14/50 for me.

Hi all,

After reading and reading and re-reading commentary and opinions, and playing with http://www.gearingcommander.com/ I decided on 14/50.

I replaced front and rear sprockets, chain and slider.

Only have gotten to ride it on the street but I like it a lot. Just enough change (8%) to have a comfortable 1st gear cruise speed in the neighborhood instead of jerkiness.

Did about 7 miles each way to and from work, no marks on the new chain guard.

Looking forward to trying it off road.

Does anyone else have this setup that would like to share their chain tension ideas with me.

-Jon

How would this compare to a 13/48 setup?

crazy_dave wrote:

How would this compare to a 13/48 setup?

According to the gearing commander page the difference between stock 13/43 and 13/48 is an 11.63% change. 13/43 to 14/50 is a 7.97% change. So 3.66% lower geared with 13/48.

Again, using gearing commander, RPM at 65, 6th gear, will be 6931 (stock), 7484 (14/50) and 7737 (13/48).

I live in San Pedro, CA (Southwest of Los Angeles city center) and have to ride a lot of freeway to get to the trails. I am hoping that this will be the sweet spot that will let me hold 6th gear in rolling hills on the freeway at 65-70 but not be too buzzy. RPM wise, my new 6th gear at 65 is like riding in 5th gear at 62 with the stock gears. I ran the numbers for different speeds and gear combos and then went out and rode to see what the difference felt like in vibrations, throttle response and sound. This (14/50) was tolerable as far as vibes go and felt like enough difference to me. Time will tell.

-Jon

Ok, so now I have taken it to work on the freeway at speed a few times. I like it. Smoother to take off from a stop with a little more get up and go. Felt my forks extend all the way when getting on the throttle in first and second. (Never even tried a wheelie before and still haven't)

Much more responsive to throttle at the right speeds. 35, 50-55, 65-70, the speeds that I tend to find in traffic and makes it more comfortable to ride there. Just starting to get noticably buzzy as I go over 70. Haven't looked for the max yet and no need to twist to the stop to accelerate. Still looking for 7th gear of course .

All unscientific, all by seat of the pants, but the grin is bigger. Can't wait to try it on the trails.

Since it is almost exactly the same as the 14-50 set up.... I agree, it is better on the street in all the right places

jkstehn wrote:

Ok, so now I have taken it to work on the freeway at speed a few times. I like it. Smoother to take off from a stop with a little more get up and go. Felt my forks extend all the way when getting on the throttle in first and second. (Never even tried a wheelie before and still haven't)

Much more responsive to throttle at the right speeds. 35, 50-55, 65-70, the speeds that I tend to find in traffic and makes it more comfortable to ride there. Just starting to get noticably buzzy as I go over 70. Haven't looked for the max yet and no need to twist to the stop to accelerate. Still looking for 7th gear of course .

All unscientific, all by seat of the pants, but the grin is bigger. Can't wait to try it on the trails.

You got a speedometer corrector, or are you using a gps to measure speed?

If not - your Yamaha speedometer if off by probably 15% or more. As in, it's showing a faster speed than you are actually going.

motokid wrote:

jkstehn wrote:

Ok, so now I have taken it to work on the freeway at speed a few times. I like it. Smoother to take off from a stop with a little more get up and go. Felt my forks extend all the way when getting on the throttle in first and second. (Never even tried a wheelie before and still haven't)

Much more responsive to throttle at the right speeds. 35, 50-55, 65-70, the speeds that I tend to find in traffic and makes it more comfortable to ride there. Just starting to get noticably buzzy as I go over 70. Haven't looked for the max yet and no need to twist to the stop to accelerate. Still looking for 7th gear of course .

All unscientific, all by seat of the pants, but the grin is bigger. Can't wait to try it on the trails.

You got a speedometer corrector, or are you using a gps to measure speed?

If not - your Yamaha speedometer if off by probably 15% or more. As in, it's showing a faster speed than you are actually going.

\


Sorry, should have stated earlier. All speeds are GPS speeds. Speedo is WAY off now. 70 is around 85 indicated.

Just curious why you went this route:

14/50=3.57 ratio...two new sprockets and new chain
12/43=3.58 ratio....one new sprocket

Plus, much more power robbing rotating weight with the 14/50 setup

DragonNester wrote:

Just curious why you went this route:

14/50=3.57 ratio...two new sprockets and new chain
12/43=3.58 ratio....one new sprocket

Plus, much more power robbing rotating weight with the 14/50 setup

One reason is exactly what you are questioning, is that the ratios are about the same and plenty of folks really liked the change after dropping to a 12 tooth up front. But there is some debate about chain slider wear being made slightly worse by the 12 tooth. https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/t4825-swingarm-eaten-by-chain?highlight=slider

Previous owner and my own failure to perform proper chain cleaning led to an early chain demise with kinking links that were eating my slider and both sprockets were wearing badly.

So after a couple other folks tried out this combo I decided to try it to.

-Jon

It is normal, natural, and the intended purpose of the chain slider to wear.

How quickly that happens is the debate, and most of that is centered around the chain tension being set too tight.


In the thread you linked, Jager's issue was caused by a rock getting stuck in his chain guard, which totally changed a number of things.

It had nothing to do with a 12t sprocket on the front.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.....

crazy_dave wrote:

How would this compare to a 13/48 setup?

This excellent tool shows differences in top speeds, and axle 'movement' relative to stock, for any variations of:
Tire sizes, front sprocket, rear sprocket, # chain links.

http://www.gearingcommander.com/