Posts: 192
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Location: Bronx, NY USA
What gear ratios do u guys run, i kind of find myself in between gears. Im running stock gearing wich is 14/50, i tried 14/51 and it helped a little but not as much as i would like. I like to ride the bike like a 250f, higher in the rpms. Maybe a 14/49 would be better? Anyone try a 13t front sprocket?
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Man I was just thinking about this today. I have a '17 FC 350 and rode a tighter than normal track yesterday. A lot of good sized jumps right out of turns and I was coming up a little short in 2nd and then Shifting for the straights into 3rd and quickly back to 2nd for next turn. These bikes are rockets in 3rd gear but I feel it's a little too tall and requires more clutch than I'd like to come into turns in 3rd. If I could move it down just a tad it'd be perfect. Was debating on going up a tooth in the rear. I'd like to hear what others are running as well.
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Joined: 4/1/2017
Location: TX, USA
I've had a 13,15 and now 17 350. I've run a 13/51 on each of them. Ride most tracks in 3rd and 4th gear and it also helps out my suspension in corners. Very rarely in 2nd even with obstacles right out of corners.
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Posts: 192
Joined: 2/5/2014
Location: Bronx, NY USA
Pirate421 wrote:
Man I was just thinking about this today. I have a '17 FC 350 and rode a tighter than normal track yesterday. A lot of good sized jumps right out of turns and I was coming up a little short in 2nd and then Shifting for the straights into 3rd and quickly back to 2nd for next turn. These bikes are rockets in 3rd gear but I feel it's a little too tall and requires more clutch than I'd like to come into turns in 3rd. If I could move it down just a tad it'd be perfect. Was debating on going up a tooth in the rear. I'd like to hear what others are running as well.
Thats exactly how i feel, second gear im running out on top and losing foward drive, but third is hard to keep the rpms as high as i want. Adding a tooth helped but not as much as i thought it would.
Posts: 192
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Location: Bronx, NY USA
Posts: 7163
Joined: 10/31/2013
Location: PA, USA
Pirate421 wrote:
Man I was just thinking about this today. I have a '17 FC 350 and rode a tighter than normal track yesterday. A lot of good sized jumps right out of turns and I was coming up a little short in 2nd and then Shifting for the straights into 3rd and quickly back to 2nd for next turn. These bikes are rockets in 3rd gear but I feel it's a little too tall and requires more clutch than I'd like to come into turns in 3rd. If I could move it down just a tad it'd be perfect. Was debating on going up a tooth in the rear. I'd like to hear what others are running as well.
Dannyderasmo106 wrote:
Thats exactly how i feel, second gear im running out on top and losing foward drive, but third is hard to keep the rpms as high as i want. Adding a tooth helped but not as much as i thought it would.
Try 14/52
Tomac and/or Anderson for 2020.....
Posts: 1245
Joined: 4/16/2008
Location: Apple Valley, CA USA
Not 350, a 250f and i just switched the stk 14t for a 13t. The difference is this, 2nd gear before would pull a good 75yds, but now i use 3rd in the same 2nd gear situations and it pulls for a good 150yds. That is more useable and yes the suspension react better because I am not at the top of the rpm range for the same or better speed.
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Joined: 4/1/2017
Location: TX, USA
DD414 wrote:
I've had a 13,15 and now 17 350. I've run a 13/51 on each of them. Ride most tracks in 3rd and 4th gear and it also helps out my suspension in corners. Very rarely in 2nd even with obstacles right out of corners.
Dannyderasmo106 wrote:
Did u ride the stock gearing ever? If so hows the 13/51 compare.
I did, but was having the same issues as y'all. Never could get a 14t to get what I was looking for. Switched to 13/51 and basically ride 98% of the tracks in 3rd and 4th gear. 3rd now pulls like the top of 2nd to the lower 4th on the stock gearing. Basically, my 3rd now took the place of the majority of stock gearing 2nd gear. I actually shift less now than any bike I've owned.
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Location: Washougal, WA USA
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kdawson252 wrote:
How has the transition from a 450 to 350 gone? I'm picking up a new KTM in about a month and I still can't decide 350 vs 450.
If I had ridden a 350 before I bought my 450 I probably would have bought a 350. A friend has a 350 with 13/52 gearing and a Rekluse clutch and that bike runs really good like that. It is like riding the world's fastest minibike.
The older I get, the faster I was.
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Joined: 3/14/2015
Location: SWE
Dannyderasmo106 wrote:
What gear ratios do u guys run, i kind of find myself in between gears. Im running stock gearing wich is 14/50, i tried 14/51 and it helped a little but not as much as i would like. I like to ride the bike like a 250f, higher in the rpms. Maybe a 14/49 would be better? Anyone try a 13t front sprocket?
13/50 did the trick for me on the 350, I thought the gap when shifting to 3rd from 2nd was way to big. Kinda like it lost power for a couple of seconds.
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Location: MA, USA
Is my math wrong or is going from 14/50 to 13/50 the equivalent of going up 4 teeth in the rear? That sounds like a lot. Are the people running 13/50 riding in the woods or mx? I went up 2 teeth on a 250sxf once and thought it was almost too much loss of top end. That was on a 2011 which wasn't overly fast anyway. I'm thinking of either 14/51 or 14/52. I only have 5 hrs on my bike and primary drive sprockets right now are less than $30 on RM and don't want to buy a new chain if I don't have to. Who's running mx and who's in the woods? Thanks!
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Joined: 6/5/2015
Location: TX, USA
Edited Date/Time:
I thought a 13/50 equals a 14/53
The gear ratio has to be relative to the track. I would have a 49, 50, 51 and 52. They are easy to change at the track if you want to try different settings for different tracks.
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Location: SWE
Pirate421 wrote:
Is my math wrong or is going from 14/50 to 13/50 the equivalent of going up 4 teeth in the rear? That sounds like a lot. Are the people running 13/50 riding in the woods or mx? I went up 2 teeth on a 250sxf once and thought it was almost too much loss of top end. That was on a 2011 which wasn't overly fast anyway. I'm thinking of either 14/51 or 14/52. I only have 5 hrs on my bike and primary drive sprockets right now are less than $30 on RM and don't want to buy a new chain if I don't have to. Who's running mx and who's in the woods? Thanks!
I raced both track and trails with 13/50, can't say it was very fun being in the woods with the bike at all tho, too much power in the wrong areas.
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kdawson252 wrote:
How has the transition from a 450 to 350 gone? I'm picking up a new KTM in about a month and I still can't decide 350 vs 450.
I got a 2017 350 this summer coming from a 2014 CRF450R. I've got to say that I'm really happy with the change. Very fun to ride, less energy in the corners. The powerband is different though and it will take some getting used to, especially with the stock gearing.
Like everybody else I'm toying with gearing. Even at 14/51 (+1 on rear) I'm struggling to pull 3rd gear in the deep sand/tight track. I'm considering going the 13/50 route pretty soon.
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Joined: 8/22/2016
Location: Boston, MA USA
Pirate421 wrote:
Man I was just thinking about this today. I have a '17 FC 350 and rode a tighter than normal track yesterday. A lot of good sized jumps right out of turns and I was coming up a little short in 2nd and then Shifting for the straights into 3rd and quickly back to 2nd for next turn. These bikes are rockets in 3rd gear but I feel it's a little too tall and requires more clutch than I'd like to come into turns in 3rd. If I could move it down just a tad it'd be perfect. Was debating on going up a tooth in the rear. I'd like to hear what others are running as well.
we ride the same tracks...I had a 2013, went to a 52 tooth sprocket, never used 2nd. Even those deepest sand turns @ Wareham had no trouble pulling 3rd, little fan of the clutch and went into overdrive..I could almost use 3rd the whole way around the track...fyi.
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DTR830 wrote:
2017 stock gearing so far. Thought I was going to need a 51 coming off a 450.
kdawson252 wrote:
How has the transition from a 450 to 350 gone? I'm picking up a new KTM in about a month and I still can't decide 350 vs 450.
I think I would have regretted getting a 450. This motor on the 16-18 is a blast, still has bottom bark. I know the chassis is amazing at turning but I really believe it's the 350 with less inertia going into the corners.
I'm not two stroke rider at all so I was worried. This is the best bike I have ever rode.
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Joined: 9/30/2016
Location: ITA
Edited Date/Time:
hallo i have sxf 350 17 and i tried 14 51 is better than stock but now i ride 13 51 for a tight track with this gear in 2nd and 3 i really fell the monster power of this engine but is too nervous for hardpack i will try 13 50 and 13 49
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Joined: 12/26/2014
Location: Fruita, CO USA
Dannyderasmo106 wrote:
What gear ratios do u guys run, i kind of find myself in between gears. Im running stock gearing wich is 14/50, i tried 14/51 and it helped a little but not as much as i would like. I like to ride the bike like a 250f, higher in the rpms. Maybe a 14/49 would be better? Anyone try a 13t front sprocket?
13/50 for the win! This gearing will allow you to use 2nd in tight rutted turns although I did find that I still wanted a touch more torque. You can use 3rd for pretty much everything else and of course 4th for longer straights and big jumps.
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Posts: 1464
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Location: MA, USA
Pirate421 wrote:
Man I was just thinking about this today. I have a '17 FC 350 and rode a tighter than normal track yesterday. A lot of good sized jumps right out of turns and I was coming up a little short in 2nd and then Shifting for the straights into 3rd and quickly back to 2nd for next turn. These bikes are rockets in 3rd gear but I feel it's a little too tall and requires more clutch than I'd like to come into turns in 3rd. If I could move it down just a tad it'd be perfect. Was debating on going up a tooth in the rear. I'd like to hear what others are running as well.
opyguy wrote:
we ride the same tracks...I had a 2013, went to a 52 tooth sprocket, never used 2nd. Even those deepest sand turns @ Wareham had no trouble pulling 3rd, little fan of the clutch and went into overdrive..I could almost use 3rd the whole way around the track...fyi.
Just ordered a 51 toothe primary drive sprocket for $35 so we'll see how that goes at Wareham and the local tracks. I don't want to lose 2nd completely but will see if I still have to short shift or not and will get a 52. I didn't change both sprockets because I don't want to buy a chain and 3 sprockets with only 6 hrs on the bike.
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Location: Apple Valley, CA USA
Edited Date/Time:
Dannyderasmo106 wrote:
What gear ratios do u guys run, i kind of find myself in between gears. Im running stock gearing wich is 14/50, i tried 14/51 and it helped a little but not as much as i would like. I like to ride the bike like a 250f, higher in the rpms. Maybe a 14/49 would be better? Anyone try a 13t front sprocket?
stone881 wrote:
13/50 for the win! This gearing will allow you to use 2nd in tight rutted turns although I did find that I still wanted a touch more torque. You can use 3rd for pretty much everything else and of course 4th for longer straights and big jumps.
Big thumbs up
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Location: TX, USA
DTR830 wrote:
2017 stock gearing so far. Thought I was going to need a 51 coming off a 450.
kdawson252 wrote:
How has the transition from a 450 to 350 gone? I'm picking up a new KTM in about a month and I still can't decide 350 vs 450.
TJMX947 wrote:
I got a 2017 350 this summer coming from a 2014 CRF450R. I've got to say that I'm really happy with the change. Very fun to ride, less energy in the corners. The powerband is different though and it will take some getting used to, especially with the stock gearing.
Like everybody else I'm toying with gearing. Even at 14/51 (+1 on rear) I'm struggling to pull 3rd gear in the deep sand/tight track. I'm considering going the 13/50 route pretty soon.
13/50 would make pulling 3rd gear worse not better. Unless I'm not understanding what your saying
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Location: Bronx, NY USA
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Joined: 3/6/2017
Location: Indian Trail, NC USA
Edited Date/Time:
kkawboy14 wrote:
13/50 would make pulling 3rd gear worse not better. Unless I'm not understanding what your saying
13/50 is lower than 14/51 and a lot lower than 14/50 - The bike is geared so high that I'm in second gear a lot and getting to/staying in third gear is more difficult. I want the bike to rev quicker and my skill level doesn't allow this to happen for me.
Any time you manipulate the countershaft sprocket you get a greater effect than if you make the same change on the rear.
I don't know why we call it a lower gearing when if you divide the rear by the front the numbers go up...maybe the people who invented the jargon were dividing the front by the rear...which would give you a lower number.
Question for anyone considering going lower on the countershaft sprocket - Any concerns about transmission wear? I've always heard you should try to stay away from doing this. All of my 250Fs were 13 tooth fronts so I assume it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
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Joined: 8/22/2016
Location: Boston, MA USA
Pirate421 wrote:
Man I was just thinking about this today. I have a '17 FC 350 and rode a tighter than normal track yesterday. A lot of good sized jumps right out of turns and I was coming up a little short in 2nd and then Shifting for the straights into 3rd and quickly back to 2nd for next turn. These bikes are rockets in 3rd gear but I feel it's a little too tall and requires more clutch than I'd like to come into turns in 3rd. If I could move it down just a tad it'd be perfect. Was debating on going up a tooth in the rear. I'd like to hear what others are running as well.
opyguy wrote:
we ride the same tracks...I had a 2013, went to a 52 tooth sprocket, never used 2nd. Even those deepest sand turns @ Wareham had no trouble pulling 3rd, little fan of the clutch and went into overdrive..I could almost use 3rd the whole way around the track...fyi.
Pirate421 wrote:
Just ordered a 51 toothe primary drive sprocket for $35 so we'll see how that goes at Wareham and the local tracks. I don't want to lose 2nd completely but will see if I still have to short shift or not and will get a 52. I didn't change both sprockets because I don't want to buy a chain and 3 sprockets with only 6 hrs on the bike.
if you want to cancel that order I'll put a lightly used 51 tooth in the mail for you, try it out for free before you buy a new one...LMK
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Location: Callaway, VA USA
Coming from a 2016 kx450. Running 14/52 and love it! Took about 10 hours to learn how to ride it correctly though.
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Location: Sacramento, CA USA
I run the stock counter shaft and a 51 in the rear and can pull 3rd gear just about every where, very very few corners do I need 2nd gear.
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