17T front sprocket first impressions

I recently installed a 17t front sprocket on my Terra. I've tried 15T, 16T and now this one and they all fit with the stock length chain. It's the dead of summer here in Phoenix and today is the first day it will be less than 110*F in a couple weeks, so I haven't been riding much. I've also been having head shake above 65mph, so last night I removed my handguard plastics and wind screen. My ride into work is about 10 minutes of stop and go, and a ten minute stretch of 65mph highway ride in the middle.

Here are a few things that I noticed with this setup.
1.) 100% of the head shake is gone, which makes me feel much more confident riding the bike at speed. I was cruising 80mph on the highway and it was rock solid.

2.) That wind screen really does block the wind as I felt a lot of air on my chest and there was a significant amount of wind entering the helmet.

3.) The engine has a vibe at about 5100 rpm that is fairly annoying and sucks with the 15T because I'm right at that RPM on the highway going 70mph.

4.) I cruised at 80mph at 4900 RPM this morning and the engine was smooth as glass.

5.) Each gear seems to go on forever. I shifted into 5th at 65mph when entering the highway.

6.) Frist gear would suck offroad but you can still get the front end up off the ground if you whack the throttle on the street.

Here's the sprocket and also my new Ratel case saver.

What windscreen are you running? Stock extended or something bigger?



Matt

This confirms my belief that it is the hand guards.

I have two. One is a retrofitted KLR screen.




The other is a Screens for Bikes (from Australia). This one is about 2" taller and provides better wind protection, but acts like a sail on my bike and causes significant head shake above 65mph.

When I put the tck 80 on the front of my Strada I got the shakes at 65-70. No screen or guards.

...I really doubt a sprocket has anything to do with headshake, nor handguards.
Check your headbearings if you haven't done it yet.
Just sayin' ...

My bike was horrible when the TKC80s we're new, but they settled in after about 200 miles.

I don't think the sprocket had anything to do with headshake either. It's almost entirely the windscreen.

...possibly, but probably not the real cause.
I have a Madstad for sale if anybody wants one

Hmm, I might change the front to a 17T too. Thanks for sharing your experience with the 17T, it might save me some fuel and make the ride a bit smoother because I am currently commuting on the Terra of which 90% is highway.

I like handguards on the street in the winter time when it's ten degrees out. Be careful when there's a cross wind with a light bike. Remember a quick thinking body English applied to the pegs is your friend.

I caught a cross wind on my 1200 bandit as I passed a mountain on the highway. In the open the cross wind blew me across three lanes. I put my 300lb body weight on the left peg just as I was going to hit the left shoulder. It saved my life. Body English plus dirtbike experience. I would fly on my husky TE610e on the highway often wondering what a stiff cross wind would do. Be safe always expect the unexpected.

Wise Words

Yes, both wheels have been balanced.

I'm running a 17T on my Strada and like the more relaxed cruise rpm. There's a trade off in reduced acceleration at speed, but I don't mind downshifting when needed.

I get that vibe at between 4,500-4,800 rpm. Above & below that is silky smooth.

+1, that's about where I pick one up too, maybe closer to just the 4700-4800 mark.