Hi All, I've got an RSV4 WSBK bike, which has the 2017 WSBK Swingarm but uses a stock 2020 RSV4 1100 engine. Right now, using 112 chain links and 15/40, it works well for my local circuit (Eastern Creek here in Sydney) I'm going to Philip Island shortly which has a higher top speed but some slow corners as I'm sure you're all aware. As I need a little more top end, 15/40 won't cut it at PI as I'm at the 13,400 RPM, in 6th gear at approx 287km/hr down the straight at my local, slower, circuit. My rear wheel is all the way forward in the swingarm is quite long and some data suggests with such a long swingarm, the bike handles best with the swingarm as forward as possible - Certainly a google search of the 2017 RSv4 WSBK seems to show Aprilia doing more or less the same thing. Going to 15/39 isn't ideal for PI so I figure I'll work off a 16T front sprocket. That puts me at 16/41 for PI and 16/42 for Eastern Creek. Great. As a result the current chain wont fit for 16/41. I figure I'll need 114 links (Currently have 112 links) I've access to some WSBK RSV4 gearing data and they ALL use 18T front sprocket. This would effectively mean using 1st gear which as I understand it is no issues at all on those WSBK engines as they have neutral below 1st and there is no concern with false neutrals. Question: Is using 1st gear an issue on conventional road going gearboxes? Are there advantages to going such a larger front sprocket and why is it they do this? Is it simply for a larger top speed? Thanks!
WSBKs are likely using different internal gears, so what they're using for the sprockets will be different.
