Ability to lug....

[GlennR]

I thought I needed to gear down my 08' to make it climb steep hills better. It was 14/50 when I got it, s I thought I'd try a 13 in front. But I was riding with an "A class" racer buddy and got stuck on a very loose rocky hill that I couldn't climb, so after about 4 attempts he offered to give it a shot. He finally managed to get her up the hill on his 3rd try. Afterwards he told me that it was geared too low, which I didn't understand. I installed the stock 15 in front and now I can climb much better. I rarely use 1st gear, 2nd is usually better to lug in. I only go down into 1st when the engine won't lug any lower in 2nd.

I didn't understand "why", but I'm glad that I listened to my friend. It helped that he's a much better rider than I, otherwise I probably wouldn't have listened....

[DrFeelGood]

i disagree - i regeared my 07 WR 450 using 12 up front and 52 in the back, i can still run 80 mph which is fast enough for me on dirt roads and it lugs like crazy. I weigh 260 lbs and ride at 8000+ ft if there is any issue at all, increase the idle a bit..no problems lugging at all.

This is my setup as well. Lug's with the best of them. I'm thinking about dropping back to the 50 rear though. I think it has too much lug. ?

Now, it's nothing compared to the "Lugability" of my XR650L geared low. It's like a tank. It'll idle up the hills. THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP.

[Rocky739]

OK I can't take it so here is my 02 cents.. The WR has a 1st gear that's so low its unusable with 14-50 gearing and second is way too low for 90% of tech sections (too low for me means rpm's are too high and rear wheel spins when you give it throttle and engine brakes really hard on decel) you call it whatever you want. I put a 15 tooth on the front and now second gear will work for most tight nasty stuff with a bit of clutch and momentum. Third gear seems pretty good for more open stuff and 1st works in really nasty duck paddle sections but is still a bit low.

I'm going to try a 49 tooth rear when I change it to see if that helps, plus it makes me man up and hit tough stuff with a bit more speed, if you roll up on a nasty rocky hill in first gear on a WR all the torque in the world probably won't get you to the top.

[Rocky739]

I should add that I'm on a 03 so stock gearing is 14-50

[ORboatpilot]

Reconnect the gray wire will help.

[miweber929]

OK I can't take it so here is my 02 cents.. The WR has a 1st gear that's so low its unusable with 14-50 gearing and second is way too low for 90% of tech sections (too low for me means rpm's are too high and rear wheel spins when you give it throttle and engine brakes really hard on decel) you call it whatever you want. I put a 15 tooth on the front and now second gear will work for most tight nasty stuff with a bit of clutch and momentum. Third gear seems pretty good for more open stuff and 1st works in really nasty duck paddle sections but is still a bit low.

I'm going to try a 49 tooth rear when I change it to see if that helps, plus it makes me man up and hit tough stuff with a bit more speed, if you roll up on a nasty rocky hill in first gear on a WR all the torque in the world probably won't get you to the top.

^I've been running 15/49 on my 04 for a few years now with excellent results, you'll probably find it to be an almost perfect mix based on what you're describing.

The thing is with this whole thread, a person cannot compare gearing from one bike to another or one rider to another because its too damn subjective. What works in Colorado for someone who likes slipping the clutch is totally different from someone from Arizona who rides in the desert and rarely gets below fourth gear and like to leave the clutch alone. Even in comparing gearing in the same riding areas, everyone is different skill wise and preference wise so its a tough call since no one is right. then there's the argument on the definition of lugging.....sheesh!

Gearing is easy enough in my experience, think multi-speed bicycle: if you were pedaling and in the same situation on your bicycle, what would you do? Do the same on your motor bike. If first is too high and second too low in the powerband either one tooth up in the CS or plus two on the rear should bring the RPM's back to the needed range. If it's the opposite issue, go the opposite way; one tooth front or two teeth rear should be enough of a change to make a difference without making the bike un-rideable or need a new chain.

Sometimes how long we bang around a simple thread is really funny, can't believe this one is STILL going!!!

[GP1K]

Gearing is easy enough in my experience, think multi-speed bicycle: if you were pedaling and in the same situation on your bicycle, what would you do? Do the same on your motor bike. If first is too high and second too low in the powerband either one tooth up in the CS or plus two on the rear should bring the RPM's back to the needed range. If it's the opposite issue, go the opposite way; one tooth front or two teeth rear should be enough of a change to make a difference without making the bike un-rideable or need a new chain.

This is pretty much how I determine what gearing to run. Does it feel like I'm in-between gears a lot? Am I having to lug a higher gear too much or rev a lower gear too much? if the answer to any of those questions is "yes", then a change is in order. On my last bike (CRF250X) I ended up going +2 in the rear and it was perfect. It made 1st into a granny gear I didn't use much, I could be in 2nd where I'd used to be in 1st, 3rd where I used to be in 2nd, and so on. Made it much easier to ride, with less shifting overall. My WR450 is still pretty new and I only have a handful of rides on it, and so far it feels pretty good with stock gearing, but I haven't really gotten used to it enough, considering the massive difference in power and how it's delivered, to be totally sure yet.

FWIW, I ride mostly tight woods/single track type stuff and prefer to ride in as high of gear as I can vs revving it out in a lower gear.

[MaxPower]

There are no flywheel weights for the WR but a steel clutch basket might be an option if more rotational weight is needed.

I use a 13 standard front with a 52 rear and found this combination to work well for me.

The big problem with riding tech is fitness or a lack there-off

Race Tech has a +2oz and a -6oz flywheel for the WR . I know because I have one

[SLC18T]

Race Tech has a +2oz and a -6oz flywheel for the WR . I know because I have one

The lack of flywheel weights is directed at the aluminum frame bikes. There are plenty of flywheel weights for the steel frame bikes.

[SLC18T]

Bringing this one back from the dead, as I have come to understand what some people mean by lugging.

In this post, he explains his needs in "lugging", which are take away the low end hit. Which is the opposite of mine and others on here.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1036403-smoothing-out-the-low-end-powerreport/

He said he wants to take away the low end hit, but that to me is 100% throttle control. I, and others, are interested in crawling, as mentioned in the linked thread, below 5 mph, comfortably, without having to clutch the bike to death. Going up a tooth on the cs sprocket is the exact opposite of my end goal. Some users single tracks must be much different than mine and others on here. I ride very tight trails loaded with hills, where I have to maneuver around and over trees, mud holes and who knows what else at a speed less than a walk at times. The last thing I want to do is make the off idle speed higher, it needs to be lower. Sure I could slip the clutch every time I need to go this slow, but why would i increase the amount I have to slip the clutch to get my end result. I understand everyone has different needs for their terrain and riding style, I just thought this could explain the two different meanings of "lugging".

[Rapper1]

Just thought I would add to this thread for records sake. I have an '03 WR 450f. I wanted to "tame" first gear. As in, make 1st gear smoother/softer as indicated above. After getting all the jetting tuned in, I put a 15 tooth counter sprocket on. (less than $20). the stock is 14 teeth. I did not have to put a larger chain on, or change anything else. Anyway, the bike obviously goes to a higher mph in 1st all the way through the gears. The bike also LUGS or "Tractors" easier. One tradeoff though is there is not as much punch in the lower rpm range which means you may find yourself shifter to a lower gear, where before you just gave it more throttle. BUT, in the slow, tight stuff, I prefer this gearing. It is one of those things. Try it, you can always switch back to the original counter sprocket.

-Rap