Sprockets for highway cruising

what's the best combination of engine, gear box and rear wheel sprockets for nice cruising down the highway.

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jack moghrabi
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Sprockets for highway cruising

#1

Post by jack moghrabi »

hello,

I've been reading the postings for some time now and the info is great. It's been of significant help in getting my 63 FL to run better.
I got my bike in pieces about five years ago which consisted of a complete 63 FL motor, a four speed kicker, a bare 1997 Poucho hartail frame that was never used and a wide glide 2000 front end. It took about a
year to build the bike. I rode the bike for over two years and then got bumped by a four wheeler. I'm 45 years old and I've been riding since I was 20 and this was my first collision so I figured I was due. The impact was low speed but it was enough to break my
left chin bone (the lower tibular). Damage to the bike was minimal (dent in the gas tank on the right where she went over and a sheared off kicker pedal). Full recovery took another year to the point where I could walk four miles and I've been back on the bike for about five months now. Before getting back on her I honed her out, put new rings and lapped the valves.
Bike runs good but I'm still in the process of ironing out
a few bugs.......

Sorry to be so long winded in getting to the main question which is what's the best combination of engine, gear box and rear wheel sprockets for nice cruising down the highway.
Thanks for the help. Jack
mbskeam
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#2

Post by mbskeam »

well....

if you run a chain primary, then a 24T on the engine
and a 24T on trans is nice
if you run a belt drive, then put a 25T on trans
this is with a 51T on the rear.

mbskeam
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#3

Post by caschnd1 »

I run a SuperMax belt primary with a 25/37 (1.48:1 ratio). Put a 24T sprocket on the tranny and it runs real nice on the highway.

-Craig
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#4

Post by King »

Hi Jack

I run a chain primary with a 23 tooth engine sprocket and a 25 tooth tranny. It is a good set-up for two lane blacktop riding at about 55-65 which is what I mostly do. I ran a 25 tooth engine with the 25 tooth tranny for a while but that was a bit "tall" and had me doing a lot of shifting on the back roads but it was great on the interstate.

King
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#5

Post by Sidecar »

Mbskeam wrote: well....
if you run a chain primary, then a 24T on the engine and a 24T on trans is nice if you run a belt drive, then put a 25T on trans this is with a 51T on the rear.
mbskeam
What he said.
Works good for me.
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#6

Post by Cotten »

I love 22/22 on my wife's hack.
At 75 it starts into an aircraft kind of whine where I know I'm entering the powerband. Yet it still has more available for passing.

Let 'em rev.

...Cotten
jack moghrabi
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#7

Post by jack moghrabi »

Thanks for all the input in respect of sprocket combinations for easy highway driving.

However, since my initial query I noticed two days ago that I have a crack in the rear cylinder head exhaust port where the exhaust pipe attaches. This happened to the front cylinder head about three years ago and I had that welded with new exhaust port inserts.
So I now have the rear cylinder head removed and I plan on taking it down to the same welder who did the front a few years back. I would appreciate any feedback/input about this and how to avoid this happening again (a section of flexible exhaust pipe to compensate for vibrational differences between the motor and frame perhaps?--the motor is a solid mount to the frame).

And another question if I may:

I just recentlly (about 400 miles) honed out the cylinders, installed new rings and honed out the valves/seats. The motor runs fine albeit certain quirks and changing characteristics as the rings break in (sometimes she'll start on the first kick and at other times it takes a few more (I'm embarrassed to actually say how many more). At any rate I'm not at the point where I'll park the bike in front of people. I want to be alone while I kick and kick and Kick.....her to life. I am running rich though and this is with the main mixture adjustment screw fully out on the zenith carburator. The Zenith I've got already has the mix adjustment feature. Are the jet tube and mixture needle that worn out where the leanest I can get her is with the mixture adjustment needle screwed so far out another half a turn and she'll be off the carb body threads. And at that setting she is still a little rich. Thanks for the help. Jack Moghrabi
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#8

Post by Rainjester »

Jack,

I had the same situation on my bike (and in fact, it's a very common scenerio with panheads as you'll find if you read the posting here) with the tough to kick start bike.
I can now start my 53' pan, cold or hot, in 2 or 3 kicks. Here's what I did:

1. (This is first for a reason) I found that I had an intake manifold leak. The plugs were a rich sooty black and no matter how lean I made it, it never went away until I did a leak test on the intake manifold and resolved it.

Grab a six-pack, read through all of the messages here on this site, and you'll find a wealth of information about this solution.

2. I still had richness problems but the bike ran better and I could start it within 10 kicks (give or take, ughs). I swapped out the voltage regulator, it got better.

3. Finally I swapped out the spark plug wires and boom, the bike ran like a bat out of hell as well as started every time within 2 or 3 kicks.

I run it intentionally a little bit rich so as to not to put a hole in the cylinder from being too lean. The plugs are now baked brown with a tiny bit of soot.

good luck,

jester-
jack moghrabi
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Re: Sprockets for highway cruising

#9

Post by jack moghrabi »

Good morning you all from South Florida (Boca Raton)....

I appreciate the responses I received on the sprocket
combinations for easier cruising on the highway on my 63 FL.
However, a few days ago while going over the bike, I saw I had developed a crack in the rear cylinder head exhaust port or spigot where the exhaust pipe clamps onto the cylinder head.
I had this happen to the front cylinder about three years ago and had it repaired. The welder happened to have an old harley and knew exactly what to do (he even had a new exhaust port or spigot insert that he welded in).
Anyway, I've got the rear cylinder head off and I'm ready to go down to Davie looking for the shop. However, I would appreciate any feedback/advice/thoughts anyone might have as to why this happened and how to avoid this moving forward.
The motor is a solid mount in the frame (a 1997 Poucho hardtail) so I'm thinking maybe a section of flexible exhaust pipe to compensate for any difference in vibration between the motor and the frame. Any thoughts would be highly appreciated.

Hey Rainjester, thanks for yesterday's reply on the richness problem. Happy cruising.
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