Proof: Change chain, gain power

Point six of a BHP may not sound like much but, in my book, any gain is a good gain, especially when it’s as simple as changing a chain and sprockets. After all, you're going to have to do it sooner or later when your old chain and sprockets die their death.

I’ve always been interested in what gains are available in the drive train. I’m sad like that. I know, I should get out more. As a racer the first thing you ever do is change the drive train from a heavier 535 to a smaller 520. It’s the law. But why?

We ran my 2011 Fireblade on Dynojet UK’s dyno with its stock gearing set up and with a 520 Tsubaki race chain conversion and new Renthal sprockets to see if we could detect a difference. We did.

As I rarely find myself maxxed out in top gear for prolonged periods (never) I also plumped for that cheap trick of dropping the gearing by one tooth on the front sprocket for livelier acceleration.

The measurable difference is there to see. Peak power is up from 166.97bhp (535) to 167.57 (Tsubaki 520 race chain). Even with one tooth off the front sprocket it’ll still do over 100mph in second gear but will now ‘only’ do 167mph flat in top. I think I can live with that bitter disappointment.

The coast down test, sadly, was less conclusive. We were hoping that by measuring the time it took to coast down from top speed in sixth with the clutch lever whipped in would show the difference in drag between the two chains. It didn’t. I think what it did show us was that the losses through the gearbox and clutch and primary drive were big enough to mask any small improvements in chain drag.

So it’s true. There’s power to be had from downsizing to a high quality 520 chain.

But the real difference isn’t as black-and-white tangible, it’s is how it feels that has made the biggest improvement. The reduced inertia makes a marked difference to the on-off throttle behaviour of the Blade. Gear selection – both up and down shifts – are massively improved and with the drop in gearing ratio the acceleration through the gears is amazing.

Pulling out of the cheeky shortcut back onto the M6 in that there Lancashishishire, I wound the Blade on to match the speed of the rest of the motorway traffic and found myself swearing as the front wheel smashed its way skywards (again) in third gear, on the throttle. It's nuts.

I now have what feels like a brand new motorbike. If Honda launch a new model for 2012 I hope it’s better than mine because the differences we’ve made so far with the gearing and fuelling are massive.

Watch the the sixth gear roll-on using the brand new chain.

For a veritable orgy of chain and sprocket options, click here.

By mark forsyth