Do you ride a 250F in the desert?

[witdogg]

If so what size front and rear sprockets are you running and what bike is it on?

[ThunderChicken]

Stock gearing on a CRF250X.

It's perfect for goat trails to 3rd gear flowing trails.

I strictly stay in the rocks and don't pin it across valleys between mountain ranges.

If it's not my trail ride, I bring my 650R.

My opinion is if you start gearing a 250 fourstroke to the moon for desert and you're not a 14-year-old, you need to re-evaluate why it is you're riding a 250fourstroke in the desert in the first place...

[witdogg]

I only use it as a spare bike but when I do use it in the desert it is geared way too low. 90% of the time I'm in 5th.

[Sundog]

90% of the time I'm in 5th.

On the trail or on the stand??

[jfgjr]

Stock gearing on a CRF250X.

It's perfect for goat trails to 3rd gear flowing trails.

I strictly stay in the rocks and don't pin it across valleys between mountain ranges.

If it's not my trail ride, I bring my 650R.

My opinion is if you start gearing a 250 fourstroke to the moon for desert and you're not a 14-year-old, you need to re-evaluate why it is you're riding a 250fourstroke in the desert in the first place...

+1. I think the gearing on our X's is a little more offroad friendly than the MX bikes though.

[witdogg]

On the trail or on the stand?

?

+1. I think the gearing on our X's is a little more offroad friendly than the MX bikes though.

I think it is also.

The bike I'm talking about is a 2005 KX250F. I'm not sure what the top speed is but it feels like it's only about 50-55mph.

[jfgjr]

I get the idea as I ride a 250 2t MX bike with stock gearing. It is fine alomost everywhere except long fire roads and lake beds where my KTM XCW buddies just motor away while my bike feels like it is going to grenade in between my legs:eek:

[Bill_P]

I believe the stock gearing on a WR250F is 13/50. I run 12/50 for rocks and moab type stuff and stock for more open stuff. I prefer a 6 speed for the dez, but the WR is "OK" with it's very tall 5th gear. Contrary to popular opinion - stock gearing (ie: 1st & 2nd) is too high for the really gnarly rock stuff.

[gbwilliams]

I race in the desert, I don't race a 250 f but I know guys that do. they usually run 14 48 or 14 47. They have wider ratio gear boxes like all 4 strokes do. 250fs actually do well if they have hop-ups such as cams and longer lasting valves. We almost always have a 250f get 3rd or 4th overall out of 150 riders!

[bajataxi]

Stock gearing on my 250sxf works just fine. Top speed about 68mph. I feel that if you are going over 50-60mph you should be on the fwy anyways.

4th gear pinned in the whoops is fast enough for me....

[witdogg]

I race in the desert, I don't race a 250 f but I know guys that do. they usually run 14 48 or 14 47. They have wider ratio gear boxes like all 4 strokes do. 250fs actually do well if they have hop-ups such as cams and longer lasting valves. We almost always have a 250f get 3rd or 4th overall out of 150 riders!

Thanks, I have 13/48 right now maybe I'll try dropping one in the back and going up one in the front. I just don't want it to be too much.

[Neversurfaced]

I race desert on a 250x with stock gearing (14/53 I believe). “Gearing to the moon” in my opinion doesn’t do much for you unless you plan on holding it WFO doing laps around a dry lakebed all day. With GPS I’ve clocked my speed at 76mph. I do bounce the rev limiter at times, but it’s the exception, not the rule and it’s usually down in the flats on a lake bead or power line road, etc…

My bike is set up hot (R head, R cam, SS valves, exhaust, port & polish, etc…) and I think that does a lot more for me than gearing would.

If I’m going to be playing in the rocks I usually throw on a 13t counter-sprocket.

Honestly though if I’m just play riding in the desert I prefer my 450 (which I’ve also got geared down 1 tooth on the countersprocket) over my 250.

[gbwilliams]

"gearing to the moon" is actually great for desert riders and desert racing. It allows you to select gears while you are racing instead of just being in fifth gear the whole time. It also broadens out your gear range allowing you to pull harder and longer without wheel spin. I used to always be in fifth gear whether it was a sand wash or over whoops or out in the open. Now the sand washes I use high 3rd gear to mid 4th and in the whoops I can use WFO 4th. And the longer really fast straights that have a lot of chop I finally click 5th gear. I personally run 15/49, which I do not know the top speed of. I was clocking 76.7 with a GPS with 14/51 gearing though.

Trust me I have spent lots of money on 10 different sprocket combinations to find that gearing to the moon is not only better, but better for your bike(in the desert). Instead of bouncing off the rev limiter you can lug it in fifth gear on those ridiculously long straightaways that desert racing has so much of!

If you need more info you can log onto amad38.com and go to the message boards to ask all the 250f guys what they run and what they do for longevity.

Hope I helped!

[Neversurfaced]

You guys play in the rocks down there in District 38, or just the sand washes?

The biggest draw back to gearing a bike as described is the utter and complete lack of a workable bottom end in the tight stuff. We get into a lot of nasty, scary, "poop your Thor pants" terrain up here that would make that type of gearing less than ideal IMHO

[MrMeaty]

If so what size front and rear sprockets are you running and what bike is it on?

Just put a damned KX500 motor in it already and quit asking silly questions... ?

[MrMeaty]

Thanks, I have 13/48 right now maybe I'll try dropping one in the back and going up one in the front. I just don't want it to be too much.

Try bumping the countershaft sprocket to 14 by itself first... I moved mine from 13-14 and it made all the difference I needed. If its not enough, then mess with the rear.

[gbwilliams]

as far as racing we don't that often. We have a lot of that terrain but unfortunately our race courses have to be "surveyed". However this weekend we are racing our National in the rocks as well as WFO stuff. I do wholeheartedly agree that it takes away from the bottom end. I was practicing in the rocks up their 2 weeks ago with my high gearing and it was tough but not impossible. That is the only drawback to D38, we don't have as much surveyed land to race on as D37.

[witdogg]

Thanks to everyone who has commented. ?

I know what you guys are saying about loosing the bottom end if I gear it too high and that's why I was asking the question so I don't have to go through multiple sprockets to find just the right combo where I still have bottom end and I can get as much top end as possible.

Just put a damned KX500 motor in it already and quit asking silly questions...

?

I've got an '06 KX450F on the line that I'm hoping to pick up in a week or two that I'm going to put a 500 motor in.

[XR250rdr]

I ride my XR in the desert occasionally. Its not suspended well enough and the chassis geometry is too tight to worry about top speed. 13/50 works just fine.

[OnyrDer]

Just put a damned KX500 motor in it already and quit asking silly questions... ?

I've got an '06 KX450F on the line that I'm hoping to pick up in a week or two that I'm going to put a 500 motor in. ?

Once again, from the top...

500 motor + witdogg + asphalt =