Final drive ratios?

[andyvh1959]

So are all the final drive drive ratios the same? Same for the Classic, Nomad, Mean Streak, Suzuki 1600 Marauder?

Any choices for final drive hub ratios to change the engine rpm at highway speeds.

[VulcanJeff]

The microfiche shows the 1500 Drifter has a different final gear assembly part number than the 1500/1600 Classics, 1500/1600 Nomads and 1500/1600 Mean Streaks. I browsed most of the models from 2002 through 2007 or 2008. I wasn't motivated enough to parse all the components of the assembly to see if something was different, warranting the different assembly part number. One could conclude it is the gear ratio that differs? Dunno. If the ratio is different, why so? Dunno.

[andyvh1959]

Interesting. I may research that a bit. I like to search the Kawasaki parts bin to mix parts on my cruiser build to get the bike I would build if I worked for Kawasaki.

[VulcanJeff]

I didn't try real hard but casual effort didn't turn up any gear ratios. What a stark contrast to the old BMW airheads/K bikes. Final drive ratios are well known and thrown about all the time.

I assume the pumpkin will interchange amongst all the "modern" 1500/1600 bikes (2000-2008).

[DragonLady58]

Well, you have 3 diff. sets of trans gears, but usually with the same final drive gearing on most models.
You can have diff. bevel gearing done, have to pay to have it done, is expensive, but worth it....
You have Eaton, Diamond Gears, Omni Gears, Cleveland Gear, US Gear, etc....but when you get the set custom made, you have to make sure everythings clearanced....
Another tuning aid is the OD of your rear tire....

[Kawi_addict]

I know on the concourse 1000 there's a popular diff mod that changes final drive ratio to lower highway rpm but I don't know if that would work here

[Kawi_addict]

They call it the 7th gear mod

[andyvh1959]

Might have to check that to see if the older Conny uses a similar rear drive hub to the one on the VN1600. An easy way to do it is mount a larger diameter rear tire which would lower the engine rpm slightly, but will also cause the speedometer to read off.

[Kawi_addict]

Actually when I put bigger rear tire on my speedometer finally matched my gps speed. The stupid assholes at kawi set the speedos 5-8mph above actual speed on the 15/1600

[andyvh1959]

Hell, motorcycle speedos have been reading high by five to eight mph ever since I started riding back in 74. Until GPS units came along we didn't even know it. Then electronic digital speedos came along and they still made them read higher than actual speed. Cop friends of mine that were used to calibrated speedos in their squads and bikes had fits with civilian bikes. Actually a speedo reading high is a way to avoid speeding tickets.

The electronic speedo on my 2007 BMW R1200RT is actually pretty close to what my GPS shows from my road speed. We'll see if the VN1700 speedo can be dialed into the actual speed versus what it normally reads. I installed a cheapo electronic speedo on my Suzuki DRZ400E, and to calibrate the speedo function I had to put a chalk mark on the front tire and on the driveway where it met the driveway. Then rolled the bike forward until the mark met the driveway again, measured the distance between the marks. That distance is loaded into the speedo memory to calibrate the tire size to the computer. Very accurate.

[redjay]

If Kawasaki (and others) can accurately make the speedometer read 5 to 8 mph high then why the heck cant they make them read 100% spot on !

[blowndodge]

The Nomad doesn't have the power to pull a much higher gear. I put a much larger diameter tire on my Nomad that corrected the speedometer and in 5th gear it was a pig.