I ain't skeerd of runnin' no cush hub!

Fact is I've not heard of any KLX650R running the street tearing up any stuff either over on the KLX650 group.

 

The only thing I'm tearing up are tires, sprockets, and chains; but that's because I give her all she's got, most of the time. (Hooligans get old, they don't grow up!)

A cush hub could help preserve drive parts, yes or no?

I ask because my EX-500 was using it's 2nd set of drive parts when it grenaded at 50,000 miles. I know it was a street bike (it had a few DS adventures) and the KLX is a dirt bike that's street legal, so comparing drive train longevity is futile...but did the cush hub preserve my parts on the EX? I flogged that poor bike something fierce.

 

I could be wrong, I am a lot, but I think the cush is more a comfort thing as it would reduce a bit of drive train lash, If a 650 thumper can go without it and not spin the teeth from the gears I don't think it saves the trans much.

 

Street bike drive trains are not exposed to dirt and mud. Steel sprockets and quality o-ring chains last very well on off road bikes. Cush drive may extend life but also adds weight. Like Max said the comparison is futile. It is what it is.

 

Don't know if they make them for the KLX, but I remember there was some company that made a cush sprocket, kind of like a floating front caliper, but set up with some soft cushions in the assembly.

It might be possible, if there's enough metal on the sprocket, to drill the mount holes out to a larger size, install some elastomer bushing, use a slightly shouldered bolt and washer bigger than the hole, and you got a cush sprocket.