Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Has anyone tried a 47 or 48 rear on their 12?
i have gone -1 on the front and want to reduce the wheelbase now my chain has done 23k.
if i cant source a steel or hardened alloy rear i may consider removing some links and using a master-link to shorten the wheelbase with the current gearing. would a rivet link handle the stress?

sorry mate no can help.

not much help either mate, I am still using all the original bits, my 12 has only done 13.5k so far......

But on the recent WSB trip, one of the Qld guys had a 12 with a 3-teeth larger sprocket on the rear........it jumped out of corners really quickly, and also during roll-ons, it went like a scalded cat in the initial roll-on period.....it also used hardly any more fuel than my 12, although it was revving a bit harder everywhere........it was also set up with a PCIII, and was clearly tuned *very well...*

The wheelbase on his bike was pretty *short* I don't think you would have any issues with a rivet-link, but best talk to the dealer and see what they think....at least get an opinion.

do you know where he got his sprocket?
i cannot find any current info on chaingang in queensland.they used to do hardened steel rear sprockets for dirtbikes .

mine's still standard...so no help from me

and go the rivet link...not a clip link
the clip link is too dangerous on a 12
(or any bike over 600cc for that matter)


hth

Smitty wrote:.....the clip link is too dangerous on a 12...(or any bike over 600cc for that matter)

agree for the 12, but mate, I used a clip link on my FE racer, so did just about everyone in the Unlimited class, most of these bikes put out >100hp at the rear wheel, and it was just *never* an issue, the old clip link....they are just not the problem that they are made out to be......

If they were as dangerous as they are made out to be, the chain companies would simply stop producing them.

i had a '89 gsxr1100 which repeatedly would drop the safety link leaving the chain tension keeping the side plate on the master-link.
i ended up putting on a rivet type master-link for peace of mind.

zx12B2 wrote:do you know where he got his sprocket?
i cannot find any current info on chaingang in queensland.they used to do hardened steel rear sprockets for dirtbikes .

not sure, I will see if I can find out.......I *think* it could have been an AFAM sprocket ??

Chaingang have done rear sprockets for me in the past, they offer a great product at a good price.....they do roadies as well as chookies, would be happy to do business with them again.....

Hey zx12b2 - try this one http://www.chaingang.com.au/sprockets.php

thanks bear, thats what i was lookin for

No worries mate - happy to help

fitted the 48 rear today, bike now has 17/48 sprockets.
heaps of fun, fronts lifts easier in first and even in second hard acceleration will let the bars float side to side.
turns seem easier and more confident with the shorter wheelbase.
overall reduction is 10.5%.

zx12B2 wrote:fitted the 48 rear today, bike now has 17/48 sprockets.
heaps of fun, fronts lifts easier in first and even in second hard acceleration will let the bars float side to side.
turns seem easier and more confident with the shorter wheelbase.
overall reduction is 10.5%.

Did you get the rear sprocket from Chaingang ? How about the forks, have you raised the forks through the clamps at all ? This helps to quicken your steering as well.

yeh got it from chaingang.
have not dropped the forks yet