not a 520 thread, but
 

i need to get a new chain. I'm thinking "eh, might as well" but i'm really not all that sure i even care or wanna go through the hastle. how much does the 520 change the soul of the bike.


also, chains. brands, to be specific. throw em out there.

DiD X-ring chain. Renthal sprockets. Nothing else.

Yup! Thats the same thing my budy who owns the Zuk-Saki Shop says!!

I was wondering the same thing. Which I don't know NTS' driving habits but I use my bike as a daily driver. So would a 520 be okay?

Which I've considered it because my F3 only spits out so much power and I'd like to reduce as much rotational weight as possible(On top of reducing the weight of my bike as much as possible.)

Also are their certain materials that are better for the sprocket?

Steel.

This is the kit I went with off of Gasman's recommendation... he swore by them.. I've had no issues though I haven't put but 1500 miles or so on them
http://www.kneedraggers.com/image_st...fc_refined.jpg
http://www.kneedraggers.com/details/...-AFAM-192.html

the chain comes pre-cut to the right length for the sprocket size you order.

are you gonna change the gearing at all? if so also order a spedo healer... so your not rack'n up extra miles

im still contemplating whether to go for the conversion. I'm really looking for some solid feedback on whether people who've done it had any regrets.

I asked around a lot... no one I talked to had any neg to say.... my MSF instructor runs a 520 conversion on his race bike it's a GSXR1000... most say that that's too much power for the 520 but he's never had a problem... he also runs aluminum Vortex sprockets :idk: (I have heard/seen the aluminum sprockets fail... I think gas man had his fail)

I'm impressed by Sidewinder's Tri-Metal sprockets. And their Titanium II are guaranteed for life.

I've only heard bad things about them. Mostly that their lifespan sucks and they chew up chains. I'm sure Gas posted pics at TWF.

thats what im talkin about. people are always talking them up but thats usually because they've done it.

yeah I stayed away because I saw gas mans... and I figured that being a racer he probably swapped out sprockets much quicker than I would on the street... :idk:

They offer custom from 10-122 teeth. Dayum that shit is off the wall. You could pop wheelies in 6th from a stop.

I have a vortex Aluminum and a DID chain. For 1-2months I never cleaned the grease that came on the DID off and the sprocket doesn't show any wear after I cleaned it. (I know not smart but what's done is done)

However looking at that Titanium one I'd probably go to that when I replace my chain and sprocket. Wether I go to 520 I don't know.

I believe my buddy with a RC51 has that conversion. I know when I look at hte sprocket it looks smaller and thinner than mine which is standard. If that can take it from a heavy TQ monster such as a RC51 I'm sure a F3 that may be pushing 90-95hp to the wheel can handle it too.

Of course I know very little.

DON'T BUY VORTEX SPROCKETS!! They're garbage. I'm due for a chain/sprocket soon and I'm gonna stick with my 525. Proly go with an AFAM sprocket though. If they're good enough for Hopper, they're good enough for me. And they're STEEL, not shitty aluminum. I might do the 520 in the future, maybe when I'm more competetive on the track. Not needed now.

NtS, I would stick with stock size. Your bike is mostly street anyway. Wait til you get some track days under your belt. that's the way I see it anyway.

The only bike that I have 520 chain on is the Aprilia. It has DID X-ring and AFAM sprockets. The bike seems to rev up faster and off-idle riding is a lot easier now. Good for splitting lane down the SoCal highways during high traffic hours.

I don't know yet about doing the conversion on my KTM since that I'm gonna take that mother offroad more and carrying a lot of weight when touring. I need to consult with more knowledgeable people on adventure bikes before I do the chain swap.

:iagree: :iagree:

Haha. Well I hear Aluminum isn't good then Vortex sucks. And I got an Aluminum Vortex. Well I got it on short notice and took advice from Cycle Gear.

I'll probably replace it in a few months with that Titanium sprocket and do the 520 conversion just to try it out.

whats more important is maintaining the chain and sporket, more so then what its made out of, and adding a couple teeth is something i highly reccomend, first thing i have done on both the kawi and rc, worth it

I thought about adding teeth but I use it as a daily commuter and take it on very long rides. I'd hate to give up the 40-45mpg that I get. Even a little

They generally suck. You might not have problems with them.

My bike came stock with a 520 and I have more HP and torque than a lot of bikes that have a 525 and I have never had an issue.

You don't need it...

... but a 520 should be fine as long as you maintain it well... which goes for all chains. I imagine as the lifetime of the chain goes on, you would want to keep a closer eye on roller wear and how much you have to adjust it for slack (i.e. to tell you how much it's been stretching...)

As far as materials, steel. Or the ti someone posted looked nice, but very expensive.
Gas Man raced?

no... I was talking about my MSF coach... I saw gasman's sprocket, and then thought about my MSF coach and thought that maybe because he raced he swapped out sprockets after every couple races to ensure no failure would happen... :idk:

Oh ok I gotcha. If he was a racer, he more likely swapped out sprockets to tune his gearing to specific tracks... i.e. to make his shift points at better physical locations on the track.