I'm running with a 41 tooth engine pulley; 61 tooth clutch pulley; 1-1/2" belt.
24 tooth transmission sprocket; 51 tooth rear wheel sprocket, chain final drive.
According to the calculations:
Engine pulley 41 / by Clutch pulley 61 = 1.49 and the Transmission sprocket 24 / by Rear wheel sprocket 51 = 2.13: Final overall drive would be Primary drive of 1.49 multiplied by Secondary drive of 2.13 = 3.16
Now, my question is...is this a good combination for highway and city riding.
To me, at around 70 mph, it sounds as if the engine is screaming. No tach so I can not verify RPM's.
If it is good, I will leave it alone. If not I'm thinking about reducing Rear wheel sprocket. Not sure to what yet.
Anybody know the ideal Overall Final Drive Ratio?
Work is 100 miles away and I would like to ride that with the average speed of around 80 mph without the engine screaming and running high rpm's.
Any advice?
Thanks

 

You should be fine on the highway with 3.16 final. The stock final on my 78 FXS 4 speed shovel was 3.42 with 24 tooth engine sprocket, 37 clutch sprocket teeth, 23 trans sprocket teeth, and 51 rear wheel sprocket teeth. The FL's were a little different.

 

Thanks txfxstrider;
I read another post that 3.10 was ideal for one rider and loved it. I just recently found the formula for the overall final drive ratio thanks to this site. ( Extremely HELPFUL!) but I remember reading another post that involves including traveling speed in the equation also, to get the desired 1 to 1 ratio in high gear.
Any input for that?
I am just trying to maximize the amount of miles I can get from my shovelhead without working it to death and puting me on the side of the road without phone coverage, waiting for some one to come get me with a bike trailer.
Although I am still thinking of reducing the Rear wheel sprocket to keep it from over reving.

 

I'm no expert here but I have never heard of riding speed affecting drive ratio. The 1 to 1 high gear ratio is the relation between the engine and the transmission. The rear sprocket would not affect that but it will affect how many times the rear wheel turns in relation to the transmission sprocket turns so it will change the rpms needed to go a particular speed. So, if you have the stock trans you already have the 1 to 1 in fourth gear and if you change the rear wheel sprocket like you are thinking about it will lower your revs at high speed like you want however you may find yourself revving higher in lower gears to get the acceleration you might want. This is why you want a different overall gear ratio if you are drag racing than if you are running for top speed at the Bonneville salt flats.

 

Thanks again txfxstrider;
From what I am gathering from your post is that my overall final drive is okay and that I shouldn't mess with it.
Since I have been off the bike for the last two years, I am probably not used to the rev pitch.
I would probably be more comfortable if I put a tachometer on it so I can see the RPM levels. Its got plenty torque in town and gets off the light well. Its just when I get out on the highway it seems to rev high to me.
Either put a tach on it or put it on the dyno to see where I'm at.
Guess I'll quit worrying about it and "ride it like I stole it"