[sixfive]

My 1098 is finally needing a new chain/sprockets and I'm not sure which route to go . . . read a lot of posts on this forum and now I'm more confused than ever . . . I'm leaning toward stock set-up but I keep reading its supposed to be 40 in the back. My current set up shows the number 38? . . .

- Stock or different sprockets (teeth)?
- 520 conversion or not? How much longevity will I loose and is acceleration noticeably quicker?
- Where to buy?

thank you

 

[eric9877]

Need more info-
how do you use the bike- traffic, highway, canyons, track?
how many miles do you put on a year? <1k weekend warrior, or daily driver >5k
What is your budget?

That being said
if you're going to change it all out anyway, it is a great time for an upgrade
stay with a stock 15t front, maybe get a lightened one.
Get a quickchange rear carier with a few sprocket selections, like an AFAM.
520 is lighter and seems easier to find parts for, but 525 is suposed to be stronger.
1 tooth up front is about equal to a 3 tooth change in back. so get the stock rear gear and the next two bigger with the carier. set up the bike with the biggest sprocket first ith the eccentric adjusted in as far as you can and get proper chain tension, so you have enough chain to change gears. If you go small when you set up, you won't have enough chaine to put the bigger gear selections on.

the 14t mod is the cheap way to lower your gearing for traffic so that you don't have to replace the chain, if you're already changing everything get a quick change carier and stay stock on front.
Low speed/heavy traffic <20mph crap will benefit from a larger rear sprocket (or a smaller front) the 14t change is a big jump and may have you running at a higher rpm than you'd like on open highway. so doing a 1 or 2 tooth larger in the rear is a more subtle way to ajdust your gearing to get the optimal performance for your situation.

I'm sure you'l get plenty of other opinions about the 525/520 options. I haven't had a liter bike long enough to worry about longevity so I'l abstain chain pitch advice.

 

[sixfive]

Mainly canyons/occasional track day, some sport touring, as little traffic as possible. Between 5k & 8k/year. Budget is a tough one. $300-400ish. Noticed the numbers stamped on the current sprocket, 38 seems a bit too small. Might explain some of the vibrations and not really quite as much grunt as my old Aprilia at lower RPM . . .

 

[eric9877]

so going by the stock set up from Ducati it should be a 38. so get a 15t light dp front sprocket is about $75 (or a 15t jtc $30, beacuse it's not going to make a noticable difference), chain $125-175 Quick change rear carrier with a 38,39,40 about $150-250, and that's going with 525, take off about 5% for a 520. The biggest investment over stock is the carrier and you'l be able to reuse it, from then on its just gears and chains.

 

[Rocky123]

I did a -1/+2 520 conversion and love it.

a lot of people say not to go down a tooth in the front thinking you will get less chain life but personally I havnt had any problems yet (knocks on wood)

Id rather enjoy the way my bike rides and if the time comes I have to replace a chain or sprocket, oh well ill fork over the $100 bucks or so to replace them.

 

[pat1098]

All good advice from Eric. The stock 15/38 is quite tall gearing, but the 1098 engine will pull it if you give it a few revs. The shuddering you describe is probably the result of expecting too much from it at very low revs, in too high a gear.
I ran 15/38 for many miles, and have since gone to 15/39. I found 15/40 a bit too short, requiring too many gearchanges, but 15/39 suits road use and Phillip Island.
Probably a bit tall for a tighter circuit like Jennings though.
And an alloy rear sprocket can save 600 g (almost a pound and a half) of unsprung weight. Worth considering.
I get over 20,000 kms out of a chain and sprocket set, with regular lubing, and replace all three at the same time.
I have stayed with the 525 size.

 

[PhilDucati]

I have extra stock 1098 rear sprocket like new condition, $50plus shipping to you.

 

[sixfive]

Eric, thanks for your very specific replies I would love to get the whole quick change set up but I also have to put on a new set of tires and that'll put me over the top financially . . . Rocky, the 14/40 520 conversion seems like a big step, I'm tempted to stick with the 15/39 combo. The couple tracks that we have around here are one of each: one very twisty and hilly and the other has a couple high speed straights. Besides, most of the riding is on the road so based on that it seems to make sense to sort of split the difference . . .
Now I just have to decide whether I want to do the 520 conversion or leave it where its at. I love being able to get 20k out of a set and I'm worried that a 520 will drop dramatically but then again, it might be worth the way it accelerates . . . is it? Maybe by going to the 39 I'll regain what I might have missed by running the 38?

 

[pat1098]

If you are doing miles, stay with the 525. A 520 chain on a bike with this much torque is really a racetrack/low mileage conversion for small gain. Plus you will have to adjust it more often. The 525, after an initial settling in, scarcely needs adjustment if you keep it lubed.
You will save more rotating mass by going to the alloy rear sprocket than the thinner chain, with the added bonus of reduced unsprung rear wheel weight, and a stronger chain.

 

[sixfive]

Pat, that's very good advice! I don't rake the miles up as I used to but it is nice not having to worry about chain life. I believe I'm going with the 15/39 combo with the 525 chain . . . I hear D.I.D makes the ZVM-X which is supposed to be the way to go . . . combine that with Renthal sprockets . . . maybe some opinions on my choices?

 

[pat1098]

You have just described exactly what I have run for most of the last 63,000 kms. Even the same (DID X-ring) chain.
I have always run the DP sprockets, but Renthall stuff tends to be pretty good. That decision will come down to price.
Of course you may make a saving by buying all three from the same vendor, and hit them for a discount. That's how I run it.

 

[sixfive]

Well, that decision is made. Thanks so much to everybody for your much appreciated feedback!

 

[Wa11er98S]

Where to buy?

I would say here first:

http://www.ducati.org/forums/sale-wanted/41779-fs-la-848-1098-1198-parts-ton-parts.html

 

[sixfive]

Pat, the set up you have with the 525, and getting 20,000km, is that with a steel rear sprocket or aluminum? Looks like I'll be getting some Driven stuff after all which includes a new carrier and one of their sprockets. But they're aluminum . . . Thats probably why Eric told me to go with the aftermarket carrier/sprocket combo which is what I decided to do after all . . . Thanks Eric

 

[eric9877]

See if you can get a couple gears with the carrier as a package deal, like Pat suggested. At least a 38 and a 39.
just remember, torque wrench, grease, loctite all in their apropriate times and places.

 

[Madbones]

Just a heads up re the Driven alloy carrier and sprocket. They spec it to be torqued as follows. DRIVEN Carrier Sprocket nuts – 22ft-lb/30 NM
I did this and it stripped the steel stud from the carrier. Thought about it what had happened ( after picking up my jaw )and tried another, resetting the torque wrench to be sure. Same thing happened. There seems to be a problem with their figures.

 

[sixfive]

Madbones, thanks for the heads up! Certainly don't like to hear that sort of stuff . . . I'd have guessed it was an exception if it was just one (due to a faulty part) but if it happened twice, that concerns me. I'll definitely keep an eye open for that!

 

[Madbones]

I tightened the replaced carrier studs by hand, blue locktight and marked the nuts with fluro paint to keep an eye on them.

 

[ducati darius]

Pat, that's very good advice! I don't rake the miles up as I used to but it is nice not having to worry about chain life. I believe I'm going with the 15/39 combo with the 525 chain . . . I hear D.I.D makes the ZVM-X which is supposed to be the way to go . . . combine that with Renthal sprockets . . . maybe some opinions on my choices?

This is my set-up except I'm 15/38 slight improve on Accel
& you keep durability.

 

[sixfive]

Isn't 15/38 stock? I'm expecting slight improvement on acceleration by going to 15/39 . . . am I mistaken?