chain recomendations and dead horse beatings

i have all the uncorking mods on my bike and now really want to change the gearing.

i know nothing about motorcycle chains and need some recommendations, very specific recommendations. for example if you recommend EK chains there are what seem to be hundreds of different EK chains and i wont know which one you are recommending for this bike . I'd really like to keep the chain tab under $100 and id like it to be gold.

now for beating the dead horse . i am trying to decide between a 47 tooth and 45 tooth rear sprocket (steel) with the stock front sprocket. I want to be able to cruise around 75 for about 45 mins down a hwy once or twice a week to get to some mountain roads. ive read people saying the 47 tooth sprocket can do this without a problem and other people saying it is absolutely a problem . so which would be best for me?

thorfox wrote:

other people saying it is absolutely a problem

Who are these "other people" you speak of?

ive read (from a sprocket thread on SMJ) that a 12/44 combo tops out at 80 mph which is essentially a 13/47 ratio that i am looking at. and that a 13/47 combo is "screaming its head off" at 70mph.

then there is stubbz from smj that says a 13/49 will do 82 mph and "if you never gonna go above 75 id go a touch higher than a 47"

The only way your going to be running 80MPH is down hill with a strong wind at your back. Seriously, just put a 13/48 on and enjoy the hell out of it.

im really leaning towards the 47 tooth.

would this chain work for me if i cut it down?
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/61/35130/ITEM/EK-520-SRX-Gold-Chain.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch

I finally settled on a 13/47 sprocket set. It gives me the best compromise for getting to the woods, running the trails and ride back to the barn. It's not for interstate travel but fine for county roads...IMO.

Yes that chain will work, but I prefer riveted master links.

thorfox wrote:

im really leaning towards the 47 tooth.

would this chain work for me if i cut it down?
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/61/35130/ITEM/EK-520-SRX-Gold-Chain.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch

13/47 ditto that. All around best. I ride too the mountains, in the mountains, and ride howm...plus do LA freeways...
Listen, you don't need to spend $100 on a chain. Check around the interwebs. There are other o-ring chains in the $60-$80 range made by other manufacturers that are just as good for this lil putt putt.
For the 13/47 you'll need 112 links of 520 chain. Clip style masterlinks are fine.

Example: Primary Drive 520 ORH Gold X-Ring Chain 520x112 $64.80

I got this chain...http://www.d2moto.com/p-31399-520-o-ring-motorcycle-chain-with-112-links-blue.aspx

Way stronger than the stock chain. Looks nice too.

adamoto wrote:

I got this chain...

I wondered about those, the're all over ebay. I figured China-made stuff.
But if they do the trick WTF.
The WR is no torque monster, should work fine on a budget.

Yeah, I was a little skeptical at first, but I was talking to a couple people on SMJ that had them on their WRX, and I figured I would give it a try. I actually had a coupon or something and got it for like $26. Anyway after 1,000 miles or so, I've had no problems with it, the blue color is not chipping off like I expected it to, and I've only had to adjust the tension once. Just keep it clean and lubed and you should be fine... like you said, it's not a torque monster. The chain actually is a bit thicker metal than the stock chain.

Wow, a whole 1000 miles huh?

I run an RK XSO X-Ring chain and JT or Superlite steel sprockets. The combo usually lasts 10-12,000 miles of minimal maintenance, though I have friends who get closer to 20-25,000 miles out of that chain on their street bikes. Order it from Sprocket Center, $150ish shipped with a sprocket bolt kit. I'd consider running a DID chain as well. And use a rivet link, why bother with a clip unless you like having an easy failure point?

Gearing, well that depends. I like the 13/45 combo I run now with X wheels and a 150/70-17 rear tire. It was a little too buzzy and busy at highway speeds for my tastes with the shorter 150/60-17 I had on before. Haven't tried that gearing combo with an R wheel/tire yet. When I still had R wheels, I either ran 13/46 or /47. 46 was a little nicer on the highway, 47 was a little better off-road, both worked extremely well with the bike assuming you're running a taller than stock rear tire like a D606 or whatnot in 120/90-18.

skierd wrote:

And use a rivet link, why bother with a clip unless you like having an easy failure point?

I hear this a lot. I guess I have just been lucky the last 32 years of riding since I have always used clipped link chains and I have NEVER had one fail. I like being able to do road side repairs if needed and don't want to have to carry a chain breaker. I think not neglecting your chain maintenance and not running a chain until it is completely wore out, goes along way towards chain reliability, more so than clip type.

thanks for the replies and advice

i am looking into a 14/49 combo now because i cant seem to find a 45 tooth that is steel?

so as far as chains go since this is only about 30hp can i use dirt bike o-ring chains like this one?
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/9/185/5478/ITEM/Renthal-520-R3-2-O-Ring-Chain.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch

Sprocket center has steel 45t sprockets. Jt sprockets makes them as well but they're harder to find. That rebthal chain is as expensive as a DID or RK o-ring, why get a lesser quality part for the same money?

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/c/250668/1/wr-250rx-08-11.html

skierd wrote:

Sprocket center has steel 45t sprockets. Jt sprockets makes them as well but they're harder to find. That rebthal chain is as expensive as a DID or RK o-ring, why get a lesser quality part for the same money?

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/c/250668/1/wr-250rx-08-11.html

thanks but... i literally just confirmed my order for a sunstar 47 tooth and i went with the ek 112x520 srx gold chain i found for $75 on ebay. i was tired of waiting .

skierd wrote:

Wow, a whole 1000 miles huh?

I run an RK XSO X-Ring chain and JT or Superlite steel sprockets. The combo usually lasts 10-12,000 miles of minimal maintenance, though I have friends who get closer to 20-25,000 miles out of that chain on their street bike

I wasn't implying that 1,000 miles is a lot, I just thought it would stretch more than that in the first few hundred miles, being a new chain. No need for the sarcastic comments, just offering my two cents here.

Some of the WRR/X folks on ADVRider are reporting good results with the Primary Drive brand from Rocky Mtn:

http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/48/77/226/1259/-/2083/Primary-Drive-520-ORH-X-Ring-Chain

jon_l wrote:

Some of the WRR/X folks on ADVRider are reporting good results with the Primary Drive brand from Rocky Mtn:

http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/48/77/226/1259/-/2083/Primary-Drive-520-ORH-X-Ring-Chain

I can't speak for their chain, but I did buy their 48 tooth rear steel sprocket and it's a nice sprocket.

adamoto wrote:

jon_l wrote:

Some of the WRR/X folks on ADVRider are reporting good results with the Primary Drive brand from Rocky Mtn:

http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/48/77/226/1259/-/2083/Primary-Drive-520-ORH-X-Ring-Chain

I can't speak for their chain, but I did buy their 48 tooth rear steel sprocket and it's a nice sprocket.

Glad you posted! I am planning to order PD chain and 48T rear sprocket. Do I need to buy bolts with that sprocket, or can I reuse the current ones? Bike only has 4,000 km / 2,500 of easy use, so the OEM bolts should be in fine shape, if compatible. I think I read somewhere that I need to order bolts too ( I guess maybe the bolt heads are different??? ), but I haven't found anything conclusive, and Rocky Mtn isn't clear.

If yes, do you by chance has a Rocky Mtn link or part#?

jon_l wrote:

Glad you posted! I am planning to order PD chain and 48T rear sprocket. Do I need to buy bolts with that sprocket, or can I reuse the current ones? Bike only has 4,000 km / 2,500 of easy use, so the OEM bolts should be in fine shape, if compatible. I think I read somewhere that I need to order bolts too ( I guess maybe the bolt heads are different??? ), but I haven't found anything conclusive, and Rocky Mtn isn't clear.

If yes, do you by chance has a Rocky Mtn link or part#?

You do not need new sprocket bolts with the Primary Drive rear sprocket.

Thank you adamoto

Your welcome. Also with that setup you may want to consider the speedo corrector from 12oclock labs. I put the chain, sprocket, and speedo corrector on all at the same time. Your speedomoter is off from the factory already and when you put that 48t sprocket on there it's going to be way off.

If you are replacing the sprocket and chain on both, I like my 14/49, 112 link set up a lot. I kept the old 13t for running in the real slow rough stuff.

The 14/49 cruises very good at 70 to 72 mph and still works off-road very well. My top speed with this set up was (gps) 89.8 mph down a decent hill (speedo read 106 mph)

People have reported good things about Primary Drive chains and sprockets, although I am not sure they make a 14t. I have had good luck with my chain from them.

A 14t front sprocket will require removing some material from the OEM case saver, but it is only the lip on the rubber part.

adamoto wrote:

Your welcome. Also with that setup you may want to consider the speedo corrector from 12oclock labs. I put the chain, sprocket, and speedo corrector on all at the same time. Your speedomoter is off from the factory already and when you put that 48t sprocket on there it's going to be way off.

Mine came with one. I haven't messed with it yet, as I will be installing a rear tire soon too. Once it is sorted, I'll check out how to dial in the speedo.