Hawk Talk

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by pistolclass

I sorta like the gear indicator cuz I'm constantly looking for 6th.

You and me both lol.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by pistolclass

I sorta like the gear indicator cuz I'm constantly looking for 6th.

Uh, when you are ready to shift to 6th, just lift the gear lever with your foot. If it doesn't shift in to 6th, guess what.....you haven't got a 6th gear...ARH

[pete]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Number uno on my list is a kickstand no start switch. Useless, but annoying. Lights that tell you what gear you're in. Why do you care what gear you are in? You either are happy at the speed that you are going, or you want to go faster or slower, right? If you want to go faster, lift the shift lever up. If you want to go slower, push it down. If you're happy, leave it alone. Gas guages. Hey, it isn't like a car. You don't have to get out and put a stick in the tank to see how much gas is in it, The tank filler is right in front of you. Stop, and look in the tank. If you don't see any gas, rock the machine back and forth from side to side. If you don't see any gas, get some. It does have a reserve, Right? Nuetral light. It doesn't do any real harm, but you don't need to be playing with the shift lever with your eyes looking for the nuetral light to come on, you need to learn how to find nuetral by feel, looking at your surroundings, not focusing on a light bulb. While some snowflake on his/her cell phone plows into you. If the bike comes with a no-start interupter, and you go off road, disconnect it or wire around it. What an advantage electric start is, if you can re-start it off road when the engine flames out without having to find nuetral first. And the other pain in the butt, that can-start-it-from-the-house thingy where if you start it that way, you can't turn it off with the key. Sheese. What a winner....ARH

You do realise the human race is alot dumber now than when us
oldies started.. the range of general knowledge per person is a lot narrower..
Even some of the questions ask on this forum were common knowledge once
and the lack of problem solveing ability is just stagering...

yes a fuel gauge & gear indicator is a joke on a dirt bike ...



..

[Megadan]

I think you guys are being overly critical of very basic functions. I agree a gear indicator is kind of pointless 99% of the time, but it is handy for forgetful people or beginning riders. I have never had a bike with one until I put the tach cluster on my hawk, and the only thing it does is entertain me lol.

I also think you misinterpreted what he meant about the 6th gear remark. I read into a quip about wishing the Hawk simply had an extra gear. A sentiment I agree with. Not for higher speeds, but to shorten up the first few gears a bit more and have a taller highway gear so we can get away with higher tooth rear sprockets. Kind of a best of both worlds.

[pistolclass]

Originally Posted by Megadan

I think you guys are being overly critical of very basic functions. I agree a gear indicator is kind of pointless 99% of the time, but it is handy for forgetful people or beginning riders. I have never had a bike with one until I put the tach cluster on my hawk, and the only thing it does is entertain me lol.

I also think you misinterpreted what he meant about the 6th gear remark. I read into a quip about wishing the Hawk simply had an extra gear. A sentiment I agree with. Not for higher speeds, but to shorten up the first few gears a bit more and have a taller highway gear so we can get away with higher tooth rear sprockets. Kind of a best of both worlds.

Amen. I want one more in the box.
We
ARH... Don't you get it. It is very difficult to ride, drink my coffee, chat on the phone, pick my nose and smoke a cigarette all at the same time.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by pete

You do realise the human race is alot dumber now than when us
oldies started.. the range of general knowledge per person is a lot narrower..
Even some of the questions ask on this forum were common knowledge once
and the lack of problem solveing ability is just stagering...

yes a fuel gauge & gear indicator is a joke on a dirt bike ...



..

I didn't know you were an oldie, like me. That makes me even happier to know you, even if we are 12000 miles apart.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Megadan

I think you guys are being overly critical of very basic functions. I agree a gear indicator is kind of pointless 99% of the time, but it is handy for forgetful people or beginning riders. I have never had a bike with one until I put the tach cluster on my hawk, and the only thing it does is entertain me lol.

I also think you misinterpreted what he meant about the 6th gear remark. I read into a quip about wishing the Hawk simply had an extra gear. A sentiment I agree with. Not for higher speeds, but to shorten up the first few gears a bit more and have a taller highway gear so we can get away with higher tooth rear sprockets. Kind of a best of both worlds.

I don't think that the Hawk needs another gear. I think that the bottom three are too close together. Or less reduction in the primary drive...ARH

[pistolclass]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

I don't think that the Hawk needs another gear. I think that the bottom three are too close together. Or less reduction in the primary drive...ARH

All my bikes before the hawk had 6, so it is more out of habit for me. (Except my z50 when I was 6)

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by pistolclass

All my bikes before the hawk had 6, so it is more out of habit for me. (Except my z50 when I was 6)

Got me to thinking. I've had 3 3spds (Francis-Barnett 200, BSA C-10, one 5 speed (BMW R-90S) and a whole bunch of 4 speeds. The BSA 250cc flathead did very well with the three speed, top end at just about 60, or what a stock Hawk does. Amazing for only 11 horsepower. But English transmissions were geared better than the Hawk transmission is...ARH

[pistolclass]

If it had one more up top I would have to mess with sprockets. The 15\50 would be fine.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by pistolclass

If it had one more up top I would have to mess with sprockets. The 15\50 would be fine.

I suspect that there is a reason that the Hawk (and others) are geared that way. In order to keep the fuel mixture uber lean to satisfy the EPA, they short geared it so you couldn't run a wide open throttle very long. If you did, you'd hit the rev limiter. A lean mixture is a hot mixture = engine meltdown. That is why I don't recommend changing the sprockets until jetting issues are resolved...ARH

[stretch8668]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

I suspect that there is a reason that the Hawk (and others) are geared that way. In order to keep the fuel mixture uber lean to satisfy the EPA, they short geared it so you couldn't run a wide open throttle very long. If you did, you'd hit the rev limiter. A lean mixture is a hot mixture = engine meltdown. That is why I don't recommend changing the sprockets until jetting issues are resolved...ARH

Thats good to know never thought of it like that, granted i knew these bikes are lean from the factory

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

I suspect that there is a reason that the Hawk (and others) are geared that way. In order to keep the fuel mixture uber lean to satisfy the EPA, they short geared it so you couldn't run a wide open throttle very long. If you did, you'd hit the rev limiter. A lean mixture is a hot mixture = engine meltdown. That is why I don't recommend changing the sprockets until jetting issues are resolved...ARH

I think there is something to that thinking, because if you notice that many other bikes that come with better carb tuning out of the box also come with slightly taller gearing. The TT250 has a 17 tooth front sprocket, and the Bashan bikes seem to come with a 45 tooth rear and/or a 17 front as well.

[goat67]

Originally Posted by Megadan

I think there is something to that thinking, because if you notice that many other bikes that come with better carb tuning out of the box also come with slightly taller gearing. The TT250 has a 17 tooth front sprocket, and the Bashan bikes seem to come with a 45 tooth rear and/or a 17 front as well.

The Brozz has a 17 front 46 rear combo

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by goat67

The Brozz has a 17 front 46 rear combo

True, but the Brozz also comes with a smaller diameter rear tire. If you were to match the total final drive of the Brozz to the Hawk, the Hawk would basically need a 17 tooth front sprocket. In short, the Brozz has the same final drive as a TT250 out of the box.

If you wanted to match a Hawk's final drive with 17/45 gears, you would need a 42 tooth rear sprocket.