the rear sprocket that was on the bike (has a rubber damper around it's circumference- genuine Honda i'm guessing?) had the step to the wheel side. The JT sprocket in the new chain kit has a nice finish on the step side but the side you'd see from exhaust side would be poor. So should the stepped face be wheel side or exhaust side? I did look through the Honda manual but it didn't really say.

My project thread has been updated with other work, tho it's didn't entail much tonight. Hopefully the Ohlins and swingarm tool will arrive tomorrow

The offset should be towards the wheel.

So, your step faces outside, thus, your nice new surface will be facing out :)

Stepped side faces wheel as original Honda.

Some pattern sprockets even have the markings [name, number of teeth] stamped on the back, just to confuse you, as normally stamped on the front

thanks guys. That's correct with the JT. the nice shiny stepped face with the markings on it will face the wheel, leaving the dull face towards the exhaust, not quite so good. thanks guys.