Geared too high - 16 tooth fix

G'day Caponuts, I have just had a 16 tooth front sprocket fitted and can report that 3rd gear is now useable at 60k/hr 3,600rpm (lying speedo says 65k/hr). 1st gear is happy on roundabouts/slow traffic without pulling the clutch in, and 6th gear can be used at 100k/hr (4,200rpm...lying speedo says 108k/hr). All much more useable than the 17 tooth OEM sprocket. I have been averaging 17.3 k/ltr (thats 5.8ltr/100 in awkward talk) without trying to be economical, using 95 octane, non ethanol, quality branded petrol. I just keep the revs up around 3800-4200 and the engine is in it's Mchappy zone. Anybody else getting good economy? Am I the only one.....?

Good fuel economy 014 Aussie Capo Touring

Hi all - me again, just back from 1000km weekender. Make that average fuel economy 18.3k/ltr on open roads. That's still not trying to be economical, using heaps of throttle to overtake difficult people on our 'highways', errr, that'l be like a secondary road to all youse with flash Autobahn's and huge freeway's......this is Australia - so we can't afford good roads or proper manners! Anyway, I reckon if I ride really smoothly and try for fuel economy at brisk speed limit pace, I could get 19k/ltr......could take a while before I settle down and ride nicely though.....not that I'm a crazy sod, I'm just enjoying that sound it makes when you wind on the power.....you know, finishing off the run in procedure with a bit of full rev range stuff! It's got 3,200k's up and the 16t sprocket has been a huge success.

Yep...it's him again.....it must be raining so he hasn't gone for a ride.....

Capo is very smooth now with 7,400km. I can use any gear I want, though I prefer to be in a gear that gives me immediate response to traffic threats. My Capo was sensitive but not unpleasant during the 5000k break-in, but it is now as easy as any bike to ride. The 16t front brings the lower gearing into the 'normal' range without raising revs at the highway end (Mine does 4,200rpm at 100kph Garmin speed). I still get 18+ k/ltr but I think that's as good as the thing will go as it isn't a low slim sports missile shape. I'm very close to fitting a new rear tyre (it will be a 190/55 PR4 - even the bike shop is recommending them now).

One more note - the OEM clutch fluid has gone black (it is 14months old ex factory, but only 4months 7,400k old in use) so I'll flush it with some Motorex DoT3/4. The rear OEM fluid had gone black before I bought the bike and they changed that free of charge at the 1000k service and it is ageing gracefully. The front fluid is still OEM Italy and has only gone a dark golden colour so it can last till the 10,000 scheduled service (or maybe the impending rear tyre change....). The workshop uses "Motormaxx" dOt 3/4 syn.....but it's a workshop line not avail to punters (not that you should be changing brake fluids as it takes more than one to bleed ABS systems properly!). The clutch is ok to DIY if you know your stuff - brake fluid is corrosive and not for beginners.

Yep...it's him again.....it must be raining so he hasn't gone for a ride.....

Capo is very smooth now with 7,400km. I can use any gear I want, though I prefer to be in a gear that gives me immediate response to traffic threats. My Capo was sensitive but not unpleasant during the 5000k break-in, but it is now as easy as any bike to ride. The 16t front brings the lower gearing into the 'normal' range without raising revs at the highway end (Mine does 4,200rpm at 100kph Garmin speed). I still get 18+ k/ltr but I think that's as good as the thing will go as it isn't a low slim sports missile shape. I'm very close to fitting a new rear tyre (it will be a 190/55 PR4 - even the bike shop is recommending them now). The clutch fluid has gone black so I'll flush that myself, but the brake fluids are best left for the workshop crew as ABS systems require two (sometimes three) sets of hands to flush properly.

G'day Mr Skentleberry, I've been molesting the members on the AFR forum. My clutch fluid went black after 7000km, so I changed it with Motorex DoT4 which promptly went black in 2000kms. So I left it black for the 10,000km service and the good lads changed it with their workshop spec Motormaxx fluid. We can't buy it as it is a workshop bulk supply item, and it is really GREEN.... However, it should be good as that's the same brand they put in my rear brake reservoir - (which had turned black from standing unused/unloved for 12 months at the dealers), and that is still good (not black) after 9000km on road. My front brake reservoir has turned golden brown, but I reckon it will be ok to 20,000km.

I don't believe exhaust heat is the culprit, I think it is more likely the OEM fluid going off or reacting strangely to local climates/internal seals.....who knows for sure.....but the service guys must be getting the idea by now and using something that will last longer than OEM fluid. Cheers from Oz

The 16t front sprocket for 2014/15 models is basically a must do. It will give you the gearing that all bikes enjoy - not the awkwardly tall clutch in at road works/roundabouts gearing that the 17 tooth sprocket demands. I've done 10,000kms and mine was only fully loosened up from 7000k. I can chug along in traffic in 3rd at 2,500 revs - you won't want to use less than 3,800 until the motor frees up! Remember, it's not a plonker motor - let it rev where it's happy and be patient as it will take 5-7000kms to loosen up fully. That touchy jumpy throttle will settle.

G'day all, just a bit more info.....got caught up in a cycling event last weekend, and on narrow roads in traffic had to chug along in first gear.....mine will run smoothly as low as 17k/hr in first without using any clutch. I've got the 16t front and standard 42t rear with a 190/55 PR4 tyre. Oh, it's a 2014 model, so I'm uncertain if earlier capo's have same internal and final gearing specs as 14/15 models Cheers from Oz.

Hi all, had some feedback from a forum member (on the darkside at the AF1 site) who had installed the 46 tooth Aprilia rear sprocket. He was using 4,000rpm in 6th gear to do 100kph (with the standard 17 tooth front). Mine does about the same revs with 16/42 sprockets....

I feel that the engine likes being geared to 4000rpm at 100k, so it's good to know there are several ways to get there (eg 16/42, or 17/46, or even 17/44 has been used by members)

One thing is for sure.....the more kms you clock up, the better Capo gets! (Mine has 14,450k today, and I rode one with 20,000k last week and it was as nice/nicer than mine!).

G'day Johno, you are correct and that is also what I have been advising.

Also note that the 'Calibration' procedure has no bearing on the speedo - it is solely for ATC/ABS calibration.

The TP version has a 7-8% speedo error with those OEM profile Dunlops. I fitted PR4 (190/55 rear) and the error was reduced to about 5%. I think Ron Paola in the USA runs Bridgestone 190/55 and it reduces the error to about 3% due to it being "larger" than the PR4 190/55.......different brands have different physical sizes for the same stamped size #.......it's true!

I'm not sure about the Rally as it has different wheel and tyre sizes to the TP.

Best to bolt your Garmin Sat Nav on and check........just so you don't get treated like **** in traffic by car drivers because you think you are doing the speed limit but are 7-8 kph slow (interestingly - car speedo's are very accurate these days, but they also suffer from differing tyre sizes for the same stamped size).

Cheers