REAR SPROCKET EXPERIMENT

[Mx375]

I was wondering if anyone has attempted changing the rear sprocket on their T7. To me it seems like the bike could use one more gear on the highway and on the dirt, 1st seems pretty low. On my YZ450F I actually dropped a tooth on the rear. I feel the T7 has enough torque to handle a one tooth drop on the rear. Adding one tooth on the front seems too drastic to me. Thoughts or actual experience.

[TexasT700]

Like a lot of folks, I went up one on front with no ill effects. Makes around 500 rpm slower. I have read changing front is easier, cheaper, plus oem chain still fits.

Advantage that chain lasts longer with larger front sprocket also.

[Mx375]

Thank you for replying, might give it a try cuz frt sprockets are cheaper. On my 450 we wld always change the rear up or down depending on the track. Frt was too dramatic of a change, but rear is about $100 for a good one.

[Toppie]

2 hours ago, DuncMan said:

I’m planning on doing the front on mine. I barely use 1st at moment.

 

Swapped mine out last week for a 16 tooth-er up front.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting to notice a great difference but....I was very pleasantly surprised.

Used a JT 'quiet runner' rubberised jobbie.

A noticeable improvement and very well worth doing. 'specially if you're a bit more tar-top biased.

I'd guess around a half-a-gear difference.....if that makes sense.

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Toppie

[Toppie]

Well:

I carried out my own 1st service.  Just an oil-drop-'n-swap + new filter and a thorough look around the bike to make sure all's well and adjusted correctly.

There's nowt much to do really on a 1st service 'cept check everything's as it should be.

I did the sprocket change at the same time.

Didn't ride it for two days after that and sort of semi-forgot about the sprocket change.
Just pulled away and it felt normal.

Second gear....sort of woke me up to the difference and I thought, smiling, ''Oh!'

From 3rd onwards I thought it was very, very much nicer.

For me it felt like it was making very 'good progress' while feeling a good bit less busy about it.

Throttle response still good and strong through the rev range from 1st - 4th

I'm still not being heavy handed as the motor's still only got 1400 kms on it.

I think in 5th  (and possibly 4th if you're really in a hurry) you need to wind the rpm on a wee bit to catch the next gear up at its sweet spot.

For me.....it's a very good improvement.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who's even 50/50 off/on road.

For anyone who's majority of riding is hard top.....it's a no-brainer.

 

 

[Toppie]

My T7 front sprocket swap.

Changed a few in my time and had one or three 'I'm staying put' jobbies and the odd one or two mysteriously just little more than hand tight.

This was one of the former.

Spent about an hour with a breaker-bar + extension, proving that Archimedes Law of Levers means nothing if the applied force is standing on a rear brake pedal, leaning across a motorcycle seat, on a bike with about a yard of suspension travel.

I was going up 'n down like a pogo.

Contemplated a couple of measures to immobilise the front sprocket enough for me to prove auld Archimedes wasn't in fact wrong but......I swallowed my pride and nipped into Shantonagh and borrowed a mechanic mates Might Milwaukee instead.

 

Ten minutes there 'n back including loosening the nut.

 

Should've done that first off.
Nowt like 'aving the right tool for the job.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 24 by toppie

[Landshark]

21 minutes ago, Toppie said:

My T7 front sprocket swap.

Changed a few in my time and had one or three 'I'm staying put' jobbies and the odd one or two mysteriously just little more than hand tight.

This was one of the former.

Spent about an hour with a breaker-bar + extension, proving that Archimedes Law of Levers means nothing if the applied force is standing on a rear brake pedal, leaning across a motorcycle seat, on a bike with about a yard of suspension travel.

I was going up 'n down like a pogo.

Contemplated a couple of measures to immobilise the front sprocket enough for me to prove auld Archimedes wasn't in fact wrong but......I swallowed my pride and nipped into Shantonagh and borrowed a mechanic mates Might Milwaukee instead.

 

Ten minutes there 'n back including loosening the nut.

 

Should've done that first off.
Nowt like 'aving the right tool for the job.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 24 by toppie

An impact wrench makes the job so much easier.  I'm thinking of trying a sprocket swap as well.  As long as the bike doesn't lug in first.  Sounds like it will work well.

[Hibobb]

2 hours ago, Toppie said:

For anyone who's majority of riding is hard top.....it's a no-brainer

I too have a 16 tooth front, and for my style of riding am VERY pleased.

 

Lots of info already discussed on this site. Search "Gearing" or "Sprocket"

The Yamaha MT-07 guys have stock 16/43 gearing, and on their site are usually gearing "down" for Hooligan antics.

The Yamaha T7 have 15/46 for stock gearing and most gear "up" as we are more civilised and refined.

That said, there are a few T7 dirt devils that put a 14 tooth on the front, but they are a sadistic bunch...

 

As stated before, it is cheap and easy to tailor it to your own personal likes.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Hibobb

[Canzvt]

I just ordered a set of Woody's wheels in which I'm going to run the stock rear 46T on those (with a 16T front) with 908RR and 606 tires. Then my stock wheels will get E-07+'s or Trek Riders, and a 44T rear with the 16T front. I'll see how this goes this summer in terms of road mileage and off road ability. I found the 16T front fine in slow going, but a bit abusive to the clutch. However a good compromise for the riding I do.

[Toppie]

6 hours ago, Landshark said:

As long as the bike doesn't lug in first.  Sounds like it will work well.

Well worth the effort Al....

With this 16 tooth I've edged away from a standstill at tick-over, hardly opening the throttle.
I can plod away cleanly up my 150 metre, inclined gravel driveway at little over tickover and pull cleanly away up the hill if I want too.

My xt660 wouldn't let me do that without chugga-luggin'.   I'd need to keep it buzzing a good bit more than the T7.

[Terez]

Put a 16th JT rubber damped sprocket on

 

i have a full exhaust and tuned so plenty of power ....bike is better in every respect for my riding ....dirt rds, occasional easy trails and lots of urban riding

 

spreads out the gears better...more relqxed high speed cruising ...still plenty of spunk in lower gears for getting the front light at will

 

cheap/easy front sprocket change ....can use either for whatever suits   

[wb22rules]

12 hours ago, Toppie said:

Well:

I carried out my own 1st service.  Just an oil-drop-'n-swap + new filter and a thorough look around the bike to make sure all's well and adjusted correctly.

There's nowt much to do really on a 1st service 'cept check everything's as it should be.

I did the sprocket change at the same time.

Didn't ride it for two days after that and sort of semi-forgot about the sprocket change.
Just pulled away and it felt normal.

Second gear....sort of woke me up to the difference and I thought, smiling, ''Oh!'

From 3rd onwards I thought it was very, very much nicer.

For me it felt like it was making very 'good progress' while feeling a good bit less busy about it.

Throttle response still good and strong through the rev range from 1st - 4th

I'm still not being heavy handed as the motor's still only got 1400 kms on it.

I think in 5th  (and possibly 4th if you're really in a hurry) you need to wind the rpm on a wee bit to catch the next gear up at its sweet spot.

For me.....it's a very good improvement.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who's even 50/50 off/on road.

For anyone who's majority of riding is hard top.....it's a no-brainer.

 

 

Check the exhaust mounts to the engine, those 4 nuts were the only thing that needed to be snugged up on mine at the first oil change.

[Toppie]

8 hours ago, wb22rules said:

Check the exhaust mounts to the engine, those 4 nuts were the only thing that needed to be snugged up on mine at the first oil change.

 

Good man.

I'll own up to admitting that omission. 

[williestreet]

1 hour ago, DuncMan said:

When you did your 16t did you need to adjust the chain tension? I’m at 47/48 so I figure there may be enough slack to not have to?

You will need to move rear wheel forward approx 3.7mm to keep the same slack.  Possibly more depending on how much wear is on your current chain/front sprocket.   

The Gearing  commander site I have mentioned before will do all these calculations for you.  Check it out.

 

[Chev.]

On 3/31/2022 at 11:29 AM, DuncMan said:

In an older thread from 2020 @Murska wrote: I tried a 16T sprocket. It's good for touring but too long a gear for sporty driving, the bike feels lazy.

 

Does anyone else running the 16t front feel the bike has lost much grunt or "feel lazy"?

Contrary to my expectation before trying, I do agree that the bike feels at little lazy with the 16T. For all-day travels at 90 mph, surely the 16T feels more relaxed. For me. though, the downside is in my everyday commuting on mixed roads, where I really enjoy the flexibility of the engine for which the T7 is so well-known

Edited May 29, 2022 by Chev.