Largest front sprocket for DRZ400SM?

[Kwest364]

2009 drz400sm

What's the largest front sprocket I can run? 15/41 is stock. Would a 16 tooth fit? I'm assuming a 17 tooth would not (if I could even find one).

[Rukix]

10 minutes ago, Kwest364 said:

2009 drz400sm

What's the largest front sprocket I can run? 15/41 is stock. Would a 16 tooth fit? I'm assuming a 17 tooth would not (if I could even find one).

16 tooth fits, but you will have to grind a little off your case saver, and I mean just a little, to get a chain through.

[38super]

Use the Driven sprockets, they have the smallest 16T diameter.

[rustynut2]

Change the rear sprocket instead.

[Kwest364]

On 11/6/2019 at 9:06 AM, rustynut2 said:

Change the rear sprocket instead.

I want to change both. Try a 16/36 (or smaller) for highway and a 12/50-55 for torque. These are extremes, but I wanna see how they feel for the drz and see what I prefer. Ideally, I saw somewhere in here, someone was making/selling a wide ratio gear pack, which would be awesome, but I don't think it's necessarily worth it ($680?). It'd just be better to upgrade to a better highway/touring/adventure machine. I was thinkin a klr650 or dr650. Even with the wide gear ratio, the drz just isn't the right tool for that. Drz = fun play/enduro/urban/trail exploring bike, klr = adventure/touring/camper/hauler bike. 

[ohiodrz400sm]

I want to change both. Try a 16/36 (or smaller) for highway and a 12/50-55 for torque. These are extremes, but I wanna see how they feel for the drz and see what I prefer. Ideally, I saw somewhere in here, someone was making/selling a wide ratio gear pack, which would be awesome, but I don't think it's necessarily worth it ($680?). It'd just be better to upgrade to a better highway/touring/adventure machine. I was thinkin a klr650 or dr650. Even with the wide gear ratio, the drz just isn't the right tool for that. Drz = fun play/enduro/urban/trail exploring bike, klr = adventure/touring/camper/hauler bike. 

I don't think you need to go that extreme. 15/38 cruises 70 mph pretty easily. Unless you have some mods the bike is going to struggle if you gear it too highly.

[Kwest364]

15 minutes ago, ohiodrz400sm said:

39 minutes ago, Kwest364 said:

I want to change both. Try a 16/36 (or smaller) for highway and a 12/50-55 for torque. These are extremes, but I wanna see how they feel for the drz and see what I prefer. Ideally, I saw somewhere in here, someone was making/selling a wide ratio gear pack, which would be awesome, but I don't think it's necessarily worth it ($680?). It'd just be better to upgrade to a better highway/touring/adventure machine. I was thinkin a klr650 or dr650. Even with the wide gear ratio, the drz just isn't the right tool for that. Drz = fun play/enduro/urban/trail exploring bike, klr = adventure/touring/camper/hauler bike. 

Read more  

I don't think you need to go that extreme. 15/38 cruises 70 mph pretty easily. Unless you have some mods the bike is going to struggle if you gear it too highly.

It is extreme, yes. I suppose it's more of my curiosity to how it will feel and perform. Has anyone ever run a 16/36? What actually happened? How did it feel? 

@ohiodrz, how would it adversely affect the bike and make it struggle? I get that it's more torque/load on the engine (like how it's harder to pedal a bicycle in a higher gear), but what does that mean in terms of engine feel? Won't it be cruising easily at speed and drop the rpms? I had a 15/39 and still didn't want to run it more than 50/55mph for longer stretches (I would never cruise it at 55mph for say more than an hour, if that). But I really liked to baby the engine and didn't like cruising with it on highway. I have knobbies and 15/44 on now. It's good, and I cruise at say 45/50mph now (speedo indicated, which I know is off now). I ride the drz more for dual sporting, around city urban fun, easy trail exploration kinda stuff, so the lower gearing helps

[bucket list]

56 minutes ago, Kwest364 said:

I want to change both. Try a 16/36 (or smaller) for highway and a 12/50-55 for torque. These are extremes, but I wanna see how they feel for the drz and see what I prefer. Ideally, I saw somewhere in here, someone was making/selling a wide ratio gear pack, which would be awesome, but I don't think it's necessarily worth it ($680?). It'd just be better to upgrade to a better highway/touring/adventure machine. I was thinkin a klr650 or dr650. Even with the wide gear ratio, the drz just isn't the right tool for that. Drz = fun play/enduro/urban/trail exploring bike, klr = adventure/touring/camper/hauler bike. 

Don't write the DRZ off as an Adventure/touring/camper, with 16/41 gearing, SeatConcepts saddle, chin fairing and 50/50 tires i've been down to Death valley CA and up to the Arctic circle Yukon this year, perfectly compfortable doing 8-10 hour days cruising at 65mph, just under 6,000 rpm.

[Kwest364]

28 minutes ago, bucket list said:

Don't write the DRZ off as an Adventure/touring/camper, with 16/41 gearing, SeatConcepts saddle, chin fairing and 50/50 tires i've been down to Death valley CA and up to the Arctic circle Yukon this year, perfectly compfortable doing 8-10 hour days cruising at 65mph, just under 6,000 rpm.

I have a seat concepts seat on it. Wind never bothered me. I had distanzias on before. Personally, it just seems like the klr is more of a workhorse. I can load it up (saddle bags, big flat rear rack, tank bag) and it will truck across the highways and do it more easily than the drz. Plus the HUGE seat is super comfy. Drz is great and all, but a little too dirt bikey for me to effectively and comfortably haul and adventure with it. Drz is great as a fun, play bike for shorter exploring, and in urban exploring. But as is, I feel I'd need a more adventure-esque bike and the klr seems more suited for it. Plus, if I gear it up, it'll do great on highway, but still have enough tractor for easy offroad stuff. Drz definitely could do it, but seems less suited for what I'd like to use the klr for. Ideally, I'd get an adventure bike (africa twin, super tenere, tiger, or tenere 700), but that's above the price range I'm willing to superfluously spend for a toy. So, cheap klr workhorse that I'm not worried to use and beat up and get dirty is more suited to me.

[rustynut2]

Going smaller on the front can chew the swing arm up, did you really say 12.   The E model came with 14, any smaller will make short work of the guide and swing arm. I’m a dirt rider not street so not much help. 15/44 stock was fine at 60-65;   I run 15/47 for out west and such, 55mph is all I need. Again probably no help here

[38super]

I've tried 16/39, went back to 15/39.  16/39 was a nice 70-80mph cruise, doggy acceleration.  Different story if 462cc kit, cams & carb.