing to aluminum sprockets is one of the more cost effective ways of doing that. #1 most cost effective is to go on a diet and exercise more. Full exhaust and a lightweight battery are up there too. Will you notice the difference of just the sprocket? Maybe not, but if the total weight savings is significant, it will make a difference.

On the other end is stuff like titanium bolts and CF bodywork, but it depends on your bike.

 

theres mere grams of difference between a driven steel and an aluminum sprocket. Did retain the stud & nut on the cush drive? Replacing them with ti will save close to 1/2 lb. Doubt youd notice.
But doing the weight weenie thing before addressing the simple things like how many revolutions can your wheels make while up on pit stands or proper chain alignment, etc.

 

I'd venture to say that probably less than 2% of the members on this board have a 6 pack (I am well within the 98%, mind you)...so before you drop hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in your bike to shed a few pounds, you're far better off fixing that Dunlap disease you have, which would help you in all aspects of life.

 

6 packs are for bitches, roll out the kegerator.

 

I doubt you'll notice reduced gyroscopic forces with the sprocket alone but, in combination with the changes you've already made, it does add up to some effect whether you notice or not. It's your perception.
Geometry set-up will have a bigger impact on flickability but it won't address the increased acceleration/deceleration you should experience with the combo of lightening changes you've made, r.sprocket included.

 

weight savings on the front wheel, yes you will notice a difference. rear, no. Ti bolts and aluminum buttons on the rotors up front.

 

Making the bike track prepped inherently sheds some significant weight of the overall machine.
The 520 conversion shed more rotating mass I'd bet than an aluminum sprocket. But, it will take a HELL of a lot more
for a steel sprocket to wear out or break teeth than aluminum.

The final question is, are you a good enough rider and at the pointy tip of the spear where all these little, but highly expensive grams you're looking to remove, are the difference?

OR as many others have said, would a little less time with a fork in your hand, a little more time on a bicycle or in a pool, and deferring the dollars to rider improvement like YCRS make a bigger difference than a few grams on a sprocket?

 

Not only is it little weight, it's awfully close to the axis of rotation.

 

I'm converting my new '18 RSV4 RF LE to the track and I will be using the OEM 525 chain with aftermarket steel sprockets.

I see ZERO reason to throw a brand new chain away. The gearing has to change though. This bike has the tallest lst gear ever.

 

Yeah..my R1 still has the stock chain. I changed gearing a little on it I think I went -1/+1. But I'll wait until it needs a new chain before I go 520 conversion.
My MotoAmerica Superbike debut won't be for a few decades yet.

 

On it's own an aluminum sprocket doesn't make much difference but little by little it all adds up. This isn't an either/or thing as in you either go to an aluminum sprocket or you lose weight off your own body. You can do both if you want to. Last time I checked aluminum sprockets weren't exactly expensive.
You can do an awful lot of weight reduction little by little and It doesn't have to be expensive to do. I had an SV that had very little in the way of exotic materials but I had done a lot of weight reduction on it. Eventually it got very noticeable. To the point where I let my friend who also had an SV borrow my bike. Just pushing it around while getting ready to head out on the track he said: "Holy crap! This thing is so much lighter than mine."

 

And that's the thing that most people don't wrap their head around when they tell you to quit stopping at McDonalds. A pound off a bike is way more important than a pound off a body.

 

One advantage of a 520 chain is that at the track people are likely to have a 520 chain or sprocket, not so much a stock chain or sprocket

 

As stated you're certainly not going to feel the difference between a steel and aluminum sprocket, however unless you're wearing them out every other weekend - why not go with the lighter unit if it's not much more money?

Most bikes made today don't leave a ton of weight on the table aside from the things that can just be blatantly removed when race prepping. However, if .5lb here or there is saved, it's easy to save 10-15lbs.

 

The sprocket is so close to the center of the rotating mass (the wheel) I don't think it makes much if any difference. So yes a difference in overall weight but not with gyroscopic effect IMO. FYI me likes my steel tooth/alum carrier sprocket on the KTM dirt bike

 

I there's no problem with swapping to an aluminum sprocket especially if it's a track-day bike or a racer.
Price is irrevelant, folks spend
quadruple that every few sessions.. Right? I am guessing aluminum sprocket with Shirley last most of the season for the average Rider I'm not talking about endurance or top rated teams where it's all new all the time...just the average Shmoe.

If people are buying $600,.00 Ti bolt kits/ To axles. 3k in Ti exuasts the. Carbon wiringof fiberglass bodywork $$$$$

Why not lose some weight with a sprocket .i. I you're losing weight reducing rotating Mass technically less wear on the drivetrain and it's relatively cheap consumable.
have an aluminum sprocket here for my rz350 and a steel one it's less than half the weight.
I know the newer bikes are pretty lightweight but doesn't hurt what is an aluminum sprocket run 70 bucks?
It's not about the individual weight savings anyways you know that it's a cumulation of the entire bike and most everybody is not a high lever rider or racer

A lightweight bike helps a shitty rider out just as much as it helps a decent rider.. if he uses it to his advantage?
Doesn't matter what in the world anybody races for the most part lightweight is free horsepower.

Sure it's no substitute for upping your skill and making yourself a better writer good night everybody is 100% year towards that a lot of people just do it for fun and recreation and a hobby....

I wouldn't recommend it if you just thought that alone would make you faster but if you couple that with improving your skills and learning along with the best machine that you can afford why not doesn't hurt nothing

that's just my two cents I'm sticking to it people want to disagree that's cool

 

I Dremel-ed a buncha stuff on my 525(?)lb FZR1000G.
Maybe lost 15oz doing my rearsets and the pedals. That's almost a pound right there!
Bottomline, I knocked the bike down to 464lbs and I'm not done, yet.