Lightened 14T sprocket

[simontt]

Had my evo for 2 weeks and found the engine does not like low revs and most happy around 3k rpm, but that means in town I would change up to 2nd but often having quickly change back to 1st, and forth to 2nd due to traffic / central London town speed.

Would the 14T sprocket solve the problem by enabling me to change up to 2nd quicker and remain comfortably in 2nd gear for most part of my journey without the revs dropping too low (below 3k) for somoother running and less frequent gear changes?

Will the chain length need to be adjusted / reduced as well if I fit the 14T sprocket - I would like to try it out first so would like the option to revert back to original if necessary.

Here's the dealer's response to my 14T enquiry - does it make sense? Sorry if I do not explain myself well but I hope you know what I mean.

"There is a lightened 14t sprocket available and its £34 plus £50 fitting. The effect it will have is to lower your top speed and improve the bikes acceleration. In terms of commuting it will shorten 1st gear so you change up into 2nd gear sooner and hence use 2nd gear for slow speed riding rather than changing between 1st and 2nd all the time"

[J.P]

But as has been mentioned elsewhere, there's no official 14T sprocket listed for the 1100 EVO because of the linking of the traction control sytem for wheel speed and engine speed. Changing the sprocket will change the ratio and thus confuse the ECU controlling the engine, so Ducati don't offer one.

I've also looked into it already.

[neilo]

...I thought this wasn't an issue anymore seeing as Singletrack has been running a 14t front sprocket on her evo for a few months now?

[simontt]

But as has been mentioned elsewhere, there's no official 14T sprocket listed for the 1100 EVO because of the linking of the traction control sytem for wheel speed and engine speed. Changing the sprocket will change the ratio and thus confuse the ECU controlling the engine, so Ducati don't offer one.

I've also looked into it already.

Thanks JP, I will confirm with the dealer if what he offers is an official DP part with part number and revert - I presume it is, otherwise the offer should come with a caveat that the warranty will be invalidated.

[J.P]

I don't think there's any doubt that that a 14T sprocket will make your London riding better, it's just whether it messes up the other stuff.

[utopia]

The dealer's comments about the basic effect of a smaller front sprocket seem accurate.
£50 sounds like an awful lot just for fitting it though....which suggests that maybe they do more than that, ie tweek the electronics to restore the traction control function, perhaps....??
I'm just guessing though...I have little practical knowledge of traction control systems.
Personally, I'd rather do without their unneccessary complication, for exactly this sort of reason.
Chain length etc shouldn't be a problem if just the front sprocket is changed.

After just two weeks, I'd be inclined to persevere a little longer with the std system anyway....I found similar issues on my 750 at first, but as time went on I got used to dipping the clutch a little before driving through slower turns, which enabled me to stay in the higher gear.
I now prefer this as it gives a good long torquey drive out of the turn, as befits the character of the engine.
Mind you, I am talking about a much milder motor, with a relatively light wet clutch.

[neilo]

If I lived in London and used a bike to commute, an evo wouldn't be the bike for me. On standard gearing it would be far too lumpy below 3.5k rpm. But now that I'm used to it, the standard gearing is perfectly set-up for fast open roads.

I reckon the 796 would be a better bike for city riding/commuting. Do bear in mind that the engine does get much smoother after you put a few miles on...that's why I never changed mine.

[simontt]

I agree that an Evo is not the most suitable for inner city commute, let alone the first bike for a newbie full licence holder, so predictbably I have a steeper learning curve than most.

Hopeful though that over time bike and I will bond and perhaps changing anything at this early stage would be indeed hasty / unwise.

[neilo]

I agree that an Evo is not the most suitable for inner city commute, let alone the first bike for a newbie full licence holder, so predictbably I have a steeper learning curve than most.

Hopeful though that over time bike and I will bond and perhaps changing anything at this early stage would be indeed hasty / unwise.

No it isn't the most suitable bike for an inner city commute, but it'll do it just fine once you get used to it. It really does get smoother with a few miles on simontt, so give it some time before you change anything. Besides, just because you've got 6 gears doesn't mean you've got to use them, right? :)

Also, don't believe the nonsense you hear about how you "need to be 'experienced'before you ride this/that type of bike"... That kind of talk only comes out of the mouths of bike snobs. It's all in the head, so just make sure you're always in a proper state of mind before you hit that starter switch. The evo is a great bike even for a newbie...it rides/handles beautifully, it's forgiving, has DTC & ABS, and stops brilliantly. My 2nd bike was a ZZR1400, and yes it was a missile, but at the end of the day it was all down to me to turn the throttle, right?

Happy riding!

[itguy]

Ditto that ref the right bike etc, I had a hornet as my first bike rode it for about 400 miles then got a blackbird. All within a year of getting my licence.

Go with your gut!

[simontt]

No it isn't the most suitable bike for an inner city commute, but it'll do it just fine once you get used to it. It really does get smoother with a few miles on simontt, so give it some time before you change anything. Besides, just because you've got 6 gears doesn't mean you've got to use them, right? :)

Also, don't believe the nonsense you hear about how you "need to be 'experienced'before you ride this/that type of bike"... That kind of talk only comes out of the mouths of bike snobs. It's all in the head, so just make sure you're always in a proper state of mind before you hit that starter switch. The evo is a great bike even for a newbie...it rides/handles beautifully, it's forgiving, has DTC & ABS, and stops brilliantly. My 2nd bike was a ZZR1400, and yes it was a missile, but at the end of the day it was all down to me to turn the throttle, right?

Happy riding!

Ditto that ref the right bike etc, I had a hornet as my first bike rode it for about 400 miles then got a blackbird. All within a year of getting my licence.


Go with your gut!

Thanks both for the vote of confidence guys. On another bike forum I asked the question and most people seem to think one "should" start with a 600cc but at the same time they look down on 600cc when compared to 1000cc machines. It seems the machine's configuration / capacity has a much bigger impact on riders than on car drivers.

But as has been mentioned elsewhere, there's no official 14T sprocket listed for the 1100 EVO because of the linking of the traction control sytem for wheel speed and engine speed. Changing the sprocket will change the ratio and thus confuse the ECU controlling the engine, so Ducati don't offer one.

I've also looked into it already.

JP, the dealer confirmed that warranty should not be void as it Is an official ducati part and it is fitted by a ducati dealer. Part number is 96824601b and the chain tension would be adjusted to suit.

[simontt]

Gradually got used to the gearing but riding clutch in second gear all the time has been very tiring on the left hand.

Going to the dealer next week to fit the lightened DP 14T for £84.74 including £50 labour, will report whether or not it will transform the town speed riding.

[J.P]

Simon.
I took the plunge and had the 14T fitted a couple of weeks back. It really makes it a pleasure to ride now. well worth it. You won't regret it.

I bought a 14T Renthal sprocket off an e-bay seller for £15 and it took about 10 minutes to fit when I had the bike in a garage getting the ECU remapped. It's an easy job, as long as you have a chain tensioner thingy, which I didn't.

[gary tompkins]

Does the Evo pick up speedometer signal from rear wheel or gearbox?

If so the 14T will throw mph reading out.. I'm guesing it'll read high

Had the same issue when I lowered the final drive ratio on the Buell recently

[simontt]

Don't know about the impact on mph reading, all I know is today the fitted 14T transformed the low speed riding charateristics and now much more usable.

Best £71 mod ever (including labour) - should have been like this from the factory.

[Capo]

Speed is sensed at the rear wheel

[singletrack]

Speed is sensed at the rear wheel

Does that mean it is not affected by the sprocket? I must say I have not noticed any problems with the speedo sice I had my 14T sprocket fitted.

simontt I totally agree, the bike is much more fun and easier to ride with the new sprocket.

[JerryXt]

I agree that an Evo is not the most suitable for inner city commute...

an S4Rs works quite well, so I'd imagine an 1100 would be fine :)

[neilo]

Does that mean it is not affected by the sprocket?

That's what I understood as well. Regardless of what sprocket you put on it (front or back), if the speed is assessed at the rear wheel then it must not make any difference to anything except the engine revs, right?

[Capo]

Correct the size of the sprocket has no influence on the speedometer