Weird sprocket on my bike? help!?

[bruinsflhrs]

So i got a total basket-case 1990 kat 600 from a friend, that had crashed it 8 years ago, and hadnt ridden it since. I have been fixing it up piece by piece but I have a problem now. I went to order a chain, and according to the web a 1990 gsx600f has a 14/46 sprocket. I counted my teeth and found that I have a 14/42 setup... whats this mean, is the web wrong or is my rear sprocket wrong?

[shadowhunter04]

Which web site did you use? I've seen on quite a few bikes that people will change up the sprocket for their own personal tuning (power/speed)... could be the deal here.

[TheWrightKat]

sounds to me like someone replaced the rear sprocket. It is not unusual for someone to do this however usually people increase the size of the rear sprocket not decrease.

[catfish]

people change out the rear sprocket for a gearing change- yours is geared for higher top end speed and less torque, oddly enough. you usually see people pop more teeth on the rear for more low end torque

[bruinsflhrs]

Well I had considered that it may have an aftermarket sprocket on it, but the guy i bought it from never changed it, and the guy before him only had it from new for 400 miles... what sprocket does everyone else on here have... I have read into this quite a bit and i dont see why someone would decrease their sprocket size... its a 600...

Any way it could have come from the factory pushing 14/42, and regardless, anyone know where i can get a chain for a 14/42?

[arsenic]

a 42!!!! I have a SideWinder 50 tooth
Ok, I'm done laughing about a 42 rear. Now, there are a few things you need to be sure of. Pitch, a Katana is 530. A GSXR which is the only thing I can fathom being a 42 is 520. So, you need to make sure it's a 530 first. Then a stock Katana IS 14/46 stock and 112 links. No way in hell did it come 14/42 from the factory. Now, if the stock gearing is 14/46 112, you have 14/42 sorry. So, 4 teeth down from 46, that means 4 less chain links. You would need a 108. But you NEED to find out if you need a 108 530 or 108 520. There's no numbers on there that you can check, you need to try a 520 chain, if it fits it's a 520, if the 520 is to small try a 525, if that too small it's 530 and you're all good.

[elkat]

I have a 42 on mine as well. Gives you alittle more top end, and a little less RPM's at cruising. Find a 108 like arse said, and you should be good.

[Mat0302]

post some pics of the sprockets, that might help.
I have a 16t front and a 43t rear. My stock sprocket and the new sprocket both said how many teeth the sprocket is.

[Katlover13]

first...check out this link for more info on Kat sprockts/ratios

http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/katana/45tooth.html

now, as mentioned, it is HIGHLY unlikely that the bike came out of the factory with a 14/42 ratio. a 14 on the front is pretty darn small and would eat up chains like no tomorrow.
second, you should be replacing the whole set...new chain, new front and new rear sprocket. a suggestion would be a stock 16 for the front, then you could decide what you want for the rear by the type of driving/tuning you want (smaller rear for more top end or larger rear for more low end torque). it will be easy to find a 530 (stock size chain) combination. 520 combos can be found (lighter chain/sprockets... less life) but are alot harder to find.
in anycase, remember to replace all 3, not just the chain.
also, if you change the ratios, your speedo will be off even more than it comes from the factory (5-10% off). the website above will give you that info.

hope this helps.

[elkat]

Speedo won't change as it is driven off the front wheel. I believe the 14t is the standard for the front sprocket also.

[arsenic]

now, as mentioned, it is HIGHLY unlikely that the bike came out of the factory with a 14/42 ratio. a 14 on the front is pretty darn small and would eat up chains like no tomorrow.

14 is stock

[bruinsflhrs]

I emailed the website i was going to buy the chain from. he said that the 530-112 will work but i'll need to take "a couple links" out. that worries me... I've always been somewhat of belt drive kinda fella, and i dont have any idea how many links removed would = right... should i buy it?

[arsenic]

108, I believe I've told you that.

[bruinsflhrs]

Sorry arsenic. I'm just worried because I live in canada, and with 25 buck shipping each way i cant really trial and error...

So if i understand correctly i need a 530-108. the only one i can find on ebay is listed as a yamaha 530-108... does it make any difference?

Here is the link.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-YZF600R-YZF-600R-530-108-O-Ring-Drive-Chain-New_W0QQitemZ170213386379QQcmdZViewItem

[OBrian-DK]

If i go from 14/47 and to a 14/50 does i then need to have a chain with 3 links more???