Chains and Sprockets

I've been fairly happy with the RK x-ring chain so far.

I felt like maybe I picked up some vibes with the 12/43 instead of the stock X 13/42. I tried the stock WRR gearing of 13/43 but it felt a little weak in 6th gear on the highway; pretty much had to use 5th gear.

So the final drive ratio of 12/43 suits me fine. I'm going to try 14/50 since that's about the same ratio. I'll be trying a 118 link chain this time to see if I can get away with moving the rear wheel a bit farther back.

That's an experiment to see if I can slow the low speed steering a bit. That experiment may flop for a couple of reasons, but I can easily shorten the chain; not as easy to lengthen it.

This time it's a gold RK x-ring chain, but that part is eye wash.

Likewise, I'm using Sprocket Center's "superlight" steel sprockets because I like the holes in the front sprocket for helping chuck mud (well, maybe; maybe not - who knows) and I like the rear sprocket because it looks all swoopy and stuff. More eyewash, I guess.


My swingarm guard or whatever that plastic chain rider thing is up front has some grooves in it, but nothing really bad yet. But then, the 13/42 X gearing was wearing the back of it whereas the 12/43 gearing is wearing the front of it. Don't know if I can quite figure out what that means, really. Probably the opposite of the obvious due to the chain's sharp curving around the countershaft sprocket?


So I'm sayin' I'm curious to see how that plastic guard wears with 14/50. I think it might be better so it might ACTUALLY turn out to be much worse. Thanks, Murphy. I can always count on ya'.


Last chain I riveted. This one I'll try clipped for easier maintenance??


I'll try to remember to post back if I think I've learned anything from this after some miles.

Larry S.


That's what I'm trying this time.

12/50 here.

Now I need to get my GPS to see what my real top end is though, as I forgot that my indicated 65 is probably way off.

So, not too long after I bought the WRR, I installed a Supersprox 47T rear sprocket and an RK X-Ring chain. However, even though I ordered a sweet AFAM 13T front sprocket, I didn't install it at first. Well, a few pages back I complained about a "squeaking" noise that I heard when moving the R slowly, or when compressing the shocks. As I predicted, it turned out to be the damn rubber that Yamaha put on the stock front sprocket. As soon as I replaced the stock front with the AFAM, the noise went away.

Looking at the stock sprocket, the chain definitely rides on top of the rubber, making the whole process quieter but also generating the metal-on-rubber squeak. Now that I have a normal sprocket, I definitely hear the chain more, but it's the kind of noise you know and expect. So, good deal.

On my 2008 WR-250R, I ran 12/47 sprockets and still got a top speed of around 80mph, and I'd regularly cruise at 65mph on my 13-mile commute to work.

So, the door is wide open to you to experiment.

In my opinion, 12/47 (or 13/51 if you are hesitant to use a smaller front sprocket - I had zero trouble with mine)
is an excellent choice for off-road usage, yet the bike will still easily keep up with traffic.

With my 12/47 sprockets, I used a 110-link chain (stock is 108).

Getting that countershaft sprocket off?

I destaking that pseudo lock ring, and I cant even get that nut off with my big Snap On impact.

Make sure the lock tabs (on both sides) are fully clear.
18-inch breaker bar with the correct socket.
Tranny in 1st gear, stand on right-hand side of the bike, step on rear brake pedal (the drive chain needs to still be on the sprockets), put the breaker and socket on the nut, and pull upward on the breaker bar.

I didnt know the procedure for adjusting the chain tension had changed from the service manual I have.

I adjusted mine just abit under the max of 1.9 inches in slack.

Using the new procedure, I might be just a hair tight, but its a new chain and should stretch some.

Hi all, just replaced rear sprocket with a Supersprox 48 tooth item but left the 13 tooth front. My bike is totally off-road use only and the difference is awesome. Heaps more control, first gear now walks up steep inclines, also help control on the downhill sections. Instead of running around in basically 2nd gear all the time with standard gearing, now I am using all gears except for maybe 6th. A must do mod if your bike is only used off-road. cheers.

I originally had mine at 12/50, put the 13 back on, and now am switching back to 12t.

I know one guy for a trail only bike, that runs 12/52.

I have both wheels and up until this winter I was using the stock rear sprockets for both wheels with a 12t up front. the most annoying part to me of swapping the wheels was adjusting the chain back and forth each time. I need new sprockets/chain so I picket up a couple of 45T sprockets to put on each wheel so I will be running a 12-45 combo on both wheel sets this next year. I wanted to go a little higher and I think this will be as far as I will want to go whilw still commuting to work 16 miles on the highway, but I won't be able to comment on that for a couple months though being I'm in MN and we have lots of snow and ice right now.

I finally got around to installing a 48 tooth today on my x, I also replaced the front sprocket (13T) along with a new chain (DID VM). I like the new setup, she stood straight up with ease in second with a little help from the clutch My only issue is I hear a whining noise from the chain when I'm decelerating with the clutch in. I'm thinking it could be the new chain wearing into the guide? Any ideas? The tension seems to be good.

Did you lube the new chain good?

supernac wrote:

I finally got around to installing a 48 tooth today on my x, I also replaced the front sprocket (13T) along with a new chain (DID VM). I like the new setup, she stood straight up with ease in second with a little help from the clutch My only issue is I hear a whining noise from the chain when I'm decelerating with the clutch in. I'm thinking it could be the new chain wearing into the guide? Any ideas? The tension seems to be good.

YZEtc wrote:

If your new front sprocket has no rubber dampers on it like the stock one did, that's my guess.

It’s a supersprox, doesn’t look like it has a damper on it so that may be the issue.

Akasy wrote:

Did you lube the new chain good?

I didn’t add any additional lube; it was coated really well in the grease that it came in.

anyone know how many teeth I can go up on the rear with a 12 front and still use the stock chain?

45.

Sorry if this has been discussed before. I bought a set of X wheels for my R and I'm looking at rear sprockets. For those of you running both wheels, what is the maximum rear sprocket size difference between the two sets, while using the same chain. I was thinking of a 48T on the R and 44T on the X wheels, 4 teeth. Is that too much?

I will not be riding on the freeway and maximum cruising speed will be around 65 mph.

Thanks for the help,

Dan

I have the same setup and I was running the stock 42 and 43 on mine so I'm not sure what the maximum difference would be running the same chain but I was usually turning the adjustment screws about 1 3/4 full turns (about 14-16 times with the wrench turning it about an 1/8th of a turn) so you could use that as a guide to see how much room you have for adjustment now. You would probably need somewhere close to 7 full turns on the screw for a 4 tooth difference. keep in mind as the chain stretches over time you'll need enough adjustment range left in those screws to account for that as well.

edit:
thought about this some more today and realized I'm not doing 1/8th turns I'm doing 1/6th turns, so 15 turns would be 2 1/2 full turns on the screws to change rear sprockets that are 1 tooth different. not sure if that equates to 10 full turns to go up 4 teeth but probably somewhere in that area.

Ivan is running a 44T SM and 47T Dirt , so a three tooth difference will work with the same chain. The local moto store suggested having a separate chain for each set up to allow matched wearing and a larger tooth dirt sprocket. I was looking for a quick swap out when I'm riding on vacation. One day street and the next on dirt. I don't really want to be swapping out chains, but it might be required if I'll be riding steep technical trails.

Thanks for the feedback

Dan

44 is like doing nothing for the street use, go higher if you dont care to do 90-100. i tried out my +7 13/49 setup and its awesome, bike is totally different animal now, cranks right to 78mph hold for a sec then hits 79 and i still wasnt touching rev limited. gearingcommander said it would top out at 79.6mph which i think is right on the money with my drd speedo healer. dirt you will want more but i wouldnt waste the time changing chains from a dirt set to street set. just stay 3 teeth difference from street to dirt and you should be fine.

my 49 tooth has no problem at all holding it at 75mph all day even though it tops at 79. these bikes love to scream

I agree with Stubbz:
On a WR-250X, 13/49 feels tailor-made for the power the bike makes.
No big gaps from gear-to-gear, acceleration is excellent, and an 80 mph top speed on flat ground.
In fact, if not for all the silly regulations the manufacturer has to meet these days, I'd bet the bike would come stock geared like this.
It just feels right. :)

I'm curious about something:
What's the big deal with going up a tooth on the front and even bigger on the rear?
Is using a bigger front sprocket somehow a benifit?

YZEtc wrote:

I'm curious about something:
What's the big deal with going up a tooth on the front and even bigger on the rear?
Is using a bigger front sprocket somehow a benifit?

As far as I know having a larger sprocket in front reduces chain wear. I read an explanation somewhere about it, but don't quite remember the details.
Don't quote me on this, but for every tooth you drop or add in front it's equal to adding or dropping 2 teeth in the rear.
So if you go from a 13 to 14 in front your going to need a larger rear sprocket to make up for it than if you stuck with the 13.
That's how I understood it anyways.....

the only thing going bigger in front does is less chain weasr so ^^ is correct.

I feel the same way about the +7 gearing, i think it should be built with that gearing, when i need a new sprocket i will probly go with a 50 over a 49 but iuse mine for mainly lot stunting and a little trail and street riding. a touch higher would be good for riding on idle but other than that the +7 is perfect. mine will come up in 4th gear on the rear pegs at 45-50mph. cant ask for much more.

Could I use a 116 link chain with a 13/48 setup on my WR250X or would I have to get a 120 link?

should fit with a 116 but i got the 120 link and cut a few out of it, there the same price so id rather be safe than sorry

hmm i think you'll be ok with 116. i have a 49 tooth and i bet i cutout over 4 links. i can check for you later on cuz i have the leftover chain still in the garage. if its more than 4 links you'll be good to go.