250-500cc Sprocket Size

Going to change out my sprockets, chain and chain guide this winter on my 09 WR250.

Bike currently has 13-48 gearing with a Rekluse.

I like how it rides in tight trails and 2-track trails but would like to have a bit more top end speed for dirt roads and dual sport rides.

I am thinking of changing to 14-48. I rather experiment with the less expensive cs sprocket than the rear one.

Has anybody run this combination? Will I ruin the bike in lower gears?

Thanks
Mike

Give it a go it's only a sprocket and you should have enough chain slack to simply adjust and throw it in

1tooth up front will help a little but it won't make oodles of difrence, it should just lower the rpms enought to cruise at a higher speed

Thanks. 1 tooth on the front is equals what, 4 or 5 on the back?

A little less than 4

We run 14-48 on the 07 wr250. We ride a lot of open desert though.

Thanks all. What kind of speeds do you get in the open desert?

When I had my wr300 i found 14-48 to tall in 1st
I ended up going 13-47, got a little bit more top speed. The five speed really is limited to how low you need 1St gear.

He has a reluse clutch so he can get away with the taller gearing in 1st gear and all around.

We run a auto clutch also. I would say bike runs in the low 70's but not sure.

Also have ridden in the tight woods with no issues.

I ran an MT43 trials tire with Tubliss on my 09 wr250 which at high speeds grew taller equaling about 2 teeth added to the rear sprocket. I had to buy a longer chain so that it wouldn't rub the swingarm. The 13:48 ran 80 mph with the bike all stock and the MT43 with 13:50 ran the exact same speed but made 1st gear like a tractor. There are probably other taller tires but none would grow at speed like a trials tire and other trials tires would not likely be stable at 80 mph like the MT43 which is a DOT tire.

Thanks, exact info I was looking for.

80mph, I think me and my bike would burst into flames trying to reach 80!

I feel like the bike is absolutely screaming at 55 which is where I've topped out.

Maybe I'm just not winding up each gear enough. I guess I'm still getting used to the 2 stroke way of riding and the high rpms.

Seems like an odd question what profile tyre you running as a 90/140 will give a lower gear ratio than a 100/110 i had a metzler on my old 125 no other change and could barely pull away but topped out at 75.

On my am wheels with stock gearing mine was toppling out at 62

sounds like you guys need a swap to a 6 speed and enjoy the best of both worlds!

Mine has a 6speed box was just uber under geared when I got it 8-)

All this year I ran 13/48 stock gearing. At all 10 rounds of the AMA National Hare and Hounds. From wide open So Cal desert to tight in the Idaho trees that gearing seemed to work the best. It was low enough in first and also high enough in fifth for my 300. I also ran a 110/100/18 tire

I had a '98 6 speed wr250 a true wide ratio and found that 1st gear was useless and only used in deep water crossings. Can't remember what the final drive sprockets were, 14/48 I think.
With the later 5 speeds, I found the gear ratios were spaced much better than the older 6 speeds. However I did miss 6th gear for top speed on the roads. The 5 speed ratios are perfect for racing hare scrambles and enduros. However, I prefer 15/48 final drive as the perfect gear spacing. I run an EFM auto clutch and 1st gear is very useable even in tight woods, the auto clutch allows this perfectly. With this setup I use all the gears and top speed isn't suffering. I first used the 15/48 gearing on a '06 wr250 with the auto clutch then later on a '09 wr300, both with excellent results. The clutch on these bikes are bullet proof and I admit I abuse it a bit with this gearing but never had a problem. Also it is nearly impossible to boil over the Husky 2 stroke, so I don't see an issue running my setup.

I find the stock gearing makes the bike too peaky, and shift too much like a 125. My higher gearing mellows that out a bit. I really find these motors super torque(y) on the bottom, more so than other case reed engine designs -more of an old school power delivery. Which I prefer.

Just my findings, worth investigating in my opinion.

Best of luck.

Rev it until it quits pulling she will either cum or bleed.

I have a 09 wr250 as well. I don't think you can everything gearing wise. Anything over 13-48 is too high for single track in my opinion.