sprockets

[AMTJIM]

Why would I smoke the clutch on this and not on any of my other motorcycles(5 and 6 speed tranny) when I routinely did this simple mod?

 

[IdleUp]

Why would I smoke the clutch on this and not on any of my other motorcycles(5 and 6 speed tranny) when I routinely did this simple mod?

Since BRP sacrificed 1st gear for reverse the spyder is already too high geared in 1st gear, right now it's almost like taking off in second gear - if you do a sprocket change, you'll just make 1st gear higher, causing that much more use of the clutch.

If you're doing it for fuel economy - it's doubtful, if it will make much difference, the tranny needs a 6th gear to get the engine down around 2500 rpm at 55mph - right now the Spyder turns 4000 rpm at 55mph.

Aside from the gearing - the Rotax engine does not have a fuel efficient design. It's designed for performance at the disregard for fuel mileage. keep in mind when they designed this bike, fuel was under $2.00 a gallon so it wasn't of prime importance.

It's hard to believe the Goldwing has 4 extra pistons to drag around and more weight and still get 10-15 more mpg than the spyder.

 

[NancysToy]

Since BRP sacrificed 1st gear for reverse the spyder is already too high geared in 1st gear, right now it's almost like taking off in second gear - if you do a sprocket change, you'll just make 1st gear higher, causing that much more use of the clutch.

I'm not sure we can say this with any certainty. They did sacrifice one gear itself, but the ratios are unknown. Seems to be a deep, dark, secret. I sure can't find any reference to the actual, individual gear ratios anywhere. I think we would really need to see what the actual transmission ratios are, and calculate the final drive ratios, before we can make any assumptions or make any changes.
-Scotty

 

[retread]

Okay, somewhere else on this site, there is a comparison between the Spyder and the Aprilia bikes, BRP dropped 6th gear from the Aprilia case to be able to put in a reverse. The rest of the ratios match 1 thru 5 in the Aprilia bikes.
From what I understand, we can't go much bigger on the countershaft pulley (sprocket), there isn't any room inside the cover, so the logical option is going smaller on the wheel pulley, which means a shorter belt, or a really big tensioner.

 

[bjt]

Aside from the gearing - the Rotax engine does not have a fuel efficient design. It's designed for performance at the disregard for fuel mileage. keep in mind when they designed this bike, fuel was under $2.00 a gallon so it wasn't of prime importance.

I agree that fuel economy was not a concern of BRP in using this engine. I believe this Rotax engine was designed and in use closer to 15 years ago. At that time gasoline was a just over $1 per gallon. Average U.S. gasoline prices