Why 17/45 Sprockets on Hawk 250?

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Republic

Tried the 15/45 today and RPM's at 60 aren't something I'm comfortable with for any sort of distance. Went back to 17/45. I think 16/45 might be the sweet spot for me.

That should work.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

I don't know how bad the muffler is. What I do know is that the head pipe is terrible, and the exhaust gasket is awful on the Hawk.

I'll have to take mine off one weekend and see how bad it is. I'm an old guy and don't like the loud exhaust like I use to lol. But there may be a few things I could do to make it flow better and still keep the exhaust quiet down enough.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

I'll have to take mine off one weekend and see how bad it is. I'm an old guy and don't like the loud exhaust like I use to lol. But there may be a few things I could do to make it flow better and still keep the exhaust quiet down enough.

Before you take the exhaust pipe (head pipe) off, I would suggest you get a copper o-ring exhaust gasket for a Honda CRF-230. Then re-torque the exhaust to head bolts, step by step to 15 ft/pds (with the copper o-ring gasket). After you have the head pipe mounted, then re-mount the muffler.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Before you take the exhaust pipe (head pipe) off, I would suggest you get a copper o-ring exhaust gasket for a Honda CRF-230. Then re-torque the exhaust to head bolts, step by step to 15 ft/pds (with the copper o-ring gasket). After you have the head pipe mounted, then re-mount the muffler.

I think that's the same as I used on my Honda 200x. I should have 1 or 2 laying around. I'll check on that tonight.

[JerryHawk250]

I think a pair of these LEDs mounted vertical should fit where the reflectors are up front. https://www.amazon.com/autvivid-Driv...cm_wl_huc_item I'll take some measurements tonight.


Update: I measured up everything and it looks like they will fit. It might be close to hitting the plastic on the tank but I think I can make a bracket to offset for clearance. If you never been off-road trail in the woods at night you are missing a great experience. Ran across a couple of deer this pass weekend. I really need to invest in a helmet cam for the next time I go.

['16 TT250]

There are sprocket combinations that should be avoided, I found a chart somewhere a while back when I was changing my Duc's gearing. I believe the reason was a combination of vibration and wear do to an interaction between the sprockets and chain, but don't recall the details. It may not be a big deal on a low power/low speed machine, but if your desired gearing can be had with a better combination of sprockets it would be the better way to go. I think I wound up running one of the 'wrong' combos on one of my 999s and didn't notice anything wierd but I didn't ride either one a lot to really know, I also did a few swaps trying to find the best gearing & chain size and don't recall what combo either one ended up with. I did a 525 to 520 conversion on one of them and the reduced weight could be felt in the acceleration. Getting the lightest combination on a CB should help it too, but of course smaller lighter parts that are strong are usually more $.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by '16 TT250

There are sprocket combinations that should be avoided, I found a chart somewhere a while back when I was changing my Duc's gearing. I believe the reason was a combination of vibration and wear do to an interaction between the sprockets and chain, but don't recall the details. It may not be a big deal on a low power/low speed machine, but if your desired gearing can be had with a better combination of sprockets it would be the better way to go. I think I wound up running one of the 'wrong' combos on one of my 999s and didn't notice anything wierd but I didn't ride either one a lot to really know, I also did a few swaps trying to find the best gearing & chain size and don't recall what combo either one ended up with. I did a 525 to 520 conversion on one of them and the reduced weight could be felt in the acceleration. Getting the lightest combination on a CB should help it too, but of course smaller lighter parts that are strong are usually more $.

It's not so much the sprocket combination but the correct amount of links in the chain for the sprocket. There is a chart somewhere and I can't put my hands on it. It gets a little complicated but with the wrong links of chain and sprocket what happens is the same links end up on the same tooth of the sprockets more often. So if you have say a bent or damaged tooth on the sprocket it could wear those particular link quicker. I'm sure if you google it you could find information on it. What you want to avoid is have a chain link equally divisible by the teeth on the sprocket. example: 120 link chain divided by 40 tooth sprocket means on 3 rotations of the sprocket the same 3 links hit the same tooth. Same for front sprocket. Just make sure the amount of links aren't equally divisible by the number of teeth on the sprocket. So on my 15/40 combo I need to avoid a 120 tooth chain.

[95C1500]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

I think a pair of these LEDs mounted vertical should fit where the reflectors are up front. https://www.amazon.com/autvivid-Driv...cm_wl_huc_item I'll take some measurements tonight.


Update: I measured up everything and it looks like they will fit. It might be close to hitting the plastic on the tank but I think I can make a bracket to offset for clearance. If you never been off-road trail in the woods at night you are missing a great experience. Ran across a couple of deer this pass weekend. I really need to invest in a helmet cam for the next time I go.

If you're looking for a decent helmet camera, I suggest the Sena Prism Tube. It's about $120 on amazon, shoots in 1080p, comes with a mic/speaker. Perfect for me.

As for the sprockets, what is your top speed with the new combo?

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

It's not so much the sprocket combination but the correct amount of links in the chain for the sprocket. There is a chart somewhere and I can't put my hands on it. It gets a little complicated but with the wrong links of chain and sprocket what happens is the same links end up on the same tooth of the sprockets more often. So if you have say a bent or damaged tooth on the sprocket it could wear those particular link quicker. I'm sure if you google it you could find information on it. What you want to avoid is have a chain link equally divisible by the teeth on the sprocket. example: 120 link chain divided by 40 tooth sprocket means on 3 rotations of the sprocket the same 3 links hit the same tooth. Same for front sprocket. Just make sure the amount of links aren't equally divisible by the number of teeth on the sprocket. So on my 15/40 combo I need to avoid a 120 tooth chain.

Yes, that's right.

[pete]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

It's not so much the sprocket combination but the correct amount of links in the chain for the sprocket. There is a chart somewhere and I can't put my hands on it. It gets a little complicated but with the wrong links of chain and sprocket what happens is the same links end up on the same tooth of the sprockets more often. So if you have say a bent or damaged tooth on the sprocket it could wear those particular link quicker. I'm sure if you google it you could find information on it. What you want to avoid is have a chain link equally divisible by the teeth on the sprocket. example: 120 link chain divided by 40 tooth sprocket means on 3 rotations of the sprocket the same 3 links hit the same tooth. Same for front sprocket. Just make sure the amount of links aren't equally divisible by the number of teeth on the sprocket. So on my 15/40 combo I need to avoid a 120 tooth chain.

what you say is totaly correct....
If we rode own bikes in a totaly sterile room it could
have a bearing on chain / sprocket life..
But I ride mine in the real world with water / mud / dust
& the chain totaly dry after 10 mins riding..
Wheather the sprockets can be devided into each other or not
has diddy squart to do with chain / sprocket life in the real world..




....

[mtiberio]

I believe the term used in gears and transmissions when you have a cyclic wear pattern due to even combinations is called a "hunting tooth" condition.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by 95C1500

If you're looking for a decent helmet camera, I suggest the Sena Prism Tube. It's about $120 on amazon, shoots in 1080p, comes with a mic/speaker. Perfect for me.

As for the sprockets, what is your top speed with the new combo?

Thanks, I'll check that one out. Christmas list to myself.
My first trip out I clock it at 74 on my GPS. I took it out Sunday and got up to 72 before I backed off the throttle.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by pete

what you say is totaly correct....
If we rode own bikes in a totaly sterile room it could
have a bearing on chain / sprocket life..
But I ride mine in the real world with water / mud / dust
& the chain totaly dry after 10 mins riding..
Wheather the sprockets can be devided into each other or not
has diddy squart to do with chain / sprocket life in the real world...

I ride mine the same way. I pull the chain off after a day of off road riding and clean it in kerosene then put it in a container of 90 weight gear oil to soak for an hour. It's just a piece of usless fact that really doesn't affect most of us.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by mtiberio

I believe the term used in gears and transmissions when you have a cyclic wear pattern due to even combinations is called a "hunting tooth" condition.

This also could works the opposite way. If you had a link or two that got damaged and stretched it will wear on the sprockets at the same teeth. I can see this happening more than a tooth getting bent or damaged. My stock chain is about shot already so on my next order I'm ordering an o-ring chain along with the LED lights and Hand brush guards. My last off road trip I bent the Clutch lever and busted the crap out of my hand. Lucky I had some good hard knuckle tactical gloves that cushioned the blow.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by mtiberio

I believe the term used in gears and transmissions when you have a cyclic wear pattern due to even combinations is called a "hunting tooth" condition.

You've got it backwards. The "hunting tooth" system evens the wear around both sprockets, and the chain, if it is done as described.