Can 1983 Honda VT-500 Meet the Vetter Challenge?

[redyaris]

Adventures in shaft drive motorcycle final drives
I went to the motorcycle wreckers today to see if I could find a VT700/750 swingarm/finaldrive to adapt to the VT500 to reduce the engine speed at 70 mph. What I learned is that the VT500 has 3:1 final drive ratio, and the VT700/750 has a 3.3:1 final drive ratio!? Just for fun I checked out the CX500 and the VT1100 and they where at just under 3:1, something like 2.97:1. So the question is in what gear set did Honda reduce the ratio so that I turns aprox 1000rpm slower at 70mph? is it in the primery reduction? is it in the gear box? I don't know. can anybody tell me?
The sad part for me is that the dimesions of the VT700 swing arm are such that it could be mounted to the VT500 frame.???!!!

[thatdirtykid]

Question, this is a vt500 ascot not a vt500c shadow correct. (I assume so because the talk of chain final drive not shaft). The question is however if the ascot twin was a 6 speed overdrive like the shadow. I am unsure about compatibility between the two transmissions if they are different but that is another direction to look. My first two wheeler was a vt500c and I got 65-70mpg on spirited highway commuting with a 65mph speed limit.

This is an awesome project, and I wish you the best of luck!

[renault_megane_dci]

Originally Posted by redyaris

Adventures in shaft drive motorcycle final drives
I went to the motorcycle wreckers today to see if I could find a VT700/750 swingarm/finaldrive to adapt to the VT500 to reduce the engine speed at 70 mph. What I learned is that the VT500 has 3:1 final drive ratio, and the VT700/750 has a 3.3:1 final drive ratio!? Just for fun I checked out the CX500 and the VT1100 and they where at just under 3:1, something like 2.97:1. So the question is in what gear set did Honda reduce the ratio so that I turns aprox 1000rpm slower at 70mph? is it in the primery reduction? is it in the gear box? I don't know. can anybody tell me?
The sad part for me is that the dimesions of the VT700 swing arm are such that it could be mounted to the VT500 frame.???!!!

Looks like you did you homework all right !
Now what about looking at te opportunity of swapping the rear wheel only ?
(for a taller wheel and tire combo that is ...)

Obviously it might jack up the rear end of the bike, affecting SCx but it would also give you the gear reduction you are after. (might be easier too ...)

[redyaris]

thatdirtykid
The bike is a Honda Shadow shaft drive.

renault_megane_dci
There is no room for a larger rear tire.

[redyaris]

New fianl drive information:

The 1983/84 Honda VT500FT Ascot: Has a 120/90 H18 rear tire/rim.
Has a 35/11 final drive.

The 1983/84 Honda VT500 Shadow: Has a 130/90 H16 rear tire/rim
Has a 32/11 fianl drive.

What I need to find out yet is; if the swing arms are the same length and are the variouse parts interchangable/adaptable.
If they are then it should be posible to reduce engine speed by aprox. 8%.
There may also be other other ways to reduce engine speed, I will keep researching...

[beatr911]

[QUOTE=redyaris;345479]New fianl drive information:

The 1983/84 Honda VT500FT Ascot: Has a 120/90 H18 rear tire/rim.
Has a 35/11 final drive. QUOTE]

Wait a minute. There was a FT500 Ascot single cylinder and chain drive. Then there was the VT500 Ascot vtwin shaft drive sport bike, sister to the VT500Shadow shaftie. All three produced at the same time.

On my Concours, the bevel drive, you know where the countershaft would be on a chain drive bike, can be swapped with the Voyager. Reduces rpm by about 400 at freeway speeds. Final drive ratio remains as is. Check what other bevel gears will fit the VT500 shaft drive case.

[redyaris]

The present quest is to find out if the 37/31 VT500 gear set are interchangable with the 39/29 VT700 gear set, because if they are, then there is a 12.9% reduction in engine speed. Combine this with a VT500FT Ascot 18" rear wheel & swing arm, and I may get close to a 20% reduction in engine rpm...

[renault_megane_dci]

Now that is starting to be interesting (although not cheap :-( )

[redyaris]

I have disassembled a VT750 to get at the gear set that conect the transmission counter shaft and the right angle drive and learned that on the VT... engines the whole engine has to be disassembled to get at the tannsmission. This is not a promising venture...! The other place to look is the primary reduction from the crank to the clutch though I don't think there is enough room on the clutch to mount a smaller gear.
the search continieus...

[renault_megane_dci]

Originally Posted by redyaris

a 12.9% reduction in engine speed. Combine this with a VT500FT Ascot 18" rear wheel & swing arm, and I may get close to a 20% reduction in engine rpm...

Meaning you can have 7% or so already with the rear wheel & swing arm swap ?

Isn't that already a worthwhile and easy swap ?

Could it not add up with a tall tire on the 18" wheel ?