Advice on gearing (again) touring

Need some advice/thoughts, and I have done a fair bit of research already....

We are setting the bikes up for a Morocco trip, and also use the green-laning around London region.  This means that the bike does a fair amount of road miles; typically 50 miles of road to get to Dorking trails - out of London on one of the motorways.  Morocco will be off-road, however is 2-3 hours in Spain to Ferry (getting bikes trucked to Spain), and 5-6 hours tarmac to get across Morocco to the good stuff.

The current gearing is 14/48, and is no good for motorways. The bike will do currently do 50mph for long stretches, but anything over that it does not like, and starts to backfire like crazy on the over-run.


I have read loads about 15/45 for touring/"dual sport", but am considering instead the plan of:
- 15/41 for road and high-speed trails - this should cruise all day at 80mph with no stress.
- 13/41 for anything more technical.  13/41 is about the same as 15/45.

With this plan I'll have to shorten the chain from 110 links to 108 links, but it should mean I can accommodate the 15 and 13 countershaft sprocket just through the chain adjusters.

Good idea?  Or am I barking?  Off-road I don't tend to race the bike, my background is more "tractor style" - trials and enduro, not so much motocross.... So I tend to ride technical stuff in 1st gear only, maybe 2nd gear.  I also have a 950 SuperEnduro, which may help explain my riding style!

Also, any pointers of good quality sprockets without costing the earth appreciated. I was figuring Renthal ones from eBay...

This is a hard one to answear , what is good for me might not fit your needs , i personaly think that 15/ 44 should be ok on the road and then you can swap to 13 on the front side ( very easy to do and the front sprocket is small enough to carry arround with you ) .
I have just bought renthal twinring rear sprocket , i was going to get the ironman but then i decided to give chance to the localy produced part and what a good idea that was , the looks and build quality are excelent , and half price of the ironman sprocket ( which is the best but not double the price better ) , Supersprox are good too . I went with the OEM Sunstar sprocket for the front , if its good for honda its good for me . 

Thanks - that is useful

So at 70 to 80 mph, would the 15/44 cruise at medium, non-stressed revs? That is mainly what I am worried about - stressing the engine when it is that constant throttle motorway stuff. Note I do not speed on the motorway - 70 to 80 mph is fine, nothing over, but it needs to hold it for hours.....

And I know this is not what the bike was really made for, but where I live, and how I ride... (and cannot afford a van or trailer!)

Thanks again for the pointer - helped affirm that going 41 on the rear is way to higher geared.

So I think I'll go 15/43, and will carry a 13 in case in knarly stuff (or just fit it regardless when through the tarmac bit of Morocco). It will still be tall geared with a 13/43, but I think manageable for my style of riding. It is pushing it a bit, but should make a 80mph cruise really easy on the bike.

This engine was designed to fly across the desert flat out for 1000 miles and it did it , dont worry about it just ride it , then when something is worn replace it , good servicing is the key , and if you listen to your piggy it will let you know / warn you if something is about to go .

I say 15/45

I say 13~53  

Watchit Maus', it will even wheely in reverse then  

Well anyone researching this; 15/43 is also too tall, 15/45 is it just as Aurora says

I have 15/44 on mine and it does highway quite easily, single track is also fine.

I dont MX the thing either, I have to ride fairly long stretches to get to most places and it does it without being too high in the RPM range.

15 / 45 sounds perfect for the road ,
remember that the stock 14/48 was for offroad riding mostly and some folks found even this too high on tight single tracks ( not me i think is fine for 1 and second gear when in the deep stuff ) and they run the 13/52 , this is bit excessive in my opinion as the pig has shedloads of power and does not need such low gearing .