How do you like your 13/48's

Didn't want to hijack Tony's thread but if you got a 13/48 combo tell me more please.

I have a 12/43 that I bought the bike with and it's just not working for me. I know I suck at the clutch (last bike I had/rod was in like 1988) but man, I can't master this thing no matter how much I've ridden it. (well, I've only had it since January)

I'm not too proud to admit that I've almost dumped it the other night when I downshifted into second instead of first for a slow but steep uphill right turn and the bike choked and died on me. In first this thing feels like my ricer DD, with too high (low numerically) first gear for the torque that it has.

I got no problem with the WR's power band or torque, I just don't like (my perceived) lack of starting torque in first (or second) gear. So I'm thinking of a rear sprocket upgrade (since I have the original 13t from the front).

Whit's it like on the superslab? Or on your flavor of the trails?


Grazie!


Rob

If you're at 12/46, a 13/48 isn't gonna make much difference in seat of the pants feel.

That'd be my guess anyway.

I went from 12/42 to 13/48 and I love it.

Top speed with corrected speedometer is about 80-ish depending on the length of time spent at WOT.

I have a thread around here somewhere about top speeds at redline in certain gears.

Look around and you'll get a feel for where a 13/48 combo will put you in terms of asphalt.

motokid wrote:

If you're at 12/46, a 13/48 isn't gonna make much difference in seat of the pants feel.

That'd be my guess anyway.

I went from 12/42 to 13/48 and I love it.

Top speed with corrected speedometer is about 80-ish depending on the length of time spent at WOT.

I have a thread around here somewhere about top speeds at redline in certain gears.

Look around and you'll get a feel for where a 13/48 combo will put you in terms of asphalt.

Oops, fatfingered that! I got the stock 43t rear not a 46.

Hi Rob,

Owned 7 motorcycles and ridden maybe 15, with my limited experience - I can still say that I have never ridden a motorcycle that the clutch engages as early as the WRR.

I have stalled at least 5 times on blacktop when I first picked up the WRR.

During my first trail ride, I must have restarted 30+ times!!! It was very difficult for me to adjust to the early engagment of the clutch or the "feathering" of the clutch. Yeah, the WRR battery ROCKS!

I remember being stuck on a go around round, thats when you notice that the go around is really a dead end so a go around needs its own go around. Stalled 10+ I suck a little too.

Its not YOU Rob, its the early engagement, maybe true dirt bikes are suppose to engage early so the lever doesn't have to be depressed all the way. Yamaha may have this in mind? I have never ridden a true dirt bike so I need someone to chime in on my theory.

On blacktop with stock speedo indicating 50 but my guess is 35 actual and in 4th floating, loving it. Having 2 more gears for the next 35+mph. No top speed with this combo yet. Starting in 1st gear is no problem whatsoever!!!

Rob, I think there are many of us that have stalled many times also. Good luck with your change. Keep us updated.


Tony

Yes - the stock speedo is off 7.7% or something of that nature.

The more you change the gearing, the more the speedometer is effected.

My 13/48 combo threw the speedo off by almost 25%.

12 o'clock labs makes a great, cheap, and easy to install "fix" for the speedometer correction.

Took the 13t/48t to the Pine Barrens yesterday and it proves to be an ideal combo for me, I can start in 2nd when its flat and obstruction free.
I found the 1st gear to be very useful when going through switch backs where is deep soft slippery mud, I can go slow and power thru.

Mostly rode in 2nd and 3rd, some short sections allowed for 4th. Haven't found an opportunity to find top speed yet.

During a log crossing, I wheelied over it!!!

This new gearing provided me the sudden bursts of thrust that I need. (to learn how to jump whoops)

Tony

Curbhopper wrote:

Took the 13t/48t to the Pine Barrens yesterday and it proves to be an ideal combo for me, I can start in 2nd when its flat and obstruction free.
I found the 1st gear to be very useful when going through switch backs where is deep soft slippery mud, I can go slow and power thru.

Mostly rode in 2nd and 3rd, some short sections allowed for 4th. Haven't found an opportunity to find top speed yet.

During a log crossing, I wheelied over it!!!

This new gearing provided me the sudden bursts of thrust that I need. (to learn how to jump whoops)

Tony

Yeah I think I see 13/48s in my future Tony.

Took the bike on an all afternoon/evening ride Saturday, with even a decent ride on gravel roads and some honest to g-d dirt and rocks and some sandy riverside mud (no real off road boots yet so I've stayed out of the fun stuff).

I've getting the clutch and powerband down, only stalled it maybe 2 or 3 times all day...

Nevertheless, I see the issue for me and it seems to be gearing. I got the engagement point of the clutch down but I still would like first to be a bit deeper. Playing with the clutch and no throttle and I was noticing that once the clutch engages the bike starts to move slowly and then drops in the vat of maple syrup and stalls. Yep, I know how to use gas/clutch, but a wee bit more gear would make the bike walk away easy like I want.

And I wire tied my Garmin 500 mount on the bars to check speedo error and get top speed readings. With my 12/43 combo the speedo showed about 10mph off at about 40, 11-12 at 55. On the ol interstate the bike had no problems at all getting into the mid 80's and didn't seem to be bouncing off the rev limiter.

This little thing really likes to hoof when the rpm's get up there.

I got my 13/48 done today and it feels like a new bike. I surprised myself with a wheelie in 1st!!!!

What have you made with the chain-management or chainguide at the sprocket? It seems that it waon't fit with a 48'. Actually i have changed 43 to 45- its realy tight with this thing. A 48' won't fit. Could i drive without that guide or do i have to pull it more gen engine??? Maybe could drill i third hole in to fix it...

Great site for playing with different sprocket combo's on different bikes: Gearing Commander

germanwr250r wrote:

What have you made with the chain-management or chainguide at the sprocket? It seems that it waon't fit with a 48'. Actually i have changed 43 to 45- its realy tight with this thing. A 48' won't fit. Could i drive without that guide or do i have to pull it more gen engine??? Maybe could drill i third hole in to fix it...

Not sure what you're asking here. Lost in translation perhaps?

If you want a 13/48 gearing combination you'll need a longer chain than the stock one Yamaha supplies.

There's plenty of clearance in chain guides and there's no drilling required.

In front of the sprocket(rear wheel): there is a "thing" that leads the chain to the sprocket. This "thing" is to close to the sprocket: there is no problem with a 43' but it won't fit with a 48'- the 45 sprocket is even to close to that "thing"(chainquide?): there are only a few mm between that thing and the sprocket... What have you done with that thing? Could i drive without it?
Hope you could understand what i mean now- i no other id to discripe what i mean.
In germany we call that thing: Kettenführung (chainleader)

Can you post a picture?

Here's mine. Are you talking about the piece hanging from the underside of the swingarm? The silver part?




Only thing I can tell you is I have a 13/38 set of sprockets on my US model 2008 wr250x.

I had to buy a longer chain and two new sprockets. (I wanted to replace the Yamaha 13t front with aftermarket)

There was no drilling or removing of any other Yamaha installed parts other than the stock chain and stock sprockets.



If you have something different on your 250 it might be a European model addition perhaps?
Hopefully you can post a picture of what you're concerned about.

Can you post a picture?

Here's mine. Are you talking about the piece hanging from the underside of the swingarm? The silver part?




Only thing I can tell you is I have a 13/48 set of sprockets on my US model 2008 wr250x.

I had to buy a longer chain and two new sprockets. (I wanted to replace the Yamaha 13t front with aftermarket)

There was no drilling or removing of any other Yamaha installed parts other than the stock chain and stock sprockets.



If you have something different on your 250 it might be a European model addition perhaps?
Hopefully you can post a picture of what you're concerned about.

Motokid

It looks like you have your chain pretty long and have your axle pretty far back in the adjusters. I think that this might help with the clearance between the guard and the sprocket.

In the first picture (no chain) the axle is all the way back in the slot.

However, once I cut chain to length my axle sits as close to the middle of the adjustment slot as I could get.

That shouldn't be a concern in this case. No clearance issues with chain guards. No drilling.

Yes i mean the silver thing... It was my misstake: if i take a longer chain (112 i think), the sprocket comes out of this thing (the sprocket comes back). Sorry, i don' t tbink on that.

2010 WR250 R

wanna go to 13/48 combo ( now at 12/43).

Will stock chain be long enough??

If not, is it long enough for 13/47?

TIA

DougZ wrote:

Will stock chain be long enough??

If not, is it long enough for 13/47?

No.

No.

motokid wrote:

DougZ wrote:

Will stock chain be long enough??

If not, is it long enough for 13/47?

No.

No.

I could have sworn I saw guys on ADV say you can do a 47 with the stock R chain. I imagine the X chain is less links??

45 rings more of a bell to me....and that's with next to no adjustment left .....

I have an X, and there's no way a 13/48 combo would have worked with stock chain.
I had to add 4 links.

Thanks Motokid. Skierd on ADV confirmed the same thing you were saying. I'll stick with the 12/43 for now..not enough fundage to buy chain and sprox. So far, my slider is fine....2200 miles with 12T. I keep an eye on it though.

I just went 13/48 with an alu rear sprocket and non-O-ring chain. I figure at 250cc I'll take every weight and friction break I can get. I had forgotten it was 112 links on the 48 so I just ordered up the standard 120 link and cut it down. Axle is dead center in the adjustment range. WOT in sixth gear is way faster than I need to travel on the slab. No problemo. First gear will be great in tight off-road stuff. Now if the sun would come out...

I have been seeing those non Oring/Xring chain when looking for stuff, and wondering what is up with them??

Doesn't one want those little rings on their chains?

Is this a common dirtbike thing, no o rings??

How long would they last??

DougZ wrote:

I have been seeing those non Oring/Xring chain when looking for stuff, and wondering what is up with them??

Doesn't one want those little rings on their chains?

Is this a common dirtbike thing, no o rings??

How long would they last??

1. Lower friction losses. And instead of using chain wax I'm using a lightweight Repsol racing lube, a drilled drive sprocket and an aluminium wheel sprocket.

2. Yes - For longevity and to keep out dirt and keep grease in.

3. If you're a racer, its d-riguer... Or like me; an old fart with a shop that is a fanatical cleaner / maintainer / tweeker.

4. If you don't maintain them, not too long. This is a first for me. We'll see. If I let it dry out for a day the salt put on the roads here will turn it into morning wood. They are a bit cheaper up front. But you can trash an O or X ring chain by not maintaining it as well.