2007klx250s What front sprocket fits?
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From: Oakwood,GA
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Joined: Sep 2008
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Another perspective to consider with gearing. On my KLX250S I've studied 13 to 16 front sprockets. Results:
17: Haven't tried it - dunno if fits the space
16: Good for going WFO on highway
15: Deft throttle and clutch work needed off road, my favorite overall
14: Lower first gear for offroad but too buzzy on road
13: Low first gear but way too buzzy on road
Before I knew the bike better, I assumed I'd be better off with a 13-tooth front sprocket for a Ride Oklahoma Clayton Lake event in the Kiamichi Mountains of SE Oklahoma. Some really fun, gnarly, rocky, mountainous trails there, but dirt and paved road sections too.
When I first unloaded and tested the bike on tighter trails I realized the 14 would have been fine. Then later during a group ride, we hit a road section. I fanned the shifter eeh-eeh!-weeh!-eeehh!, then quickly ran out of gears and tried in vain to keep up with the KTMs and other bigger bike. I darn near twisted poor Kemit's head off as if flailing about on some anemic 4-stroke 125, pitifully, way back. Pissed me off! And I did not bring the 14 to correct the error in judgement. To each his own, but I'll not do be making that mistake again!
It's occured to me that gearing has psychological and practical considerations.
Psychological:
- Lower gearing causes increased shifting intensity, vibration, noise, etc.
This is interpreted by the monkeybrain (the lower, more animal part of the brain) as more power, acceleration, etc. For some, this is good. I mean, I see lots of frozen, baked, fried, deafened, and bug-impaled Harley riders out there.
I once did an experiment betwen two identical F650GS bikes. One geared up 15% on the final drive, one stock. Two skilled riders switched off bikes, drag racing up to ~90 mph. The results were a wash, with the more aggressive of the two riders winning despite the bike and gearing.
So the idea of more power and acceleration with lower gearing is not so straight forward. But perception can be reality.
Practical:
- Perception of gearing is pegged to rider throttle and clutch skills
How we experience gearing, especially in 1st, is directly tied to our level of clutch and throttle skill. I competed two decades in observed trials. This taught me 95th percentile throttle and clutch skills. Mostly how to calm down and slow way down. I've gotten comments while dualsporting, "Oh how'd you do that!" and, "Boy your bike must really be geared low!" Then I'd inform, "Thanks, but actually, I'm geared higher than stock at present." I'd get that blinking, blank look.
Trials teaches you to lower intensity and travel speed, or it spanks you hard with pain. The more typical practice is spastic throttle and on-off clutch work to attempt reducing the rate of forward travel. But given imprecision, it's all too easy to get that thuck! with stalled motor and the 'tricycle tipover' comedy routine. Stuck between a rock and hard place. The logical conclusion is to gear down to reduce the forward travel speed and resultant intensity, while technique does not change. Now as one progresses in skill, one learns not to release the clutch fully to stay out of trouble, but often I see really unsmooth techniques in more advanced dualsporters, even instructors.
I recently watched an instructional dualsport DVD. Overall it was pretty good. But it was like Mystery Science Theater 3000, with me muching popcorn and quipping, "Gee, look how the instructor was super glued in one place on his seat! Yikes, his throttle and clutch work at low speed is like the two legs of a staggering drunk! Pretty silly to dig big trenches climbing that steep hill.... Was it really necessary to explode across that rocky stream and take a big bath? And that was the instructor!
Now check this out to learn about trials and trials scoring and how the slower and nastier things get, the better off you are at not being throttle and clutch spastic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OztbQ...eature=related
See any spastic guys glued to their seats, flailing around and digging trenches? The better the riders are, the easier they make the tough stuff look.
Also, check out this from my friend Ryan Young:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrsbX...eature=related
This is not an example of a low-level, basic technique, but please notice how Bruce gets more slow and calm and measured as the technique advances toward the end of the video. By the way, that's not first gear. Most likely second, maybe third, yes, even from a stop. Trials bikes are geared lower, but too low a gear can be dangerous because when you need a burst of acceleration, a too-low gear will hold you back like you are tethered to a cable. It's scary, actually.
Chase other links like this on YouTube, and you can pick up a lot of technique to help your skills so you'll not need to compromise road performance to calm things down in 1st gear (if that's your goal that is).
Hope this helps.
17: Haven't tried it - dunno if fits the space
16: Good for going WFO on highway
15: Deft throttle and clutch work needed off road, my favorite overall
14: Lower first gear for offroad but too buzzy on road
13: Low first gear but way too buzzy on road
Before I knew the bike better, I assumed I'd be better off with a 13-tooth front sprocket for a Ride Oklahoma Clayton Lake event in the Kiamichi Mountains of SE Oklahoma. Some really fun, gnarly, rocky, mountainous trails there, but dirt and paved road sections too.
When I first unloaded and tested the bike on tighter trails I realized the 14 would have been fine. Then later during a group ride, we hit a road section. I fanned the shifter eeh-eeh!-weeh!-eeehh!, then quickly ran out of gears and tried in vain to keep up with the KTMs and other bigger bike. I darn near twisted poor Kemit's head off as if flailing about on some anemic 4-stroke 125, pitifully, way back. Pissed me off! And I did not bring the 14 to correct the error in judgement. To each his own, but I'll not do be making that mistake again!
It's occured to me that gearing has psychological and practical considerations.
Psychological:
- Lower gearing causes increased shifting intensity, vibration, noise, etc.
This is interpreted by the monkeybrain (the lower, more animal part of the brain) as more power, acceleration, etc. For some, this is good. I mean, I see lots of frozen, baked, fried, deafened, and bug-impaled Harley riders out there.
I once did an experiment betwen two identical F650GS bikes. One geared up 15% on the final drive, one stock. Two skilled riders switched off bikes, drag racing up to ~90 mph. The results were a wash, with the more aggressive of the two riders winning despite the bike and gearing.
So the idea of more power and acceleration with lower gearing is not so straight forward. But perception can be reality.
Practical:
- Perception of gearing is pegged to rider throttle and clutch skills
How we experience gearing, especially in 1st, is directly tied to our level of clutch and throttle skill. I competed two decades in observed trials. This taught me 95th percentile throttle and clutch skills. Mostly how to calm down and slow way down. I've gotten comments while dualsporting, "Oh how'd you do that!" and, "Boy your bike must really be geared low!" Then I'd inform, "Thanks, but actually, I'm geared higher than stock at present." I'd get that blinking, blank look.
Trials teaches you to lower intensity and travel speed, or it spanks you hard with pain. The more typical practice is spastic throttle and on-off clutch work to attempt reducing the rate of forward travel. But given imprecision, it's all too easy to get that thuck! with stalled motor and the 'tricycle tipover' comedy routine. Stuck between a rock and hard place. The logical conclusion is to gear down to reduce the forward travel speed and resultant intensity, while technique does not change. Now as one progresses in skill, one learns not to release the clutch fully to stay out of trouble, but often I see really unsmooth techniques in more advanced dualsporters, even instructors.
I recently watched an instructional dualsport DVD. Overall it was pretty good. But it was like Mystery Science Theater 3000, with me muching popcorn and quipping, "Gee, look how the instructor was super glued in one place on his seat! Yikes, his throttle and clutch work at low speed is like the two legs of a staggering drunk! Pretty silly to dig big trenches climbing that steep hill.... Was it really necessary to explode across that rocky stream and take a big bath? And that was the instructor!
Now check this out to learn about trials and trials scoring and how the slower and nastier things get, the better off you are at not being throttle and clutch spastic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OztbQ...eature=related
See any spastic guys glued to their seats, flailing around and digging trenches? The better the riders are, the easier they make the tough stuff look.
Also, check out this from my friend Ryan Young:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrsbX...eature=related
This is not an example of a low-level, basic technique, but please notice how Bruce gets more slow and calm and measured as the technique advances toward the end of the video. By the way, that's not first gear. Most likely second, maybe third, yes, even from a stop. Trials bikes are geared lower, but too low a gear can be dangerous because when you need a burst of acceleration, a too-low gear will hold you back like you are tethered to a cable. It's scary, actually.
Chase other links like this on YouTube, and you can pick up a lot of technique to help your skills so you'll not need to compromise road performance to calm things down in 1st gear (if that's your goal that is).
Hope this helps.
Last edited by Einfahrt; Mar 18, 2010 at 03:24 PM.
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