I'm in the process of getting licensed to hit the highway on this bike, but my seeming problem is at 100km/h it revs at around 7000rpm I beleive. Would Changing the gearing helps with dropping the roms enough to still keep it at 100?
the 351 is in my future later this year but I would like to access more country via the highway in the meantime. Maybe hit up a 350 km road trip back home once in a while. Any suggestions for dropping the Rpm at 100km/h are greatly welcomed. Thanks

 

Stock sprockets? If so put a 15T on. Makes a great difference.

 

Why do want to do that? A 250 Klx will cruise all day at 7k. With the 351 it makes sense as the powerband is shifted lower

 

Sprockets fix a lot, going up or down, cheap an easy. For you though, 7,000 is a safe cruising speed, all day long.

Sprocket Calculator - The easy motorcycle sprocket and chain calculator

 

pardon my ignorance, but is that a figure of speech?
To me the little engine just sounds like it wasn't to have a stroke. Everybody seems to say these bikes are bulletproof and super reliable. I guess I'm just overly cautious is all.....(this is my first 4 stroke bike, I've ran 2 strokes up until now. I'm used to the 2 stroke scream, just not the 4 stroke noise I guess)

 

The engine is the least of the problems when highway riding a bike like the KLX, the seat is the problem. Narrow and plank-like. The bike with stock gearing will run 100km/hr (around 62 mph) all day long, but your butt isn't gonna like it. If you want to drop the rpm a bit and don't plan much hard off road, install a 15T front sprocket. If you really want to drop it go to a 39T rear. I had that set up for a bit, had to do at least 100 km/hr before shifting to sixth. Cruising 70 was no problem other than having to downshift on some hills. Wouldn't do any good off road though.

 

I travel 20 miles one way to work. When I take my KLX, it revs at 9,000+ to keep the SoCal traffic speeds. I now have it geared 14/50. I admit I'm focused on the RPMs, but in actuality, it never fazes this amazing bike. The motor was engineered decades ago, refined along the way. It has proper oiling, rev limiter, etc. They are bulletproof, unlike KTM, Beta, etc, this bike will never, never need rebuilt, even 30,000 mile later.

 

IMO, If you have any long uphills you're not going to like the taller gearing.

 

I just went to 13-39 on my SF so I can maintain speed on steeper grades

 

One word - downshift!

Keep the 14 or 15/39 for the top speed when it can be run, and downshift.

Unless you actually do some off roading and need the lower ratio.

If I ran an SM on roads I'd run a 15/39... I did on my S model, but needed to set up for dual sporting and went back to the 13/42. I had the sprockets but too short a chain to run a 15/45. Next time the chain changes It will have the 15. Less chain wrap, less wear