Are you running two chains for dual purpose?

[choppedxs]

I have RGV250 wheels on my WR250F and have a smaller sprocket on the RGV wheels then the original dirt ones. The dirt bike chain is obviously too long for the RGV wheel and am wondering what you guys do. Do you run two chains or do you have to clip links so you can easily remove 4-5 links when you switch from dirt to road wheels? I am guess that two chains is better but an extra clip link is waaaaay cheaper (in the short term at least maybe).
What are you guys doing?
Cheers

[Oscar]

I have RGV250 wheels on my WR250F and have a smaller sprocket on the RGV wheels then the original dirt ones. The dirt bike chain is obviously too long for the RGV wheel and am wondering what you guys do. Do you run two chains or do you have to clip links so you can easily remove 4-5 links when you switch from dirt to road wheels? I am guess that two chains is better but an extra clip link is waaaaay cheaper (in the short term at least maybe).
What are you guys doing?
Cheers

It's a variation on Sods law:
Two links in chain + frequent removal = stranded, wet and cold.

[clint640]

If you get your onroad gearing by going up a couple of teeth on the front sprocket (depending on how much room there is) as well as down a few on the back, there is enough adjustment on most modern dirt bikes to get a fairly large gear spread on one chain. Eg go up 2 on the front, down 4 on the back then you only need 13mm of adjustment to take up the difference. Less hassle swapping a front sprocket than a chain on most bikes.

Cheers
Clint

[NordieBoy]

When we go from dirt to road gearing it's usually ether the same gearing or a tooth down/up on the front.

2 teeth up/down is considered extreme and would need a lie-down and a milo first.

[Eddieb]

Whats a chain?

[Oscar]

Whats a chain?

Jeez, there's always one...

[tomobedlam]

2 teeth up/down is considered extreme and would need a lie-down and a milo first.

"It's marvellous what a difference Milo makes"

[GSers]

Whats a chain?
Eddie you will find out soon enough when you start twisting that right hand on the Katoom, GSers

[bart]

I had 2 sets of wheels on my DRZ400. Ran all sorts of gearing from 14/48 (standard offroad) to 15/39 (road wheels). I used the same chain, so when running offroad gearing, I'd add a few links. This meant using 2 joiners. Worked fine for me.......BUT CHECK THE JOINER LINKS REGULARLY. Any sign of wear, replace them.

[crazzed]

two chains on the ktm
only 2 mins longer and keeps road one mint
feel its more reliable but thats just me

[warewolf]

I am guess that two chains is better but an extra clip link is waaaaay cheaper (in the short term at least maybe).I've always had enough adjustment to cope with a single fixed-length chain.

That single chain is going to wear out waaaaaay sooner so yeah, it'll be cheap in the short term. One chain on two sets of sprockets is just going to transfer the wear throughout all the components. The road sprockets should last a heckuva lot longer than the dirt set, but being run on the dirt chain - probably not.

[Woodman]

2 chains? spare wheels? road gearing? trail gearing? wtf?

[CrazyFrog]

What Warewolf said. Worn dirt sprockets vs road chain will wear out chain real quick. Road sprockets on dirt chain will tend to wear road sprockets quickly.
I now have a 13/50 dirt combo, and 15/45 road combo with x-ring chain for each, but haven't used the road one much so it's a good spare to have if I ever want to rack up any big road km's.
If you want to commute regularly or do a big road trip on the RGV wheels, choose more road biased gearing overall and stick with one chain, it will comfortably get you most places on many adv rides. Tyres will probably be the decision maker, rather than sprocket sizes.
The chain length will depend on the variable of sprocket ratios you prefer. You should be able to go down 1 tooth on the front no probs, or up 2-3 teeth on rear without generally needing to change the chain (depending on the amount of adjustment you have on your swingarm.).
How about just putting a similar size sprocket on the RGV wheel to what you have on the WR to make it easier than changing chain?

[choppedxs]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots to think about. The RGV wheel came with a 40 tooth sprocket and the dirt one is 52 so no way there is adjustment enough there to go from one to the other. I am not going to be doing a lot of road riding mainly just commuting so maybe buying a new sprocket is the cheaper way to go and get 48 or 50 for the road wheel. Think the bike has a 13 up front so maybe get a larger front as well like a 14 and the chain will fit both applications - beats the hell out of changing the chain out each time I want to put it on the road. Probably still cheaper to get a front and rear sprocket then a new chain. Food for thought anyway. Seems none of you are running anything close to a 40 tooth sprocket anyway so may be too small (but would go really fast right?).

[topo]

(but would go really fast right?).


Nope, on the WR250r i reccon a 13/48 would go faster than the 40t. the little 250 would struggle to pull the gearing once the wind resistance starts to come into play. running a 48 0r 50 will make the wheelies from the lights heaps easier than trying to do them with a 40t tho:innocent:

[bart]

With my back wheel the 39 tooth sprocket on the road wheel was similar gearing to about 42 on the normal wheel. The rolling diameter comes into play when comparing road and offroad tyres and rims.

Just another confusing thing to think about. :blink:

[choppedxs]

Hmmm the whole wheelie thing is very attractive and I think is enough for me to toss the 40 tooth and use the 46 I just found lying around the garage (who knows what its off but it seems to fit the suzuki pattern - must be off an old DR350 I had). Still has a bit of wear left so will give it a whirl and see how it runs. Just recounted the front sprocket and its a 14 not a 13 so a 14/46 will be the test (I think the chain will just fit (according to gear commander it will need to be 26mm shorter which I may just squeze out of adjustment). Gear commander reckons my new top speed will be 144 (wound out) which is not bad I guess.

[JATZ]

Hmmm the whole wheelie thing is very attractive and I think is enough for me to toss the 40 tooth and use the 46 I just found lying around the garage (who knows what its off but it seems to fit the suzuki pattern - must be off an old DR350 I had). Still has a bit of wear left so will give it a whirl and see how it runs. Just recounted the front sprocket and its a 14 not a 13 so a 14/46 will be the test (I think the chain will just fit (according to gear commander it will need to be 26mm shorter which I may just squeze out of adjustment). Gear commander reckons my new top speed will be 144 (wound out) which is not bad I guess.

Beware the even teeth to even teeth scenario......
I read somwhere on the interweb it's a bad thing. But I could be wrong :yes:

[choppedxs]

Yeah the gear commander website deals with that. The wear will actually be slightly better then my current setup which is 14/52. First time I have heard of this. Wonder what wears the chain out faster the number of times a tooth hits the same link or the amount of crap and dirt that gets into a chain when dirt biking.

[jafar]

Yeah the gear commander website deals with that. The wear will actually be slightly better then my current setup which is 14/52. First time I have heard of this. Wonder what wears the chain out faster the number of times a tooth hits the same link or the amount of crap and dirt that gets into a chain when dirt biking.

The amount of high stress you put on the chain is also a consideration. all other things equal the guy who wheelies his bike will wear out the chain faster than the guy that doesn't. Same for tyre wear , fuel economy & component failure.:whocares:

[bart]

The amount of high stress you put on the chain is also a consideration. all other things equal the guy who wheelies his bike will wear out the chain faster than the guy that doesn't. Same for tyre wear , fuel economy & component failure.:whocares:

Must be why the missus is always bitching about my bike shop account.:shutup:

[jafar]

Must be why the missus is always bitching about my bike shop account.:shutup:

Give her something for mothers day & that should stop the bitching for a day @ least:love: