996 Correct Chain For 996

It doesn't say how many links? Maybe there are more than required and you cut to suit (my preference) but if it's pre-cut to the standard setup on the bike it maybe for a 15/36, in which case it will be too short for 15/39.

IIRC with the standard setup (on 916 and I think all 748/916/996/998 are the same?) with 15/36 you need 94 links but a 15/39 will need 96? - I always buy one with more and then cut it to fit.

 

Actually, looking again it does say 94 links in the part no. "D525-VXGB-94" so I think it's too short.

 

I don't think the 996S is any different to 998 etc. with regards to the chain.

AFAIK all 916 series bikes use the same 15/36 setup from the factory (though 748 may use a thinner 520 chain but still the same length?) and they all use the same swingarm but with 3 extra teeth I doubt a 94 link would fit and if it does it will bring the wheel too far forwards.

I'd definitely go for the 112 and cut it to suit.

 

Correction to the above, I believe 748 had 14/36 and in 520 from the factory. Doesn't change anything with regards to your 996 though.

 

See Shazaam's gearing variations and chain table Ducati Sporting Club UK - View Single Post - Changing ratios - Rear Sprockets
(15-39 is a 96 link chain, 15-36 stock is a 94)
To play with the gearing to see how it affects the revs Gearing Commander - Motorcycle Speed and Drive Train Calculator v7

 

996 Gearing Recommendation

The stock 996 gearing (15/36) is unusually high, probably the highest of any Ducati model. This high gearing is the result of Ducati using a unique combination of the standard gearbox and a 1:84 primary gear ratio.

Ducati likely had difficulty meeting noise and exhaust emission limits for this model, so it solved it with high gearing to reduce rpm. It ruins the performance.

If you haven't done so already, switch to 15/43 (needs a new 98-link chain), or the equivalent 14/40 that needs 96-links.

 

Goodness me, a real blast from the past! Welcome!

 

Is this a "theoretical" best gearing option, or do you ride this option and prefer it to other options?
The reason I ask is that I tried this option and found it to be very very short gearing, to the point that I just couldn't fathom how it would be someone's preferred set up. Unless the user was riding exclusively at a very tight race track..
I found I was constantly shifting gears, having to shift gears at very inopportune times, while still at heavy lean out of big sweepers for instance, and was constantly trying to hook another gear only to realize I was already in sixth. I got rid of the set up after maybe 1500 kms. But it wasn't really a preference thing, it just didn't work!
I'm not trying to be argumentative, but based on my experience I just don't understand how this is recommended

 

Your point is well taken.

The problem with the standard gearbox used in the 996 is that the top four gears are quite high, widely spaced and hence less usable for the street in stock form. Dropping the overall gearing by using a larger rear sprocket helps at the higher gears but makes first and second and even third gear wind-out too quickly.

We should expect to need different gearing for different tracks. The problem is that myself and others will suggest sprocket sizes that can only be used as a starting point. Gear selection is very dependent upon your style of riding.

In general, you would like to have a final drive gearing that allows you to hit the peak horsepower rpm at least one place on a given track. Otherwise, you’re not using all the gears in your transmission and aren’t taking advantage of the closer spacing between the higher gears (for most bikes with a close ratio gearbox). (Daytona is an obvious exception because gearing for the high speed oval section will result in over-gearing for the infield sections. This also illustrates the need to select a compromise gearing that doesn’t permit the maximum top speed but gives better drive out of the corners.)

So, you also need to find a final drive gear ratio that will minimize your number of gear changes and still place you at engine speeds that give you the best drive out of the corners. You need to build power quickly, sometimes at the slight expense of outright top speed in the straights. The fastest lap times are not so much controlled by top speed as they are by getting from one corner to the next as quickly as possible.

Lower gearing usually means more gear changes that lower your lap times. Sometimes you just can’t shift mid-corner, so you go in slower in a lower gear which allows you to come out harder. It is always a trade-off between gear selection and riding technique.

Any final drive ratio represents a trade-off between acceleration and gear range: the lower the ratio, the quicker the acceleration and the narrower the range of speed for any one gear. Consequently, a lower final-drive ratio means that while the bike scats aggressively in any gear, it requires a more shifting because the gear range is so narrow. Add to that a close ratio set of transmission gears and you have a bike that requires more fiddling with gear selection to stay on the torque curve.

 

Thank you for your well thought out reply Shazaam