(Used) new bike. Need lots of advice.

Just bought a 2010 WRR with around 5000 miles. The only mods are a set of Crycra handguards and a 'Devol Equipment' revalved rear shock that is adjustable and is set a 2" lower than stock. I plan on raising the bike .75".

My riding for the near future (planning for Alaska, but that'll be in 2014, so no need to focus on that) is small town streets with lots of NW trails and logging roads. The closest interstate is 2 hours away so there is very little need to cruise any faster than say 50-55 on rural highway. While there is a lot of single track, it isn't my main focus so I don't want to build the bike to be centered around single track.

Questions!

1: The chain is due for a replacement. Considering I'll adjust the bike up an inch (to be one inch lower than stock), what chain/gearing combo should I be looking for if I'm not worried about Freeway speeds?

2: Tires will need to be replaced pretty soon. I'm thinking MT-43? I've heard great things about them. Would this be appropriate for street and logging roads?

3: Bash plate? Is it needed if I'm not constantly in the rocks? Is one better than another?

Thanks all!

v/r

mdr

Welcome to the club.

All your questions can be answered by figuring out just how much and what kind of off road use you want to put into this bike.

If you're just putting around trails and logging roads and spending most of the time in the city I would keep the gearing and chain the same... as for tires that again can be determined by your off road use... personally I would go with a nobbier tire if you plan on doing much off roading but keep in mind the rear will wear a lot faster.

A lot of people find the Dunlop 606 rear and pirelli MT21 front to be excellent tires for the dirt.

A skid plate is always a great investment... if you're going to be riding hard around any sort of rocks/logs etc I would invest in one... even if you're just cruisin down a logging road and you wipe out and your back tumbles into a rock it doesn't take much to ruin your engine/gearbox... it's worth the $100 investment IMO.

I agree with shep546 recomendations on the tires. You prob want to look into some luggage, gps mount and maybe hand warmers for the Alaska trip. I'm about to pull the plug on an FMF fuel programmer.

I would set your height first. If you're not going for mostly single track I reccomend stock gearing. Too many people IMO change it and it takes away from the bikes speedo / odometer. When you put that chain on you can cut to right length since all will be installed.

I'd run 13-47 or 13-48 gearing since you said you werent worried about riding on the freeway, IMO the stock gearing is too tall you cant use 6th unless your doing 70, I run 13-50 on mine for single track, it goes down the road great at 50 but is getting a little revvy at 70. For the chain get a quality x ring chain, they outlast the cheap o ring ones by a fair bit making buying an expensive one worth while.
Raising/lowering the bike only affects how much slack your chain has when the bikes on the side stand. To set the chain tension properly you compress the rear suspension untill the swingarm is straight back from the front sprocket, the chain is at it tightest at this point, then adjust it so theres 1/2 inch of slack. Once you do this you can check how much slack it has while the bike is on its side stand and use that measurement to check/set it from then on.
For tires I'd run a dunlop 606 or a michelin t63 on the rear with a mt21 on the front.
Get a skid plate, I dont know which ones best, I have the zeta one it seams alright and was cheap.

Biglake wrote:

I'd run 13-47 or 13-48 gearing since you said you werent worried about riding on the freeway, IMO the stock gearing is too tall you cant use 6th unless your doing 70, I run 13-50 on mine for single track, it goes down the road great at 50 but is getting a little revvy at 70. For the chain get a quality x ring chain, they outlast the cheap o ring ones by a fair bit making buying an expensive one worth while.
Raising/lowering the bike only affects how much slack your chain has when the bikes on the side stand. To set the chain tension properly you compress the rear suspension untill the swingarm is straight back from the front sprocket, the chain is at it tightest at this point, then adjust it so theres 1/2 inch of slack. Once you do this you can check how much slack it has while the bike is on its side stand and use that measurement to check/set it from then on.
For tires I'd run a dunlop 606 or a michelin t63 on the rear with a mt21 on the front.
Get a skid plate, I dont know which ones best, I have the zeta one it seams alright and was cheap.

Ditto!!

Ditto on the gearing. I have the mt43 and really like it. Awesome traction at 6psi in conjunction with the Tubliss system. It is a taller tire than stock so if you go that route you will definitely want to go to 13-49/50. Nice thing is you can pop a 14t in without changing the chain length and have close to stock gearing.

My use is dual sport rides with tight single track hero sections and gravel roads around home. Work bike is either the v Strom or nighthawk.

Jim

a sidplate would be the 1st thing I would buy..I have a richochet and it looks like someone shot it with a shotgun,,i can't imagine what damage it would have caused if I didn't have a skidplate...I have dunlop 606 tires and I like them,,I get around 5000 miles out of them....I'm about to buy my 4th set....putting on a corbn seat made a big difference for me,,its way more comfortable than stock,,i run 13/48 gearing and it works for me,,i ride about 50/50 dirt street,,,,,,,,good luck...jason