Gearing - Ride What You Brought

[Bagstr 288]

Next to suspension, gearing is the most important tuning a rider can do to improve the touring experience.

So What are you running?? I am interested in how you all approach this Dual Sport Thing. I have been running 13/48 for about a year but just changed to 13/50.

With 350cc of power on tap, the search for the perfect ratios is critical to my enjoyment on the trail.. The goal is tractability on the goat trails with enough reach to do the liaison pavement sections. A pavement cruising set-up makes the tight stuff, tough.

Share your strategy.

[paulmbowers 236]

But- a 15-32 on my bike will be very different from yours.

[bikeslut 1]

I hate to say it

"Paul's right"

Internal gear ratios differ a lot

Running 15-49 on a 5 speed DRZ- that's for dirt

For true dual sport- stock 15-44

For street- 15-41...yeah- I have to swap chains

[robertaccio 412]

here's something for y'all to play with. He's got preloaded internal transmission spec bikes loaded. And you can manually enter those specs as well. Its all in the math.

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

[Crawdaddy 96]

14/50 on the 350 - Good "all around" gearing for Dual Sport......the 350XCF-W came with 13/52 which "I" felt was too low for Dual Sport

14/48 on the 300 - Desert Season gearing....still a bit too low actually.....may buy a cheap steel rear 45 to check it out.... (I'll switch the 300 to 13/50 or 52 in the late Spring/summer when the going gets technical/rocky/slow/tight up in Big Bear/Bass Lake/etc.)

Excerpt from this article/review by Chilly White: http://www.enduro360.com/2011/11/12/featured/2012-ktm-350exc-review/

The Ride Experience- So I hit the road to do about 50 miles of tarmac out to the desert. The stock gearing is a tallish 14/45. I am sure this is to help meet sound requirements. We made a change to 13/48 for the initial test. This worked fine with the stock chain length. As soon as I hit the road, it was obvious that this was a little low for street riding.

Now the first thing I am sure most will say it that no one really expects the little EXC to be much of a street bike. The thing is, it is an absolute blast on a winding road. The chassis, motor and brakes make a potent package for hustling down any twisty two lane.

Most of San Diego County is dotted with just such roads. The steep grade on hwy 78 east of Julian is so tight that it is tedious on a large bike. The 350 feels like a bicycle on such roads and sails through the corners with little to no effort. Turn in is super light and the brakes only need the lightest touch to scrub off speed.

The light spring rates make for a supple road ride and at no point does the bike feel skittish, it is solid and planted. There is not much vibration. So with the proper gearing it is a fun partner for the road. I switched to 14/48, which worked very well, giving a smooth 60mph cruising speed and max somewhere north of 90 miles per hour.

Once on the dirt the real fun begins. The challenge of the mid displacement class is to try to get the performance of a 450 with handling like a 250. For the most part the 350 does that.

The small motor does need to spin a little higher and it seems happiest that way. Shifting is a little more frequent to accomplish this, but the tranny is smooth and with little engine braking it is easy to row back and forth between the gears without upsetting the chassis.

The only place that the motor gets you in trouble is in situations where a quick throttle blip is needed to lift the front wheel. Because the motor is happy chugging along in a tall gear, a downshift is needed to loft the front end over obstacles. As long as you can remember that, things are fine, otherwise a twist of the throttle brings a sluggish reaction.

[amgems 79]

No Standard

Use what works for you

I run 13/52 on a 2012 350 EXC-F

YMMV

[Dress4Less 162]

here's something for y'all to play with. He's got preloaded internal transmission spec bikes loaded. And you can manually enter those specs as well. Its all in the math.

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

Robert - That is a slick tool! Thanks for sharing. I run 14/48 on my WR450...great geaqring for me off-road but, too low for me on any extended slab. JMHO...

[Spaugh 1]

13/50 is what i'm running on mine which has the same 3rd-6th gears. By the way, I just purchased the "W" 1st and 2nd gears and will be installing them in the next month or two. Its got 200hrs and I was already going to give it a new piston. Will put in the "W" gears at the same time if you want to come watch the 350 engine get ripped all the way apart.

[Crawdaddy 96]

..... if you want to come watch the 350 engine get ripped all the way apart.

I'd like to swing by for the tear down/learn a few things.......what's the beer preference?

[Bagstr 288]

Oh Yes Mr. Spaugh, More please. On your schedule. Mine is fast approaching 200hrs. I have this fantasy that yours will be " Like New" and I won't need the rings at this point. I know, Crazy.

13/50 is what i'm running on mine which has the same 3rd-6th gears. By the way, I just purchased the "W" 1st and 2nd gears and will be installing them in the next month or two. Its got 200hrs and I was already going to give it a new piston. Will put in the "W" gears at the same time if you want to come watch the 350 engine get ripped all the way apart.

[downs 1]

I running the stock ratios on the Big Blue Pig. Might have to try some different ones.

[Spaugh 1]

Oh Yes Mr. Spaugh, More please. On your schedule. Mine is fast approaching 200hrs. I have this fantasy that yours will be " Like New" and I won't need the rings at this point. I know, Crazy.

13/50 is what i'm running on mine which has the same 3rd-6th gears. By the way, I just purchased the "W" 1st and 2nd gears and will be installing them in the next month or two. Its got 200hrs and I was already going to give it a new piston. Will put in the "W" gears at the same time if you want to come watch the 350 engine get ripped all the way apart.

well I just ordered the gears a couple days ago so it may take a while to get those. They may have to order those from Australia

I'll let you guys know when I get the parts and will aim for a Saturday to open it.

Personally, I wouldn't open the engine and just put in rings, why not just put a new piston and small bearing in it? Thats a lot of effort to half ass it IMO.

[tsr 0]

here's something for y'all to play with. He's got preloaded internal transmission spec bikes loaded. And you can manually enter those specs as well. Its all in the math.

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

Robert - That is a slick tool! Thanks for sharing...

+1

[amgems 79]

No Standard

Use what works for you

I run 13/52 on a 2012 350 EXC-F

YMMV

OOps!

Checked after I got home

13/50 is really what I'm running

[stomp944 0]

14/50. works well street and dirt.

[hodnettjj 0]

I have 14/49 on a Drz 440...

It doesn't have much top end... but very torquey...

[Bagstr 288]

13/50 Report

As said above, just changed from 13/48. Works well for My rate of travel in the Dez. Pavement = 55-60 mph. More to the point the ratio gave me a more usable 2nd gear. Previously, on a certain tough, soft hillclimb, I had to drop into 1st which dropped me into a sand hole. This time I was able to maintain good progress in second and stay on top of the very soft sand.

For camping and travel with a good deal of pavement, it will need the 13/48, maybe.

[robertaccio 412]

y'all are throwing out final drive ratios on various brands and different models of the same brand, its all apples and oranges. Unless you talk DRZ, or KTM350, or Husky310 for example it really doesnt mean much. (I think y'all know that) Yes I said Y'all and Im from NY.

and dont forget your gearing commander!!

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

Also you can go and research what the oem offroad spec and DS specs are for each model. for example TE310 OEM street/EPA/Sound comes with 13/40, the racing/offroad spec is 13/50, I used 13/52 for a while but it got to be too jumpy so I went back to 13/50 for a more smooth ride on decel especially. So focus on each model and find neeervana haha