Another job well done👍. I only have one note. I think it would be wise to give the chain a little more slack because the bike is unloaded at the moment you adjusted the chain slack. I know what the manual says but when you sit down on the bike, the chain tightens up. If you carry a passenger or go on a full packed road trip it also has an impact on the chain slack. If the chain is to tight you will wear your sprockets also faster. If your release chain tension a bit more, you will feel that the gear shifts go smoother too. You don’t have to believe me, it’s just a tip from my Kawasaki mechanic. Just try it, it’s not much work😉
Many years ago, I had the front pulley nut loosen on my 440LTD. It was belt drive. That pulley rocked on the shaft and the pulley sacrificed itself. It was softer than the shaft. Hopefully most sprockets are softer than the output shaft so that the output shaft doesn't have to be replaced if the nut was to loosen. It is still a very good practice to make sure that it is tight to begin with.
good to hear from you Russell, the weather is starting to change over from winter to spring here so hopefully I can get out and do some videos soon..... :)
Hi, love your detailed and excellent instructional level videos! I am a bit new to the mechanics part of motorcycles. I recently got myself a very low milage 2020 Versys 1000 SE. Perhaps I am missing the point but can you in a word or two explain (again?) as to why you went ahead and changed the two sprockets? What is it that drove you to do this sprockets job? Thanking you in advance!!!
Hello there sir, good to hear from you. I changed the final drive gear ratio on the Versys to drop the rpm a bit at highway speeds. I changed both sprockets to get the ratio I was after and also I did not have to remove a link out of the chain by changing both sprockets. Had I dropped 3 or 4 teeth alone on the rear sprocket the drive chain would have been to long and require a link to be removed. Hope this helps... Thanks for watching and keep safe out there... :)
Well Michael, the FJR is hands down the nicest most touring capable bike I have ever had, I absolutely love it however it is also quite heavy and the weight is up high in the bike. When maneuvering the FJR on gravel it gets a little tricky especially when loaded down with gear when traveling. Also if I drop the FJR over it is Hell to get picked back up by myself. The Versys is much lighter and easier to ride on loose surfaces. The Versys seems to be very comfortable to travel on and the bike seems as though it will have no trouble doing the long hauls. So I guess if I am just going to be traveling and not going off the pavement much I would rather do that on the FJR . Most of my long trips wind up being several days of traveling highways to get to areas were I wind up doing a lot of gravel parking lots and some gravel roads and then days more highway travel to get back home. So I would prefer to ride the FJR out west and then ride around out there on the Versys for a couple of weeks and then ride the FJR back home but I haven't worked out how to pull that off just yet. I do a lot of back road traveling here in the Ozarks which is secondary paved twisty roads and gravel as well. That is really what I got the Versys for but I gotta take at least one good long trip on it to christen it properly right?
molly grease is used for high friction/pressure applications where high anti friction properties are needed...ie wheel bearing grease. Molly refers to the make up of the grease, Molybdenum disulfide. Most grease that says it is for wheel bearing use will be Molly. Thanks for the comment Sir... :)
When you do your next chain adjustment would please you do a step by step video? Thank you for your excellent video! Take care of yourself. As a bro. you are loved!
The alignment tool is a Motion Pro tool and you can get them from Dennis Kirk, Revzilla or J&P Cycles and other places I am sure. I am at jsmith65711@yahoo.com Thanks....
Gotta ask. Between the fjr and the versys which bike do you prefer? I'm considering both and can't decide and both have their appeal. Seems like you have a unique perspective.
So the RPM felt to high at highway speed even with a 6 speed? That is one thing that does drive me crazy is a bike running high rpm at 70. I'm used to big Harley's, they virtually idle at 65 70 in 6th gear. I've never had the pleasure of enjoying a inline 4 before .
At 70-80 rpm's are not to high. My Triumph 900 Sprint ran 5k at indicated 80mph (which was actually73) It was its sweet spot. Used zero oil with over 65k on speedo. Tried regearing it and my mileage went down, had to drop a gear to pass. I average around 44-47 mpg also.
Hi john when you alingned the rear wheel with that tool did u loose your slack in the chain? I thought the wheel had to be on the ground to get proper slack thx
Yes Sir, the well needs to be down and 1 inch of slack is not enough on the versys, it needs at least 1.5" on slack to not bind the chain when the suspension is fully compressed..... thanks sir....
I did an even bigger gearing change than Ozarks did (17 tooth drive, stock driven. You need 118 links too. Stock chain is 116.) I haven’t ridden it more than a few minutes but I really like the change and no you can’t really tell a difference in power in high gears. The power band is absurdly broad and linear on this engine, you could get away with just about any changes you wanted. I did some freeway speed uphill 6th gear roll on pass the car thingys. At half to 3/4 throttle it just goes broooam and jumps to 90 mph and wheee around you go! Completely satisfied with gearing. 3250 for indicated 65. I think the mpg indicator jumped up significantly too but a couple tanks will tell on that. Changing the gearing isn’t going to mess with engine stuff like fuel and timing. The systems are far from being that integrated. So not to worry. HTH
no, it reads 1 gear to high after 2nd gear. it reads 4th gear when its actually in 3rd, 5th when in 4th and 6th when in fifth. The speed sensor is on the Transmission output shaft, not at the rear wheel so it is confused.
Humph. I did a similar thing, 17 tooth countershaft sprox, and got the same result. Gear indicator off by one. I see one of the square indicators is programable. I wonder if any of the round ones are programable.
I am not sure, since they plug into the diagnostic port I assume they simply display the gear selection that the ECM is reporting so the ECM on the bike may have to be flashed.
Here is what I have learned. I bought one of the cheap round ones that fits in the dash. It looks great and it worked OK with stock gearing. When I changed the gearing it did the same thing as yours, it’s off by percentage and it shows sixth gear when you’re in fifth, etc. as I understand it, the kawis don’t actually have a gear position sensor, or else the data is too hard to get at from the ECU. Even the oem Indicator calculated gear selection from engine speed and road speed. I wonder how the brand new bikes do it with their gear indicator. Anyway, this will do the job because it is programmable. Too bad it is stupid expensive, and it isn’t a round one that fits in the dash like oem. shop.bluemonkeymotorsports.com/GIPro-DS-Series-for-Kawasaki_p_21.html Cheers Ps. Interestingly, I geared it up and the speedo still reads high compared to gps. 70 indicated is 66.
Bruce is exactly right. Grease is for bearings and antisieze is for fasteners. Oiling or greasing bolts is an old concept that comes from the automotive world where they give "dry" and "oiled" torques on bolts. (My '15 Model T uses oil on the head bolts prior to torquing) During my 30 years of industrial maintenance - I have seen all kinds of novel uses for antisieze, just keep it on the fasteners - works for threads and keeps the rest of the bolt from rusting in place. This is from ADV Rider. 👍
Oh also do u have an e mail add i want your opinion on my tire wear (battle axe t30) i wana send u a pic.tire pressure 42 n 36 front both wearing weird.. dealer wont give me straight answer
When i replaced the stock front sprocket on my 09 Versys 650 to a 16T i went with this OEM one....www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts/p/kawasaki/13144-0038/sprocket-output-16t-520 ..It came stock on this bike....www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b77aff8700223e4798ae6/transmission
Hi. I was wondering if you can share your feedback after changing both sprockets on Versys. I am planning on doing exactly the same change to my Versys as well. Also, can you please provide links where did you purchase each sprocket. Thank you in advance.
Hello Igor, I am very pleased with the sprocket change on the Versys. The engine dropped 400 RPM in 6th gear at 65 MPH. It also nearly corrected the speedometer according to my GPS. The engine still pulls well over hills and from a stop so it is not over geared at all, I would say it is just about right in that respect now. I bought my gears from Revzilla but they are available on many sites. They are the JT sprokets... Thanks for your interest.....
Hi. Thank you for your feedback. It is very valuable. I was wondering if you can share the exact model number for each new sprocket. I just want to avoid any possible mistake in getting the right parts for the job. Cannot wait to get it done. Thank you in advance. Igor.
Hey Igor, it looks like I ordered from Sprocketcenter.com and got the 42 tooth rear JT sprocket Part# JTR1489 and the 16 tooth front sprocket part# JTF1537. Hope that helps....thanks....Jon Smith
Another job well done👍. I only have one note. I think it would be wise to give the chain a little more slack
because the bike is unloaded at the moment you adjusted the chain slack. I know what the manual says
but when you sit down on the bike, the chain tightens up. If you carry a passenger or go on a full packed road trip
it also has an impact on the chain slack. If the chain is to tight you will wear your sprockets also faster. If your release
chain tension a bit more, you will feel that the gear shifts go smoother too. You don’t have to believe me, it’s just a tip
from my Kawasaki mechanic. Just try it, it’s not much work😉
Many years ago, I had the front pulley nut loosen on my 440LTD. It was belt drive. That pulley rocked on the shaft and the pulley sacrificed itself. It was softer than the shaft. Hopefully most sprockets are softer than the output shaft so that the output shaft doesn't have to be replaced if the nut was to loosen. It is still a very good practice to make sure that it is tight to begin with.
Hi, looking forward for your next video and hearing about the change. Cheers, RJ
good to hear from you Russell, the weather is starting to change over from winter to spring here so hopefully I can get out and do some videos soon..... :)
Hi, love your detailed and excellent instructional level videos! I am a bit new to the mechanics part of motorcycles. I recently got myself a very low milage 2020 Versys 1000 SE. Perhaps I am missing the point but can you in a word or two explain (again?) as to why you went ahead and changed the two sprockets? What is it that drove you to do this sprockets job? Thanking you in advance!!!
Hello there sir, good to hear from you. I changed the final drive gear ratio on the Versys to drop the rpm a bit at highway speeds. I changed both sprockets to get the ratio I was after and also I did not have to remove a link out of the chain by changing both sprockets. Had I dropped 3 or 4 teeth alone on the rear sprocket the drive chain would have been to long and require a link to be removed. Hope this helps... Thanks for watching and keep safe out there... :)
4:00 uh... thanks for finally getting to the substance, and thanks for omitting the cover removal
So how did it effect throttle output? What is the difference that the sprocket changes made?
Well Michael, the FJR is hands down the nicest most touring capable bike I have ever had, I absolutely love it however it is also quite heavy and the weight is up high in the bike. When maneuvering the FJR on gravel it gets a little tricky especially when loaded down with gear when traveling. Also if I drop the FJR over it is Hell to get picked back up by myself. The Versys is much lighter and easier to ride on loose surfaces. The Versys seems to be very comfortable to travel on and the bike seems as though it will have no trouble doing the long hauls. So I guess if I am just going to be traveling and not going off the pavement much I would rather do that on the FJR . Most of my long trips wind up being several days of traveling highways to get to areas were I wind up doing a lot of gravel parking lots and some gravel roads and then days more highway travel to get back home. So I would prefer to ride the FJR out west and then ride around out there on the Versys for a couple of weeks and then ride the FJR back home but I haven't worked out how to pull that off just yet. I do a lot of back road traveling here in the Ozarks which is secondary paved twisty roads and gravel as well. That is really what I got the Versys for but I gotta take at least one good long trip on it to christen it properly right?
Smart using the handle from the pick ax.
Can you do an air filter video on the versys?
What difference did you notice at 65 with rpm
hello sir, I believe my RPM dropped by 325 rpm at 65mph if I remember correctly. Thanks for watching... keep safe... :)
Tyvm for a great video! I'm learning so i really appreciate the step by step, detailed info. What exactly is "Molly" grease?
molly grease is used for high friction/pressure applications where high anti friction properties are needed...ie wheel bearing grease. Molly refers to the make up of the grease, Molybdenum disulfide. Most grease that says it is for wheel bearing use will be Molly. Thanks for the comment Sir... :)
When you do your next chain adjustment would please you do a step by step video? Thank you for your excellent video! Take care of yourself. As a bro. you are loved!
thanks sir... :)
Where did you get chain alignment tool and what brand thank you oh and how much ? Thx
The alignment tool is a Motion Pro tool and you can get them from Dennis Kirk, Revzilla or J&P Cycles and other places I am sure. I am at jsmith65711@yahoo.com Thanks....
Gotta ask. Between the fjr and the versys which bike do you prefer? I'm considering both and can't decide and both have their appeal. Seems like you have a unique perspective.
So the RPM felt to high at highway speed even with a 6 speed? That is one thing that does drive me crazy is a bike running high rpm at 70. I'm used to big Harley's, they virtually idle at 65 70 in 6th gear. I've never had the pleasure of enjoying a inline 4 before .
At 70-80 rpm's are not to high. My Triumph 900 Sprint ran 5k at indicated 80mph (which was actually73) It was its sweet spot. Used zero oil with over 65k on speedo. Tried regearing it and my mileage went down, had to drop a gear to pass. I average around 44-47 mpg also.
Hi john when you alingned the rear wheel with that tool did u loose your slack in the chain? I thought the wheel had to be on the ground to get proper slack thx
Yes Sir, the well needs to be down and 1 inch of slack is not enough on the versys, it needs at least 1.5" on slack to not bind the chain when the suspension is fully compressed..... thanks sir....
Did you get the desired results from the sprocket change
yes sir I did... :) thanks for watching...
Nice video, good tip for over the road riding. Notice any difference in the MPG?
Barry
didn't really notice any change in MPG.....Thanks Sir... :)
Wow thanks for the quick response soo u think sprockets dont mess at all with fuel n timing n such.? N is it less vibration but is it less power?
nope, its all good...cant tell much difference in power ....
I did an even bigger gearing change than Ozarks did (17 tooth drive, stock driven. You need 118 links too. Stock chain is 116.) I haven’t ridden it more than a few minutes but I really like the change and no you can’t really tell a difference in power in high gears. The power band is absurdly broad and linear on this engine, you could get away with just about any changes you wanted.
I did some freeway speed uphill 6th gear roll on pass the car thingys. At half to 3/4 throttle it just goes broooam and jumps to 90 mph and wheee around you go! Completely satisfied with gearing. 3250 for indicated 65. I think the mpg indicator jumped up significantly too but a couple tanks will tell on that.
Changing the gearing isn’t going to mess with engine stuff like fuel and timing. The systems are far from being that integrated. So not to worry.
HTH
David Florance Timing? 🤔
Se puede cololar el cambio en primera y no colocar el palo para trabar la rueda ?
Helo Diego, I tried that but it just spun the engine over. The engine wouldn't hold that much torque....thanks for the comment Sir... :)
Sorry for that Michael I posted that reply under my other RUclips account but it was me...I gotta pay better attention to what I am doing.... :)
My 2020 does 65mph at 3000, 80 at 3500, and 100 mph at 4000.
Why don’t you use anti seize?
What abouf riding in the mtns for your gear change
hello David, The motor seems to have lots of grunt..haven't had any issues pulling mountain roads...thanks for the comments.... :)
It’s got six gears. One of them must work! :)
Oh yes the mountains 🙄
Hi. Is your gear indicator working ok after sprocket change?
no, it reads 1 gear to high after 2nd gear. it reads 4th gear when its actually in 3rd, 5th when in 4th and 6th when in fifth. The speed sensor is on the Transmission output shaft, not at the rear wheel so it is confused.
Humph. I did a similar thing, 17 tooth countershaft sprox, and got the same result. Gear indicator off by one. I see one of the square indicators is programable. I wonder if any of the round ones are programable.
I am not sure, since they plug into the diagnostic port I assume they simply display the gear selection that the ECM is reporting so the ECM on the bike may have to be flashed.
Here is what I have learned. I bought one of the cheap round ones that fits in the dash. It looks great and it worked OK with stock gearing. When I changed the gearing it did the same thing as yours, it’s off by percentage and it shows sixth gear when you’re in fifth, etc.
as I understand it, the kawis don’t actually have a gear position sensor, or else the data is too hard to get at from the ECU. Even the oem Indicator calculated gear selection from engine speed and road speed. I wonder how the brand new bikes do it with their gear indicator.
Anyway, this will do the job because it is programmable. Too bad it is stupid expensive, and it isn’t a round one that fits in the dash like oem.
shop.bluemonkeymotorsports.com/GIPro-DS-Series-for-Kawasaki_p_21.html
Cheers
Ps. Interestingly, I geared it up and the speedo still reads high compared to gps. 70 indicated is 66.
good info to have....Thanks Sir... :)
I use it on both chain adjust bolts n nuts n coat the axle with it.
that great sir, i usually just use grease... seems to work good for me.... Thanks... :)
Bruce is exactly right.
Grease is for bearings and antisieze is for fasteners.
Oiling or greasing bolts is an old concept that comes from the automotive world where they give "dry" and "oiled" torques on bolts. (My '15 Model T uses oil on the head bolts prior to torquing)
During my 30 years of industrial maintenance - I have seen all kinds of novel uses for antisieze, just keep it on the fasteners - works for threads and keeps the rest of the bolt from rusting in place.
This is from ADV Rider. 👍
@@Me-yh4uc sounds good to me .... do that.... :)
Did this improve your gas mileage?
hey Deep, I am getting around 47 MPG last I checked so it didn't hurt the mileage any but I cant say for sure that it improved either....Thanks....
What year is this Versys?
Its a 2016......thanks.... :)
Ozarks Backroads Great job - you made that look easy.
Not sleeping here!
Oh also do u have an e mail add i want your opinion on my tire wear (battle axe t30) i wana send u a pic.tire pressure 42 n 36 front both wearing weird.. dealer wont give me straight answer
Front pinch bolts n front axle n
When i replaced the stock front sprocket on my 09 Versys 650 to a 16T i went with this OEM one....www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts/p/kawasaki/13144-0038/sprocket-output-16t-520 ..It came stock on this bike....www.cheapcycleparts.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b77aff8700223e4798ae6/transmission
Hi. I was wondering if you can share your feedback after changing both sprockets on Versys. I am planning on doing exactly the same change to my Versys as well. Also, can you please provide links where did you purchase each sprocket.
Thank you in advance.
Hello Igor, I am very pleased with the sprocket change on the Versys. The engine dropped 400 RPM in 6th gear at 65 MPH. It also nearly corrected the speedometer according to my GPS. The engine still pulls well over hills and from a stop so it is not over geared at all, I would say it is just about right in that respect now. I bought my gears from Revzilla but they are available on many sites. They are the JT sprokets... Thanks for your interest.....
Hi.
Thank you for your feedback. It is very valuable. I was wondering if you can share the exact model number for each new sprocket. I just want to avoid any possible mistake in getting the right parts for the job. Cannot wait to get it done.
Thank you in advance.
Igor.
Hey Igor, it looks like I ordered from Sprocketcenter.com and got the 42 tooth rear JT sprocket Part# JTR1489 and the 16 tooth front sprocket part# JTF1537. Hope that helps....thanks....Jon Smith
Thank you !!
1st.