13 - 47t vs 13 - 48t

Getting ready to pull the trigger on a new rear sprocket. Is their much difference between these two other than one tooth? Any input is appreciated.

I have 13/48 and feel it is a little bit crazy.  I top out at around 70 mph (with a SpeedoDRD) and the engine revs quite high at that point and there is not much power left for overtaking.  That's on the freeway though.  In the city, the 48 rear is a lot of fun.  Coming from 13/43, there is a crazy amount of torque now available.

If I did it again, though, I would probably go with a 47 as a better compromise.

Im leaning towards the 47 maybe even a 46. I do a decent amount of highway riding. Will the 47 get the front off the ground without clutching?

I was running 13/48 in Colorado this year when doing the COBDR.  Worked out fairly well especially with the power loss from the altitude that we were riding at.  

Once I got back to GA I went to 14/48 and that was much better on the road and thought that I would just switch front sprockets if I got into anything tight.  Then I tried 14/50 and that seems to be a pretty good overall compromise.

14/49 on mine with an MT43 rear tire, cruises 65-70 (actual speed) amazingly well & will climb anything I can keep the front tire down for.
50T rear might be perfect.

rocketjump wrote:

I have 13/48 and feel it is a little bit crazy.  I top out at around 70 mph (with a SpeedoDRD) and the engine revs quite high at that point and there is not much power left for overtaking.  That's on the freeway though.  In the city, the 48 rear is a lot of fun.  Coming from 13/43, there is a crazy amount of torque now available.

If I did it again, though, I would probably go with a 47 as a better compromise.

You top out at 70mph?????  

I have a 13/48 combo and I top out at around 84 mph.

I love the 13/48 combo.   

I have a 14/50 combo. Perfect for the dirt around here.

Nice tool here:

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

Thanks for everyone's input.

motokid wrote:

rocketjump wrote:

I have 13/48 and feel it is a little bit crazy.  I top out at around 70 mph (with a SpeedoDRD) and the engine revs quite high at that point and there is not much power left for overtaking.  That's on the freeway though.  In the city, the 48 rear is a lot of fun.  Coming from 13/43, there is a crazy amount of torque now available.

If I did it again, though, I would probably go with a 47 as a better compromise.

You top out at 70mph?????  

I have a 13/48 combo and I top out at around 84 mph.

I love the 13/48 combo.   

It could go faster, but I don't like stressing the engine and the bike feels really unstable. So, I comfortably top out at 70 :p

To answer another above question, 13/47 would definitely get the front off the ground in 1st with no clutch. 2nd would be tougher but possible.

rocketjump wrote:

It could go faster, but I don't like stressing the engine and the bike feels really unstable.  So, I comfortably top out at 70 :p

To answer another above question, 13/47 would definitely get the front off the ground in 1st with no clutch.  2nd would be tougher but possible.

13/45 will easily lift the front in 1st with no clutch.

You also have to keep in mind the people giving recommendations, some have an X and some have an R. The different size rear wheel will make some difference. My 13/45 is good for daily commuting where my typical cruising speed is 45-55 mph (on an X). I have a short stretch of highway, and it has no problem holding 75 to 80 mph. I will probably go to a 46 or 47 rear for the next replacement.

I have been running 13/48 for awhile now and I think 46-47 is where I want to be.
1st and 2nd with a 48 are so short and the throttle is ultra sensitive on first and second.
That being said I like the low end you gain from 3rd up. I just feel that 1st and 2nd
are so awkward I it takes away from the other fun.

You really may want to try a 14 front with the 48 rear.

4play wrote:

You really may want to  try a 14 front with the 48 rear.

Yeah, I think I will have to reconsider a 14 on the front. Took a look at it on gearingcommander.com
and It looks like it will get me where I want to be. Thanks.

I have a sun star 47 tooth sprocket for sale. If you interested

All these answers making me happy lol I ordered a 13/48 with new chain to go on Friday, I can't wait

I'm getting ready to do that set up right now!

I ran 13/48 last season.
I mainly ride in the New England woods. I found that I seemed to be sitting right between 1st and 2nd gear a lot.
I am putting on a 50T rear this season.

Gath3r13 wrote:

I ran 13/48 last season.
I mainly ride in the New England woods. I found that I seemed to be sitting right between 1st and 2nd gear a lot.
I am putting on a 50T rear this season.

13/50 is what I run here in the So. Cal. desert, washes, and mountains... The torque is fantastic.

4play wrote:

14/49 on mine with an MT43 rear tire, cruises 65-70 (actual speed) amazingly well & will climb anything I can keep the front tire down for.
50T rear might be perfect.

I run 14/50 with a MT-43 rear tire for my "all around gearing" and like it very much.

I throw on a 13 front for severely nasty, elevation change single trail stuff and love the way it "chugs".

Gath3r13 wrote:

I ran 13/48 last season.
I mainly ride in the New England woods. I found that I seemed to be sitting right between 1st and 2nd gear a lot.
I am putting on a 50T rear this season.

I had that issue when I had 13-50 and a small rear tire (worn down 100/100 tm2, 13-50 was great with a big tall tire) 14-50 is better for me with a small rear tire, I can stay in low a lot more riding the speed I want to. The guys I ride with seam to go about as fast as 14-50 in first is when riding the local nasty muddy trails.

Im getting 13-48 (I need a new chain anyhow mines starting to kink) for this year to go with a 110/100 tire, it should be really close to 14-50 with a small tire plus I can put the 14 front back on for long road trips if I ever do them.

You need to consider tire height when picking sprockets as it makes a couple of teeth difference, ie 13-48 with a stock sized tire is roughly equal to 13-50 with a 120/100.

Biglake wrote:

Gath3r13 wrote:

I ran 13/48 last season.
I mainly ride in the New England woods. I found that I seemed to be sitting right between 1st and 2nd gear a lot.
I am putting on a 50T rear this season.

I had that issue when I had 13-50 and a small rear tire (worn down 100/100 tm2, 13-50 was great with a big tall tire) 14-50 is better for me with a small rear tire, I can stay in low a lot more riding the speed I want to. The guys I ride with seam to go about as fast as 14-50 in first is when riding the local nasty muddy trails.

Im getting 13-48 (I need a new chain anyhow mines starting to kink) for this year to go with a 110/100 tire, it should be really close to 14-50 with a small tire plus I can put the 14 front back on for long road trips if I ever do them.

You need to consider tire height when picking sprockets as it makes a couple of teeth difference, ie 13-48 with a stock sized tire is roughly equal to 13-50 with a 120/100.

so when i switch from the kenda trackmaster II with 13-48 to the MT43 it will be like a 13-50, or the other way around?

gearing is nuts...

I just went with 13/47, and swapped the stock trailwangs out for heidenau k60 scouts. The scout is a 120/90-18, and sits higher than the stock tire. With the new gearing and new tire the bike is unexpectedly tall (gear wise) I'm looking at a 14 tooth for longer trips. I had done some research beforehand on gearing and didn't expect the 47 to make such a difference. I miss the longer 1st gear around town but I'm sure I won't once I hit the trail.

doc_simple wrote:

Biglake wrote:

Gath3r13 wrote:

I ran 13/48 last season.
I mainly ride in the New England woods. I found that I seemed to be sitting right between 1st and 2nd gear a lot.
I am putting on a 50T rear this season.

I had that issue when I had 13-50 and a small rear tire (worn down 100/100 tm2, 13-50 was great with a big tall tire) 14-50 is better for me with a small rear tire, I can stay in low a lot more riding the speed I want to. The guys I ride with seam to go about as fast as 14-50 in first is when riding the local nasty muddy trails.

Im getting 13-48 (I need a new chain anyhow mines starting to kink) for this year to go with a 110/100 tire, it should be really close to 14-50 with a small tire plus I can put the 14 front back on for long road trips if I ever do them.

You need to consider tire height when picking sprockets as it makes a couple of teeth difference, ie 13-48 with a stock sized tire is roughly equal to 13-50 with a 120/100.

so when i switch from the kenda trackmaster II with 13-48 to the MT43 it will be like a 13-50, or the other way around?

gearing is nuts...

Other way around.

I too have a tire with a lot larger diameter than stock -- Mitas E-07 120/80-18 -- Which really is more like an 87.3% profile as far as circumference goes. Depending on what you have around for a measurement of the tire diameter at a pressure you might be using, that may be the harder part ; } ...Because it doesn't take long to get all this figured out in Gearing Commander which even has a presets for stock WR250R and X. Based on measured tire diameter * pi, which you input into the tire circumference field for CURRENT and/or CUSTOM, that will calculate a PROFILE percent also -- which you can use for calculations in 12oClockLabs' SpeedoDRD calculator if you don't use a GPS to help calibrate their speedometer healer.

http://www.gearingcommander.com/

http://www.12oclocklabs.com/sdrd_calc.htm