What's your gearing combination and chain length?

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  #21  
Old 12-15-2014, 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Rock Hugger
How far forward is your axle in the adjuster with the 13/51? I have a 4.00x18 mt43 rear tire, the diameter is larger than stock and almost rubs the splash guard w/ 13/42 gearing.
It's listed above. Snail adjuster on position 1.5.

Originally Posted by 4vman1
But then I read on here people are dropping one on the front and adding 8 on the back. I feel like you'd be able to take off in third. I guess to each their own... I have a dj jet kit and klx mffler.
On the street, I can take off in third with the low gearing.
 
  #22  
Old 12-15-2014, 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by 4vman1
I must be missing something. I've only had my 09 klx250s for about a month now, but right away I thought the previous owner geared it down since I felt 1st was almost useless and a shift to 2nd was immediately needed the second the clutch was out in first. I took off in second a few times my first real dirt ride. Upon closer inspection, 14-42 stock. I hated it on the little bit of road I have to do to hit trails. Yesterday I tried a 15 up front. At 65mph, it dropped the rpm's 1000 and on the trail, first felt a hair too tall, but at least it was usable instead of always needing second. But then I read on here people are dropping one on the front and adding 8 on the back. I feel like you'd be able to take off in third. I guess to each their own... I have a dj jet kit and klx mffler.
It depends on the kind of riding you're doing. If I were doing lots of street riding, maybe some gravel roads, I'd either leave it stock or go 15T front. I do primarily tight single-track woods and have a 13T/47T combination that works very well. You'd probably burn up your clutch with a 15T/42T combination in most of this stuff:
 
  #23  
Old 12-15-2014, 09:14 PM
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Nice trail and great start! Watched a few minutes. Looks like there's places where you can even get into 2nd gear!

What's with your dash?
 
  #24  
Old 12-15-2014, 11:09 PM
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Originally Posted by 4vman1
I guess to each their own... I have a dj jet kit and klx mffler.
Just depends on your riding. I creep up and down steep, narrow, twisting, rocky trails going around and between trees and cacti. 90% of my riding time is in first or second gear. Wouldn't mind even lower gearing.
 
  #25  
Old 12-15-2014, 11:16 PM
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Originally Posted by IDRIDR
What's with your dash?
Looks like a mount for an LED array or something like that. I have one of those: "36 watt" (not really), 12 LEDs.
 
  #26  
Old 12-16-2014, 12:37 AM
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My dirt excursion was really tight trails. Imagine the trails in the video except not maintained so a bunch of ferns and face slappers all over. I'll admit that for the super tight-make your own trail that we have in the Pacific Northwest, the stock gearing was better as you could let the clutch out in first and not even have to worry about applying throttle. It just seems to me like folks are doing themselves a disservice by gearing so low. But the whole dual sport thing is about compromise, that is for sure.
 
  #27  
Old 12-16-2014, 02:50 AM
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I got the 13/49 sprockets installed, I think its going to be good on the trails, I'll hopefully find out next week. What did you guys do with the lower chain guard with the larger rear sprocket? The stock one wont work anymore.
 
  #28  
Old 12-16-2014, 03:47 AM
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With the 351 and the rest of the engine work i've done it will pull the stock 14/42 gearing but the problem I sometimes run into is that with that setup the rpm drop on upshifts when going up some of the terrain I encounter requires covering the clutch to make sure it would make it. I'm talking about slopes greater then 45 deg with some switchbacks thrown in for good measure.
I have ended up with a 14/45 combo(works out about the same as the 13/42) and it lets me grunt up hills with no problem and still lets me travel at 60mph when connecting trails over the road. If I stayed completely offroad I wouldn't hesitate to add 3 or 4 teeth on the rear. The other advantage of running steeper gearing offroad is that you have better control on downhill descents due to more engine braking.
 
  #29  
Old 12-17-2014, 02:20 AM
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Originally Posted by IDRIDR
Nice trail and great start! Watched a few minutes. Looks like there's places where you can even get into 2nd gear!

What's with your dash?
I redid the 'number plate' area with sheet metal so I could mount 6 4.5W LED's - and on the top are 2 switches - one for 2 of the LED's and one for the other 4 (it's really nice when we stop in the middle of the woods in the pitch black to have just 2 LED's on to light up the area, without having the ignition on and wearing down the battery - the LEDs use so little power): short video here:
I do quite a bit of night riding on those trails, and the LED's really fill in the dark areas. I ended up using the stock plastic number plate when I put 4 LED's on m son's KLX. I didn't want to drill 6 holes in my number plate plastic, but his was pretty beat up already, so I had no problems drilling holes in it.

With the 13/47 gearing, I'm usually in 2nd or third on these trails, unless it's a really steep hill (the one at the start is pretty steep, but doesn't look as steep in the video.)
 

Last edited by rgmr250; 12-17-2014 at 02:22 AM.
  #30  
Old 12-17-2014, 02:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Rock Hugger
I got the 13/49 sprockets installed, I think its going to be good on the trails, I'll hopefully find out next week. What did you guys do with the lower chain guard with the larger rear sprocket? The stock one wont work anymore.
We put a 13/49 combination on my son's 2009 KLX250s and didn't have a problem with the stock chain guide/guard. I have a Moose racing (stronger than stock) lower chain guide on mine and had to dremel out a little slot (about 1/4" deep) in the upper plastic guide for the sprocket, otherwise the sprocket hit it.
 


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