Tips on gearing a big v-twin for Loudon

[Ductard]

I'm looking to gear my 1199 for Loudon, and I was looking for any guidance...it might be slightly uncharted waters, but I'm hoping setups for other big v-twins can serve as a baseline.

Unfortunately, the higher redline for the 1199 vs. most other twins might be a substantial curveball.

But where I'm at right now, I got a good drive out of 12, stayed on it, didn't short-shift, and looked down at the gear selector - I didn't make it out of 4th!

I'm going into T1 and T3 in 3rd gear, which means I'm only using 3&4 on the whole track, except for 12, where I use 2nd....is it normal to only use 2-3 gears on a big v-twin?

I remember Eric Wood saying that most people like to set their bikes to top out in 5th on the straightaway (which I've heard as a general rule of thumb for tracks in general)

I'm also guessing all else being equal I'd be better off using higher gears with closer ratios (i.e. 3-4-5 vs. 2-3-4), but I bet it's not that simple.

If I use a tool like gearingcommander, it looks like going to a 14/42 f/r vs. the stock 15/39 will give me the same speed at redline in 5th gear as I'm currently experiencing in 4th gear...but I'm wondering if that will move some shift points to some funky places or put me between gears in corners where I'm not currently between gears. ...and on a cursory search that's also the lowest gearing ratio that I see for sale for this bike....


PS - I'm having no problem with launches...even at the current gearing, lofting the front wheel is the limiting factor.

[xxaarraa]

I'm going into T1 and T3 in 3rd gear, which means I'm only using 3&4 on the whole track, except for 12, where I use 2nd.....

You are going through T3 in 3rd gear on a pani? You don't chug on your way out? Seems you are taking a crap load of speed through there in that case.

I am a bonafide Loudon newbie, so I am genuinely curious when Loudon gearing/braking threads come up.

[Ductard]

You are going through T3 in 3rd gear on a pani? You don't chug on your way out? Seems you are taking a crap load of speed through there in that case.

I am a bonafide Loudon newbie, so I am genuinely curious when Loudon gearing/braking threads come up.

It's sort of in-between gears there. I think I took it in second sometimes but I felt like that was too high in the revs. Even with the Engine Braking Control set at 3 out of 3 (meaning the least amount of engine brake), that big v-twin is pretty finicky about exactly how good ability to nail maintenance throttle is, especially when you're higher in the rev range.

[SwiftTone]

Ask Chris Dove about his gearing. He rides a 1098/1198 but not sure if on the track or not

[butcher bergs]

Why not toss a 42t on the rear and go from there?

[Ductard]

Ask Chris Dove about his gearing. He rides a 1098/1198 but not sure if on the track or not

That's his pit bike. LOL.

[Ductard]

Why not toss a 42t on the rear and go from there?

Well, I guess I'm assuming a 42t rear ($189) is going to require a new chain (~$100), so I'm most of the way to a $450 520 conversion kit with quick change carrier at that point.

What do people think about 520 conversion kits?

[Chippertheripper]

There was a track map of Loudon gearing for big bikes, that had a 2 over the whole thing.
Somebody has to have that image somewhere.

[Ductard]

There was a track map of Loudon gearing for big bikes, that had a 2 over the whole thing.
Somebody has to have that image somewhere.

No need to dig around for that...I think you're description gives the gist of it....

[Pigman]

Shane was railing a Pianagallllasha around when they first came out....hit him up for advice on the facetubes

[butcher bergs]

189 for a goddamned sprocket?

[Ductard]

189 for a goddamned sprocket?

Free shipping tho!

..OK, so that's OEM, but most of the aftermarket ones I pulled up in a quick search came with a carrier, so they were about tree fidy.

[Pigman]

Nothing is cheap on a Panigale.... nothing


my bud had one with Temi's on it.....2500 for the slip on's LOLOLOLOLOL

[Ductard]

Nothing is cheap on a Panigale.... nothing


my bud had one with Temi's on it.....2500 for the slip on's LOLOLOLOLOL

Yeah....and nobody makes a belly pan that will fit the bike without the termi's.

The last thing I wanted to do on a bike that already makes that much power was pay $1,500 for an exhaust upgrade, just for fluid retention.

I wound up making a fiberglass pan myself.

[Pigman]

Yeah....and nobody makes a belly pan that will fit the bike without the termi's.

The last thing I wanted to do on a bike that already makes that much power was pay $1,500 for an exhaust upgrade, just for fluid retention.

I wound up making a fiberglass pan myself.

and I think you need to remove the exhaust to change the oil too.......awesome Idea. But there is a fix for it I think

[Ductard]

and I think you need to remove the exhaust to change the oil too.......awesome Idea. But there is a fix for it I think

From the factory, you do not have to remove the exhaust (just put foil on the pipes so you don't get oil on them), but with most belly pans installed, yes.

I think you just have to make sure one of your 2 allowable 1" drain holes is strategically placed so you can reach the oil drain plug. The Ducati performance belly pan had exhaust removal free oil changes as a selling point, but it was also $800 (Bergs, yes, $800 for a belly pan - it was Ducati Performance (which is always 2-3X anyways) it was carbon fiber and it came with a modified radiator shroud, which really isn't necessary (not agreeing with the price, just explaining)....

I haven't drilled any drain holes yet but I'm going to try to make sure I can change the oil through them when I do....

[jwm2k3]

I'm on an 848, I asked Eric Wood what sprockets he was racing with...

14, 42 and he also mentioned 14, 43...but I don't think I'm man enough for that low...

I know you said big twin, but it's close enough....

[Ductard]

Shane was railing a Pianagallllasha around when they first came out....hit him up for advice on the facetubes

Update: Nevermind, Shane got back to me - he referred me to Eric Wood.

I PM'ed Shane on FB, but those messages from non-friends sometimes go to a black-hole junk folder. If anybody's FB friends with him would you mind maybe give him the head's up that I reached out to him it would be appreciated.

[Ductard]

I'm on an 848, I asked Eric Wood what sprockets he was racing with...

14, 42 and he also mentioned 14, 43...but I don't think I'm man enough for that low...

I know you said big twin, but it's close enough....

Thanks. Interestingly, I plugged the 848 into gearing commander and it's stock sprocket size is the same as the 1199's (15/39) vs. the 1098/1198's stock sprocket size (15/38)..

[burnham]

I ran 15-42 on my Aprilia RSVR. I think my KTM RC8 has 15-44 gearing now, I can check on that later. Both bikes would have the shift light flashing in fifth gear at the end of the straight at Loudon.

I downshift twice into third gear for T1
Upshift to fourth coming out of T2
Downshift into third into T3
Upshift into fourth in T5
Downshift into third on the way into T11

[Ductard]

I ran 15-42 on my Aprilia RSVR. I think my KTM RC8 has 15-44 gearing now, I can check on that later. Both bikes would have the shift light flashing in fifth gear at the end of the straight at Loudon.

I downshift twice into third gear for T1
Upshift to fourth coming out of T2
Downshift into third into T3
Upshift into fourth in T5
Downshift into third on the way into T11

That's helpful. The 1199 Redlines at 750 rpms higher than either of those, so it's not an exact comparison, but 15/42 on the Aprilia seems to be pretty close to 14/42 on the 1199.



...you sound kind of unsure on the RC8 though...if I'm reading the gearing commander correctly, it's showing stock gearing at 17/37......and 15/44 would only put you at 119.1mph at the end of the straight, redlined (10K rpm) in 5th gear.

[tsorfas]

I will never ever own a Ducati.

[Chippertheripper]

I will never ever own a Ducati.

It's ok, muffin.

But you're missing out. The big air cooled motors are the best street motors ever. Ever.

[burnham]

That's helpful. The 1199 Redlines at 750 rpms higher than either of those, so it's not an exact comparison, but 15/42 on the Aprilia seems to be pretty close to 14/42 on the 1199.



...you sound kind of unsure on the RC8 though...if I'm reading the gearing commander correctly, it's showing stock gearing at 17/37......and 15/44 would only put you at 119.1mph at the end of the straight, redlined (10K rpm) in 5th gear.

I was/am. Looking at the specs it says 16/38 for the RC8rs stock. The speedometer is driven off the front wheel and claims 135-136 top speed at Loudon. I think I'm running it up to 10,500 rpm. After thinking about it, I may not be getting out of 4th gear on the track. It doesn't have a gear indicator, and I don't pay much attention. I guess I'm probably not much help on the gearing, or what gear I'm in, but I know where I shift.

[theducman]

I will never ever own a Ducati.

Said the same thing when I was younger.








I now have owned 4