Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 07:42:50 -0700
From: Bob Patton
Tom,
I've run a 21 tooth and a 24 tooth on my 850. 21 is too low for 65mph+ running for long periods and 24 is too high for 1st and 2nd gear running to be very nimble. Maybe 22-23 is more the range to look at.
Another issue is the loads on the gearbox caused by the 24 tooth sprocket. Believe it or not, the 24 tooth sprocket puts more load on the box in all gears. So you may want to take a look at any box that was run with a 24 tooth sprocket.
Bob Patton
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 13:59:42 EDT
From: Marshall
The US market Norton's came stock with 19 tooth rear sprockets, and the UK bikes came with 20 or 21 tooth sprockets.
Marshall
British Parts Chicago
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 10:28:38 -0400
From: Gregg Kricorissian
Bob Patton wrote:
<<... Maybe 22-23 is more the range to look at.>>
I agree with Bob. I've run a 22 toother on my MKIII 850 for years now, and it has great performance. Couldn't ask for better flexibility around town, and I can break the ton anytime I want, with power to spare.
The important factor when fitting a large countershaft sprocket is to ensure your engine has the torque to pull the gearing at the top end, or you actually lose performance at both ends of the scale.
... Gregg
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 02:33:18 +0100
From: Jerry White
Marshal wrote:
>The US market Norton's came stock with 19 tooth rear sprockets, and
the UK
>bikes came with 20 or 21 tooth sprockets.
Early UK market Combat engined Interstates came with the 19 tooth sprocket. I bought one, and soon changed the sprocket to 21 teeth. I remember reading the first road test of the Interstate. The acceleration graph was like the side of a cliff up to 110 mph, and like the top of a cliff after 110.
When Norton eventually realised there was a reliability problem with the Combat engine, changing the sprocket to 21 teeth to reduce the engine revs was part of their attempt at a fix. The manager of the Norton dealer that I bought my Commando from, told me that the Americans weren't experiencing the reliability problems with Commandos, especially Combats, that we British were. As a result, Norton took a long time to admit there were problems. He told me that the reason that Americans weren't breaking Commandos like we were, was that they didn't ride them hard enough! Members of this list may wish to disagree.
Regards
Jerry White