[Black fingernail]

After all the major surgery my 1998 500 deluxe has had over winter, cylinder head, clutch, and oil pump overhaul, also a change of handlebar controls, I've had a good test ride today. With a bit of trepidation, owing to the misgivings on here regarding fitting a 18 tooth gearbox sprocket.
 The area where I live is very hilly, in fact I live at the top of the highest and steepest hill in Torquay! it is also a bit slow going around here, I kept close to home so was within 30 mph speed limits all the time.
In practice, 1st gear is obviously a bit steeper, I can only describe it as less than a third as steep as second used to be, (does that gibberish make sense?), second, and third, are very useful, I did not get into fourth gear at all.
I did a couple of steep hill starts without excessive clutch slipping to get going, on the steepest hill start, I think it might have struggled with a pillion on.
So far so good, I have yet to get on a faster road or the bypass to test top gear.
Riding solo, around town, purposefully going up and down the hilly bits, was, to me, better than before with the 17 tooth sprocket fitted, I did not have to change gear as much, third gear is good for longer without buzzing it. It might be a bit more demanding 2 up or loaded up with the kitchen sink, time will tell, at the moment, I'm happy with it.

[cyrusb]

Do you live anywhere near Fawlty Towers? You should enjoy the 18.

[AzCal Retred]

"English Riviera", eh? 

I'd be saving my Euro's for one of Adrian II's favorite mods - more overall range (spread?) to fine tune the mighty Bullet's ponies to the angle & load. Around 900 Pounds.
4 Speed ratios: 1st = 2.78:1, 2nd = 1.84:1, 3rd = 1.36:1, 4th = 1:1.
5 Speed ratios: 1st = 3.06:1, 2nd = 2.01:1, 3rd = 1.52:1, 4th = 1.21:1, 5th = 1:1.
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-shop/Modified-5-Speed-Gearbox-Standard-Indian-Made

Plan "B" might be one of these lash-ups for 100 pounds:
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-shop/4-speed/11355
Part No. 90024 ; Trials Gears, (pair) 4 Speed
Standard ratios: 1st = 2.78:1, 2nd = 1.84:1, 3rd = 1.36:1, 4th = 1:1.
New ratios:        1st = 3.19:1, 2nd = 1.97:1, 3rd = 1.46:1, 4th = 1:1.
These trials gears would make hilly terrain (i.e. Torquay...) a breeze, but would have more jump 3rd to 4th. The good news is that these can be installed "engine in frame" by peeling off transmission covers, as best I can tell.

I really like the 5 speed idea, but it's more time & money. But if first gear is still functional "as is" on your hills, maybe a good place to stop.
Keep up the great descriptive reports, I quite enjoy following along. - ACR -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torquay

[Black fingernail]

Do you live anywhere near Fawlty Towers? You should enjoy the 18.

Ha ha, yes, The inspiration for Fatty Owls, is not far away in Babbacombe, it was called The Gleneagles Hotel. It has now been re-developed into luxury apartments.

[Black fingernail]

"English Riviera", eh? 

I'd be saving my Euro's for one of Adrian II's favorite mods - more overall range (spread?) to fine tune the mighty Bullet's ponies to the angle & load. Around 900 Pounds.
4 Speed ratios: 1st = 2.78:1, 2nd = 1.84:1, 3rd = 1.36:1, 4th = 1:1.
5 Speed ratios: 1st = 3.06:1, 2nd = 2.01:1, 3rd = 1.52:1, 4th = 1.21:1, 5th = 1:1.
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-shop/Modified-5-Speed-Gearbox-Standard-Indian-Made

Plan "B" might be one of these lash-ups for 100 pounds:
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-shop/4-speed/11355
Part No. 90024 ; Trials Gears, (pair) 4 Speed
Standard ratios: 1st = 2.78:1, 2nd = 1.84:1, 3rd = 1.36:1, 4th = 1:1.
New ratios:        1st = 3.19:1, 2nd = 1.97:1, 3rd = 1.46:1, 4th = 1:1.
These trials gears would make hilly terrain (i.e. Torquay...) a breeze, but would have more jump 3rd to 4th. The good news is that these can be installed "engine in frame" by peeling off transmission covers, as best I can tell.

I really like the 5 speed idea, but it's more time & money. But if first gear is still functional "as is" on your hills, maybe a good place to stop.
Keep up the great descriptive reports, I quite enjoy following along. - ACR -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torquay

Thank you, kind sir.
I think the next stage if the 18t sprocket doesn't pan out is the close ratio gear set, maybe.

[Black fingernail]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torquay
[/quote]
AzCal retred
If you look at the pics on the wiki, click on the view across Torquay harbour, click across 9 pics, until you reach 'Aerial view of Torquay harbour' zoom it in, towards the left is an apartment block with a brick red coloured wall, to the left of that as you face it, is another smaller apartment block, I live there!!

[Adrian II]

I had a good ride on the nearby preserved railway/scenic railroad from Kingswear to Paignton and back a few years ago, managed to get a prime seat in the old Devon Bell observation car on the return leg.

It sounds like going up a tooth on the gearbox sprocket has mode your lower three gears more usable at the possible expense of your top gear. 18T was standard on the Electra-X, too high for us pie-eaters, regardless of the 5 speed box, but your lighter build might cope better.

A.

[Black fingernail]

I'm not that lightweight, I'm a 14 stone pasty eater, That railway ride is nice, Kingswear station is weird, the ticket office used to be on the other side of the river, in Dartmouth, it's a restaurant now.

[cyrusb]

O.M.G.!!!!!!

[AzCal Retred]

@ #5: Well done Sir! A very nice place to land indeed. - ACR -

[Paul W]

I really like the 5 speed idea, but it's more time & money. But if first gear is still functional "as is" on your hills, maybe a good place to stop.
Keep up the great descriptive reports, I quite enjoy following along. - ACR -

I was lucky enough to be offered an almost new 5 speed box by a fellow competitor at a bike trial, for a very good price. Although it was quite a lot of work to change over, including a left to right side gear change conversion, it’s really transformed my 350. With the original 4 speed box I found it frustrating to ride on hills with the big gap between third and fourth, especially the few times I took a passenger. Now it flies up them.

[Black fingernail]

Well, the weather has been kind the last couple of days, so the bike has had a bit of a workout, I have had a run up the bypass, unfortunately there is a 50mph limit on it enforced by average speed cameras, so relatively gentle.
3rd gear is easily good up to 45mph, 4th gear really is not needed under 40. I must say the bike did not show any signs of 'bogging down' on the gentle gradients along the bypass at 50mph, in fact she wanted to accelerate quite readily.
Another little ride out was with SWMBO as pillion, just around the bay a bit, again I did not get out of third gear, with no problems setting off on hills, no problems negotiating the bit of traffic.
The engine is not especially souped up, admittedly it is nicely gas flowed, free flowing exhaust, an altered airbox, carb jetted up to suit, and cylinder base gasket deleted, so I suppose there is a little bit more power on tap, but I cannot use it with any gusto because I am running in the new forged piston and valve gear.
In conclusion, am happy with it, there is no messing about changing from third to fourth and buzzing it or slogging it at 30mph-ish, second or third are much more useful in town, and first is still low enough to cope. All in all, a success.
Incidentally, there is no pinging at all now there is fresh fuel in the tank.