Changing WR250R gearing?

[Shep546]

Hey guys,

 

I have a 2012 WRR with all the mods, fmf programmer, exhaust etc.

 

When I ride off road I prefer the really technical rough stuff where I like to just stand up and put around over the rocks and such.

 

I find first gear is basically useless except for getting started, it lurches me around on the bike and the engine braking is brutal (doubled by the wrrs really crappy on/off throttle sensor :/)

 

I find second gear I need to always be on the gas or it will stall out.

 

What should I do to change my gearing? How will it change my speeds on/off road?

 

Thanks

[USED YZ426F]

Try putting a 14 tooth on the front.  You won't have to lengthen the chain to do it.

 

The added tooth will raise first gear a bit, and as an added bonus, will basically fix the stock speedo error so your speedo will be reading almost the true speed.

[mudmullet]

gearingcommander.com is a great resource.   I went to 49 on the rear and it took away quite a bit of the snatchyness.  I also got another throttle tube from http://www.g2ergo.com/store/g2-dirt-tamer/ and that helped, too.  I don't have the top speed that I used to (about 10% loss), but low speed, technical stuff is more accessible.

[Rocker01]

Without knowing all the details, it sounds like you need some clutch and throttle control work more than you need gearing changes. 

[mudmullet]

Stock gearing on the fuel injected R is really too high.  It either idles at 6 or 7 mph or runs relatively smooth at 12 to 14 mph.  Anything between is like riding with a light switch, and that makes the technical stuff hard to handle.

 

Go to a bigger sprocket on the rear and you'll see the difference in the snatchiness.  If your chain and front are newish, then it's a $15-$25 experiment.  If they've got some use on them, then you'll need a new chain and set of sprockets anyway.  The alternative is to learn how to ride it while cranking the throttle on and off.

[chrispdawg12]

Does anyone know if you can widen just 5th/6th gear ratios?  I know ACT make a wide gear ratio kit for the DRZ and seems like that might be a good idea for the WRR.

I have adjusted final drive ratios to a point where i really like 1st through 3rd/4th but could do with a little longer 5th and 6th for the long highway journey back.

Not sure if clearance would be an issue. Anyone tried messing around with that ?

[YZEtc]

Does anyone know if you can widen just 5th/6th gear ratios?  I know ACT make a wide gear ratio kit for the DRZ and seems like that might be a good idea for the WRR.

I have adjusted final drive ratios to a point where i really like 1st through 3rd/4th but could do with a little longer 5th and 6th for the long highway journey back.

Not sure if clearance would be an issue. Anyone tried messing around with that ?

 

You mean that you're wondering if somebody will build different tranny gears with different ratios?

[chrispdawg12]

You mean that you're wondering if somebody will build different tranny gears with different ratios?

Yes. Preceisley.

 

If they do it for the DRZ, why not for the WRR.  Just add a slightly taller 6th gear cogwheel

 

https://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/972833-wide-ratio-gears-but-no-six-speed/

 

At the price he is quoting for he DRZ its probably not going to be a huge seller, but if enough people ask for one it might be an option.

[YZEtc]

Myself, I'm amazed that some riders want even taller gearing from a WR-250R or WR-250X.

 

That is in part due to me having come from when a 250cc dual-purpose bike (like a 1982 XT-250J or 1983 XL-250R) would have trouble doing 70 mph at all, never mind for miles on end like a WR-250R or X does.

 

When I rode both a WR-250R and WR-250X, I geared them down a fair bit and still could cruise at 65 mph without feeling like I was at redline as would have been the case with those mentioned dual-purpose bikes from the 1982 era.

It is, after all, a 250cc bike, which is still a small engine to have out on the open road, and gearing it so tall that it goes down the freeway at 4,000 rpm in 6th gear at 70 mph will be overgeared with a big jump from 5th to that very tall 6th.

[chrispdawg12]

You're probably right.  I think I am asking for a 250 bike that's easy to handle in the tight stuff and a 450 everywhere else.  Its probably easier to do it the other way round and make a 450 more manageable in the tight stuff while having plenty of juice on the highway but its still a compromise somewhere ( I had a DRZ and didnt enjoy that at all  ) . Maybe 350 is the way forward or maybe i need to decide if I really need a dual sporter or if a pure enduro bike works better.  To be fair, as far as compromises go, the WRR is probably one of the better ones out there.