belt converstion on a 1982 ltd

[dash]

Hello everyone, looking for some help with a 1982 305 ltd. Just blew the belt and I'm looking to convert to chain drive becuase i can't find a belt at any dealership or salvage yard in saskatchewan.I know that ltd models had the aluminum rims so would a sprocket off a regular kz or cs-r fit my 4 bolt pattern on my ltd rims and one bolt for the front sprocket.

[Andy the gringo]

You won't have any problem with the conversion at all. Just get the sprockets and chain from a CSR305 and it will be a plug and play swap. One thing you might want to look at is if you want to lower your highway RPM's you can add a tooth to your front sprocket by just ordering a stock sprocket off a 550 LTD. They attach the same way as the 305's do.

[86k10]

i found one on this site
1987 Kawasaki Motorcycle Parts for 305 CSR BELT(KZ305B2)US, OEM and Aftermarket at BikeBandit.com
also under my seat pan it had belt size for a gates replacement. the belt i have for a 1987 is a 14mm x 1 1/2 " wide x 125 tooth. i measured the width my self just to check and it was 1.5" wide and i was googleing 14mm x 125 tooth and found a few for custom applications and they were around $150 and up. and found some on the internet (factory kawasaki) for around $350

[dash]

ordering a 15 front sprocket, 17 front sproket and a rear 33 sprocket with chain. Thanks for the reply and once i have my chain on I'm not going to worry about breaking it agian. but thanks 86k10 for the info, but the chain and sprockets are cheaper.

[86k10]

how much is it going to cost? just incase i have the same problem. are you going used? dealer? aftermarket?

[dash]

well if your going the stock kz sprocket 15 front teeth it's cheaper. I'm going to be spending around $49+chain for the 33r, 15f and a 17f sprockets band new and the chain i dnot know because it was on back order and the price wasn't in the book and i forgot to ask "find out tommorrow". I get all my snowmobile and bike parts a recreation supply in saskatoon. The old part # a dealer told me was 59011-1002 for the old belt, there a kawasaki quads that have the part # 59011-0003 and 59011-1053, do not know what the last numbers mean but i will find out tomorrow.

[Andy the gringo]

Off the top of my head I don't recall the stock number of teeth on the 305 but I do remember it is one less in the front than a 550 LTD uses. I have test fitted the 550 LTD sprocket to the bike and it will work. I don't believe that you can go up 2 teeth and still maintain the clearance needed for the trans cover. I'd save my money and not order the 17 tooth. Also you are going to lose too much of your bottom end power I'm afraid. A 305 only makes 30 HP to begin with.

[StarGate]

I agree with Andy. That 17f would change the ratio from 2.2:1 to a 1.94:1. Thats a .26 ratio change and would be too much for a 30 hp engine to handle. I've got over 3x that HP and I made a .2 change and it was almost too much. Mine doesn't lug off the line and I love the lower rpms at highway cruising speeds, but I will probably go to a 1 tooth larger rear sprocket on my next change. You could probably go 1 or 2 teeth smaller on the rear but the 2 might be pushing it for that engine.

[dash]

looking at it last night and it does look pretty tight for clearence so i will probley use the 15f sprocket, i just thought to use the 17f sprocket on the highway and long trips.My chain will cost just over $40 so 49+40=$89 canadain so thats not bad. those belts would work the part guy said but they would deteroate quickly, but i would enjoy the chain drive more.The only size i could get was a 33r unless i went to the 250 kz or 440.

[86k10]

as i looked up those belts they have a slightly rounder tooth and that may be the reason it wont last long. i bought a new set of chain sprockets for my 305 (16f and 33r) made by JT sprockets for $48. and o-ring chain for $35. i wanted to convert it so i can lower my rpm's and if i dont do it i got a back up plan on the shelf so if i ever break mine or sell it.

[dash]

86k10 your front sprocket does it have 6 spockes or notches for the sprocket to slid on the shaft (inside part of the sprocket)?

they sent me the wrong front sprocket and they keep telling me that its the right one.

thanks

[86k10]

i have not took off my cover to look but i got this one ordered locally from this site
JT Sprockets: Motorcycle & ATV Sprockets
it shows the gears ratio's, deminsions for sprockets. i counted 13 spline on the inside. go to the site and check it out. as you described yours aint correct. i ordered mine but the rear is on back order and suppose to get them in 2 weeks. i didnt want to make 2 trips, im in no big rush. you might want to print it out to show them if they are being hard headed. if have delt with autozone and checkers in the past and if there computer say its right even thou its wrong its a hassle to get the right part

[86k10]

it looks like you may have got a 250cc sprocket. i just looked at the kz250 and counted 6 spline.

[dash]

thought i better update, i purchased a 15 tooth off a 250cc kz front sprocket with the stock kz 305 chain and rear sproket 33 tooth.( no other front sprocket will fit, i'm pretty sure of) and so far i have put about 1000 miles on the chain drive with no complaints.

[86k10]

thats cool. i sold my kz305 for a $1000 and bought a 1993 yamaha virago 535 for $1600. its gots good cruising power and looks good. i tried to get this 1984 kz550 but it has tranny issues and i couldnt get him to budge. that 305 was just to low power for me. and i found some NOS cobra pipes for them on craigslist for $50 so i jumped on them and they sound great and look better than the factory muffler system.

[dash]

nice bike, the polishing job makes it stand out pretty nice with them dual cobra pipes for $50, you got a good deal.