40 / 15 Gearing

I've always run stock gearing (16/41) on my '19 V4 base model. But this past weekend, I tried 16/40, with the aim to have a few more revs between Chuckwalla T3 and T4, and to soften the power delivery all around, to coast and glide smoother and hopefully carry more corner speed. I have a very fast friend on a V4 who makes this work, but at my slower pace, I didn't like it and reverted back to stock gearing.

I kept the original 114 link chain and did not adjust for rear ride height or wheelbase changes. The eccentric hub rotated to maybe 2:30 o'clock and the rear raised about 3 mm. I didn't measure the wheelbase but guess it lengthened a mil or two.

I was shocked at how the bike was transformed. Engine braking was greatly reduced and even with steeper rake due to more rear height, I could not steer the bike in. I adapted, but still had to fight it too much. The bike was definitely less fatiguing to ride and it was quieter. I was carrying deceptively fast speed with less jolt and less engine noise and it was pretty weird. I was later advised that, if anything, I should go up a tooth in the rear and set the bike up to make use of the better available drive.

My question is, assuming you like your bike geometry as-is, what is the preferred method to maintain it after a gearing change? Is it better to rotate the eccentric hub and adjust shock length, or is it better to adjust the chain length, say with a half-link/offset-link to keep things more or less in the same spot? Or something else?

I dont like the idea of adjusting chain length unless its more or less permanent, you dont want to be adding/removing links everytime you change settings. If you are serious get or make a ride height tool, here's Andys effort.


Keep a notebook and write things down, dont trust memory