How much does 5/8 of a inch change in wheelbase really make.

[Quijinn]

The difference between 17/43 and 16/40 is 3mph and about 5/8th of a inch. How much can moveing the rear tire back 5/8th really make in handling. I love the pull of the 17/43 but man its just so hard to keep the front down, I dont know what to do. I guess on the street it wont change that much, but on the drag strip I know it will make alot of difference.

[Kirk]

The difference between 17/43 and 16/40 is 4 teeth. That's 1-1/8", not 5/8". I can feel a difference of one tooth (5/16"). If you want to run the 16/40, try running it with 108 or 110 links. When I weighed 200 pounds in my leathers, I foot-shifted my bike to 10.20s with the rear axle pulled all the way forward, raised 1-1/2" in the rear, stock un-welded clutch, and a taller than stock rear tire that caused the effective gearing to be about the same as if you ran 17/39 with a stock tire. I was tripping the 1/8 mile clocks with the rear tire, but it just took a little more skill than dropping the clutch on a slick-and-bar bike.

[Quijinn]

I measured it last night bro, the difference in a 17/40 and a 17/43 is .500 inches. Used the calipers to measure, had .945 inches from rear of swing arm to the axle block with the 17/43 and .443 or so with the 17/40 .

I mis calculated cause I was tired so its not 1/8th per tooth its 3/16 per tooth in the rear, not sure about front. Anyway it would be about 5/8th unless droping the front sprocket a tooth moves the tire back more then a 1/8th.

This is also on a new ZZZ chain with no stretch, so if measured on a older chain with stretch the change would be greater.

But yah I had np running 6.60's in the 1/8th with 17/43 and pulled all the way up.

[Quijinn]

Well I answerd my own question, moveing the rear tire back make's a massive difference.

Here is what I noticed, and we will ignore the fact that 17/40 gearing is horrid lol

The bike feels disconnected, the bars want to move more and the bike feels like it sinks into the turns more with the tire moved back. I suspect some of this is do to not reseting the suspention for the changed load as the rear sag would change. Also compression would change due to the increased leverage on the swing arm. But I am not about to screw up my current suspention to figure out if dialing it in helps. I also noticed it didnt want to lean as far as easy, there was a point when I had to countersteer it with alot more effort and it caused me to run wide in a few turns.

I am still at a issue with the 17/43 gearing, its just to much for the road. I am thinking about going to 17/42 as this is the gearing my friend has and it will drop cruise rpm 200 at 80mph. It would also give me a 190mph top end aprox of course. I think it might give me 1 or 2 more mpg, so that is what I might do. For now I am going to toss the 17/43 on and ride it for a little longer, maybe I just need to get used to rideing a little slower on the highway hehe.

[CADDYWOMPUS]

 just convert 5/8 into milimeters and it sounds more important. 
 IMO it wont make much difference on a big long bike like busa

[Quijinn]

Yah back to the 17/43 and I am leaveing it alone haha I like it I cant help it. Sloppy you wuss you only have a 41 so your otta here bitz 

Really it makes a massive difference, most our roads suck and some of the stuff is so tight it makes yah pucker. Moveing the tire up really helps alot, bike just rolls around the curve.

[X E Ryder]

Well, I tried the 43T rear (which pulled the axle up quite a bit towards the front on stock chain length) and I did not like it!

I don't care about top end speed because I still have plenty, but what I found most annoying was the unrulyness of the front end. I LOVE to ride long wheelies and do so with proficiency, but I like to ride them when it is MY idea, not the Busas!

Secondly, the front end was up in the air over Nothing when my wife rides on the back, and that was really unacceptable!

I care most about long rides on windy roads (and the lower mileage did not help either), so I am back to the 40T rear - for now.

[Quijinn]

I tried the 40 again, and just dont like how weak it feels, I think a TRE could help cause 1st gear gitters so bad. With the 17/43 I can use 2nd alot more in the really tight stuff and have better control. The front end is a little light, but I am learning to deal with it. I tell you where it has caused me issues, I am a bit greedy with the throttle leaveing a corner, the tire has broke lose more then once so I have had to pay a little more attention to that area.

[X E Ryder]

I tried the 40 again, and just dont like how weak it feels, I think a TRE could help cause 1st gear gitters so bad. With the 17/43 I can use 2nd alot more in the really tight stuff and have better control. The front end is a little light, but I am learning to deal with it. I tell you where it has caused me issues, I am a bit greedy with the throttle leaveing a corner, the tire has broke lose more then once so I have had to pay a little more attention to that area.

I have a jsd 3 Smart TRE and like it! Yeah, I was very concerned about stepping the rear out when leaving a corner - that could make for a bad day, so I thought I would play it safe.