Hoochie Mama!...an update

darthrider · Post by **darthrider** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:11 pm

Some of you will recall that I recently bought a 2006 Triumph Speed Triple.
Named her "Hoochie Mama!" 'cause it just seemed right! She's sexy, fast, has great curves and loves to be rubbed the right way. Ride her right and she purrs like a big, dangerous cat. Ride her wrong and the claws & teeth come right out.
I'm in love.

She has about 1400 miles now and is broken in. She's really quick but I still don't know how fast. Roads that long, smooth, traffic & cop free are hard to find, but...I know she will go 65 MPH in 1st, 95 in 2nd, 120 in 3rd, 134 in 4th, and 147 in 5th with ~1,000 RPM left before she hits the rev limiter.

Don't know yet about 6th. I suspect with stock gearing she may be faster in 5th than 6th. The manufacturers often (always?) "over-gear" chain drive bikes so they will more easily pass sound emissions testing. They "shoot" the bikes at a certain speed so by gearing them up the engines are spinning more slowly at the test speed and generate less noise.

This usually results in an engine that can't pull redline in top gear. My Ducati 900 Super Sport was like that. It would run about 130 in 5th gear. And it would run about 130 in 6th gear! I put a 2-tooth larger rear sprocket on it and she ran to redline at 140+ in 6th.

I know "gearing down" to go faster sounds backwards but sometimes that's what it takes.

This bike came with a 530 DID endless chain and I sure hate to break it to put a larger sprocket on, not sure what I'll do. Also don't want to go down 1 tooth on the countershaft sprocket as that would probably be too much, plus I don't want to "bend" the chain around a smaller C/S sprocket with 128HP as it would be harder on the chain. And C/S sprocket. Anyone have any opinions on that part?

I don't really care how fast she will go, I just want her to be capable of going as fast as she can and not be hobbled by "PC" gearing!

Yesterday I installed a way-cool rear fender/license plate holder/turn signal clean-up kit Igot from England and it's really neat. Looks *much* better...and lost another 2 lbs. or so. Dry wt. now is ~408 lbs.

Also installed a rear hugger from Triumph and a neat *small* tank bag from Cortech so I can carry some "stuff".

Lots of other accessories & minor mods, more on the way including adapting some ProTaper tapered aluminum dirt bike handlebars. These soak up vibration & road shock, are much stronger & lighter than stock, but mainly will let me tailor the ergos correctly, using some tips from Ricardo Kuhn (Ricky Bars). Plus they really look trick!

This is the sweetest, happiest, "free-est" engine I've ever had. Smooth as silk, torquey, responsive and has no bad habits. Has not burned a drop of oil from new.

Loves to wheelie and scare me silly. And she tempted me and led me down the path this morning, resuting in a fat ticket for 78 in a 55 zone in some S-curves near here. She doesn't seem to care.

Of course "Darth", my 50R is jealous but he is still ridden regularly and performs all the 2-up and touring duties.

I am such a 2-timer!

Post by **tipstall** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:36 pm

Pictures please, what were you thinking.

Post by **Biff's R** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:05 pm

I hope those fat tickets do not become too common.

Post by **Pat** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:34 pm

D'OH!

It sounds like an awsome Triumph!

Post by **boxermania** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:34 pm

Darth....

I don't remember if the Triumph uses a slide or an eccentric to tighten the chain but there should be enough radial movement to go slip a 2 tooth larger rear sprocket, if not what until the chain stretches a bit.

Pics, pics, we want pics.......

malcolmm · Post by **malcolmm** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:55 pm

Very cool Darth

"Ride her right and she purrs like a big, dangerous cat. Ride her wrong and the claws & teeth come right out.
I'm in love."

Got to see this baby, she sounds unbelievable.

Incidentally...

"Loves to wheelie and scare me silly. And she tempted me and led me down the path this morning, resuting in a fat ticket for 78 in a 55 zone in some S-curves near here. She doesn't seem to care."

78 in a 55 zone downunder would be considered pretty naughty. How much does that sort of slip-up set you back in the states and do you guys have a points system where you lose your licence after accruing a certain number? Downunder that would cost you at least 4 points. We get 12 points and they've got to last us 3 years. So three of those little episodes and NO LICENCE in Oz.

I got booked the other day for running a red light in my cage. $400 and 4 points. Ooch!

Post by **socalrob** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:17 pm

Darth,

Youv'e got more chain experience than I, but I do agree the right way to change your gearing is with the rear sprocket. Reducing the teeth on the front changes so much, all negative, less teeth to carry the load , more bend in the chain, can't be good. With all that HP I'd mess with the rear (which you would be increasing the teeth, so more teeth, less bend). The front would wear out faster too (if you reduced the front teeth).

My chain experience was on bikes with at most about 50HP, so not in your class at all. I bet chain technology is lightyears advanced.

The one thing I miss about chain driven bikes is playing with the gearing. Too bad BMW doesn't have some easy to change gears on the rear. I bet the RR would be a blast geared down so the top speed would be about 110-115mph. When I was junior high/high school my brother & I had our Hodaka ACE100 geared down to a top speed of about 50. She could really wheelie.

Post by **MooseR1100R** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:23 pm

Had the honor of seeing Hoochie Mama last Friday evening. She is all Darthrider says and more, really built up front. Looks like she is primed for pin stripping as well. Darth was covered while Hoochie Mama was center stage in all her glory. After Big Bend 2005, Darthrider, let's head out west to Palo Pinto, race the canyon and the huge wide sweepers leading to Billy's Market in Lipan off FM 4. No threats out that way.
Those tappered bars look fantastic. That may be a mod we could all use. The tappered bars are designed to give better feedback from the front end to the rider, but stronger than symmetrical bars.

bakernks · Post by **bakernks** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:21 pm

I was taught at a much younger age to never go smaller on the front. If there's room, 1 tooth larger on the front, but never smaller. It costs more to do the rear sprocket wether larger or smaller depending on desire, but that's safer. A broken chain MAY zing out the back, the one time it happened to me it did, but IF it wads up in the front perchance, the rider could suffer a broken leg, a nasty fall or worse. Along with busting out engine cases and more damage. I vote on safety. Back sprocket changes only, and new chains.
I regeared the F650GS soon after I bought it and made one 400 mile trip. I didn't like how fast I had to wind it for cruising on the road 75-80 mph, my average. It too had the endless chain, albeit 520HD. I dropped from 47 teeth at the back to 44, and achieved just the right balance of dirt road worthiness and high speed cruise numbers. It turns now 4900 rpm at 80 mph indicated, returning 68 mpg with saddlebags and Wunderlich touring windshield. Foolish as it may have been, I cut the endless chain off with my Milwaukee Sawzall, foolish yet satisfying. I didn't even want to think about removing the swingarm.

darthrider · Post by **darthrider** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:29 pm

Pictures? OK, until I can take some updates, here's where to see Hoochie a few weeks ago. They are mid-way down.

http://r1150r.org/board/viewtopic.php?t ... sc&start=0

I hope those fat tickets do not become too common.

Me too Brother, me too.

"Awesome?" Yeah, awe inspiring too. I love to here that little chirp when the front tire touches back down! Throttle control learning curve in progress...

I don't remember if the Triumph uses a slide or an eccentric to tighten the chain but there should be enough radial movement to go slip a 2 tooth larger rear sprocket...

It uses an eccentric. I haven't checked it yet but I was skeptical that it had that much 'adjustment'...but I will!

78 in a 55 zone downunder would be considered pretty naughty. How much does that sort of slip-up set you back in the states and do you guys have a points system where you lose your licence after accruing a certain number? Downunder that would cost you at least 4 points.

80 in a 55 here is kind of "medium bad" on the fine scale. The fine is $186.00 which I will have to pay but will request deferred adjudication. Sort of like probation, If I don't get another ticket in that court jurisdiction for 90 days the ticket is "dismissed" and no points go on my driving or insurance record. The $186.00 I paid them becomes the fee for this and does not go to the state coffers. That's why the locals are eager to sell you a "Get Out of Jail Free" card to keep it off your record.

I could have taken Defensive Driving (for a fee) which carries the same benefit. Problem is, I'm already taking it for another ticket (in my truck) and you are only allowed to play that card once a year.

I need to slow down.

But I feel the need for speed!!

Rob, you got that chain business right.
The new chains are sooo good I can't believe it. This is a D.I.D. "X-ring" chain. It has not needed adjustment yet in 1400 miles and is only just starting to need a small adjust! I've lubed it twice and it is due again.

Moose, that Hwy. 4 ride sounds like a winner for sure!
Ricky Bars did a few of the ProTaper or Renthal tapered bar conversions and I wish I had one on my 50R. He does mainly GS's. Everyone who has done this swears their bike lost 100 lbs. they ride so easy.
I did this conversion on my MZ Super Motard and it's a sweet setup. Looks cool too!

EDIT: Wise chain words from Steve...rear sprockets only it is!
A countershaft sprocket change was sometimes a neccesity as a kid since they were way less expensive than a rear sprocket! Thankfully we don't have to roll those dice anymore...

fnfalman · Post by **fnfalman** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:32 am

I went one tooth down on the front sprocket of my Tuono and it made a big difference with acceleration and low speed/off idle riding (like in heavy traffic and lane splitting). Still using the same 525 chain from the factory.

dallara · Post by **dallara** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:47 am

Darth...

You need a "Thin Blue Line" sticker. It would go great on the black "Hoochie Mama" and you would surprised how much it helps with a lot of LEO's...

Cheers!

Dallara

darthrider · Post by **darthrider** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:50 am

I went one tooth down on the front sprocket of my Tuono

What size was the stock CS sprocket?
I guess it's probably no big deal if it's a large one. May not be as big a deal as I think anyway.
I've been away from chain climbers so long I'm just being cautious with this. I've had tons of chain bikes...but none ever had close to 128HP!
How do you like the Tuono?