Taller 5th gear for XR650L???

[f-five]

I'm running a nx650 2nd gear, 15/43 gearing, JE hi comp piston, fmf power bomb header, super trap can, K&N filter, Dyno jet kit. The bike purrs at 80 and still has enough down low to play in the woods. I recently put 1000 miles on it over a weekend, rode it 80mph from northern Missouri to northern Arkansas, spent 2 days playing in the hills on twisty 2 lane, gravel, and single track then jumped back on the black top and headed home.

[Jud]

I remember a thread that had a part# in it. I'll look for it as I really would like to have that taller 5th. I read where the taller 5th is roughly equal to three teeth on the rear or 1 tooth on the front and to me, that would be well worth it. If and when I do it, I'll add the NX650 2nd gear to it to get 1st and 2nd a bit closer as I will admit, the big hole between those two gears is aggravating in some terrain.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by f-five

I'm running a nx650 2nd gear, 15/43 gearing, JE hi comp piston, fmf power bomb header, super trap can, K&N filter, Dyno jet kit. The bike purrs at 80 and still has enough down low to play in the woods. I recently put 1000 miles on it over a weekend, rode it 80mph from northern Missouri to northern Arkansas, spent 2 days playing in the hills on twisty 2 lane, gravel, and single track then jumped back on the black top and headed home.

That 15/43 is very tall compared to what I'm running, a 14/45 right now and that is too tall for some trails I ride and too short for interstate rides on Ga400 {need 75-80mph cruise} so the taller 5th would do me perfectly as I would like to run 14/48 and still be able to hit the interstate.

[arkansawyer]

I'd like the taller sixth your bike has.
The FMX650 fifth gear is 5% taller. 20 versus 21 teeth. I think in the XRL thread someone did a group buy and they were around $180.
The lower 2nd gear from an NX650 is available at your favorite Honda dealer for around $40.
If I keep my L long enough to need the bottom end apart both gears will go in.

One problem here is power. A bike with a true top speed of less than 100mph can't be expected to cruise comfortably at 85mph. Gear it super tall and it just won't pull the gearing.

My bike has been around the entire Bismarck national enduro trail with 15/48 gearing. Just never come to a complete stop, always keep rolling. Mo is your friend.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by arkansawyer

I'd like the taller sixth your bike has.
The FMX650 fifth gear is 5% taller. 20 versus 21 teeth. I think in the XRL thread someone did a group buy and they were around $180.
The lower 2nd gear from an NX650 is available at your favorite Honda dealer for around $40.
If I keep my L long enough to need the bottom end apart both gears will go in.

One problem here is power. A bike with a true top speed of less than 100mph can't be expected to cruise comfortably at 85mph. Gear it super tall and it just won't pull the gearing.

My bike has been around the entire Bismarck national enduro trail with 15/48 gearing. Just never come to a complete stop, always keep rolling. Mo is your friend.

You are right, a stock bike with a tall 5th and stock 15/45 gearing may not be able to pull that tall 5th but I don't care. I want to run 14/48 and still be able to get on the interstate which the taller 5th would allow for. Additionally, even if one were to run stock 15/45 gearing with the taller 5th,,,, cruising at 75mph would be entirely possible and it would be at a lower, more sedate rpm. I love my wife's Ascot VT500 which has a OD 6th gear. While it way not be able to run much more than 100mph {if that's even possible}, it can cruise comfortably at 75-85mph all day long.

And power, that easily addressed,,,,,,,,, easier than the tranny's gear spread anyway.

[Barron]

Hi there,

The part number for the 5th gear you are looking for is

23491-MW2-780

The way I was able to get the gear was to have my wife call a Honda dealership in Japan (she's Japanese) and have it delivered to her parents house C.O.D. (Cash On Delivery for you youngin's).

I have already installed the NX650 2nd and it's great, but the reason I wanted the 5th so bad is cause I am running 15/42 gearing and I want my low end back. Jud, I get what you are saying about having the low end and the high end too, and I believe we are on the same page. This gear should get us both where we want to go.

FWIW, I was in Europe quite a bit last year and couldn't find it at a shop anywhere.

-Barron

[IheartmyNx]

Originally Posted by Jud

cruising at 75mph would be entirely possible and it would be at a lower, more sedate rpm

But how do you know the engine will even be in a curve strong enough to pull the bike?

Motorcycles, especially old air-cooled lower c/r ones, don't like getting out of torque curves.

I see this all the time as ppl often think revs are too high...

I see lifted 4cylinder Toyota's all the time that have 33's ~ 35's and STOCK gears... That won't pull themselves in 5th gear down the interstate... But the rpm's are sedate!

[flatfender]

The XR-L already has a wide ratio transmission. It is a close ratio XR600R five speed with an added lower first gear. The NX650 fifth gear swap is still worthwhile. It makes the transmission the widest ratio over 250cc of these bike, with only the Husky six speed being wider. Notice a lot of popular bikes on the bottom of the list. The first number in the list is the fifth gear divided by the first gear. And yes I pouched this list from another thread from a few years ago, I must credit the original poster but I don't remember his screen name.


3.90 Yamaha XT225 (6 speed)
3.78 Honda CRF230L (6 speed)
3.75 Suzuki DR125 (6 speed)
3.63 Kawasaki Sherpa 250 (6 speed)
3.53 Honda XR250L
3.46 Yamaha XT250 2008 (5 speed)
3.45 Yamaha TW200 (5 speed)
3.40 Husqvarna TE610 (6 speed)
3.40 Honda XR250R
3.36 Yamaha WR250R/WR250X (6 speed)
3.33 Honda XR650L (5 speed) with the '96-'99 NX650/FMX650 fifth gear
3.32 Kawasaki KLR250 (6 speed)
3.27 BMW G650X (5 speed)
3.18 KTM 530 E/XC-R (6 speed)
3.18 Honda XR650L (5 speed)
3.18 Husaberg FE650E (6 speed)
3.15 Kawasaki KLX250 (6 speed)
3.13 BMW F650GS (5 speed)
3.06 KTM 640 Adventure (5 speed)
3.04 KTM 950 (6 speed)
3.01 KTM 520 E/XC (6 speed)
2.93 Suzuki DR650 (5 speed)
2.88 KTM 690 Enduro (6 speed)
2.86 Kawasaki KLR650 (5 speed)
2.83 Honda XR600 (5)
2.82 Honda XR400 (5)
2.66 Honda XR650R (5 speed)
2.65 Suzuki DRZ400 (5 speed)

BTW, I have a 100% stock engine with an FCR-MX carb set up using a wide band exhaust analyzer and it will pull 15/45 sprockets with the NX fifth gear 70-75 with plenty left for passing and lugs way down so handling slow rocky trails with 15/48 sprockets are no problem.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by IheartmyNx

But how do you know the engine will even be in a curve strong enough to pull the bike?

Motorcycles, especially old air-cooled lower c/r ones, don't like getting out of torque curves.

I see this all the time as ppl often think revs are too high...

I see lifted 4cylinder Toyota's all the time that have 33's ~ 35's and STOCK gears... That won't pull themselves in 5th gear down the interstate... But the rpm's are sedate!

If you had read my post you would have seen where I said I wanted to lower the final drive ratio. Adding the taller FMX 5th effectively equals going up a tooth in the front or down 3 teeth in rear. Now, people do all the time when they are gonna be doing alot of highway riding but it would suck for rocky single track

Now, lets say I go 1 tooth down on the front and 3 teeth up on the rear. That would be great in rocky single track stuff but would suck big ones while on the interstate doing 75mph getting to and from that fun stuff. Most people go down 1 tooth in the front or up 3 teeth in the rear as a workable compromise. It's better but not great in single track/rocky stuff but it ain't so low that it will seriously hurt highway cruise. Once again, not perfect but a compromise.

Now,,,,,,,, if I added the taller 5th gear it would effectively make my overall top gear ratio still roughly like OEM with one tooth down or three teeth up in the rear,,,,,,,,,, not both. But while in 1st gear while running rocky single track, it would be like a tooth down in front and 3 teeth up in the rear which would be sooooo much better and the kicker,,,,,,, I could still cruise at 75mph on the highway. The only negative would be a larger rpm drop between 4th and 5th and since I rarely shift from 4th to 5th in anger on the street,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and yep, I can live with that.

Mmmmkaay.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by flatfender

The XR-L already has a wide ratio transmission. It is a close ratio XR600R five speed with an added lower first gear. The NX650 fifth gear swap is still worthwhile. It makes the transmission the widest ratio over 250cc of these bike, with only the Husky six speed being wider. Notice a lot of popular bikes on the bottom of the list. The first number in the list is the fifth gear divided by the first gear. And yes I pouched this list from another thread from a few years ago, I must credit the original poster but I don't remember his screen name.


3.90 Yamaha XT225 (6 speed)
3.78 Honda CRF230L (6 speed)
3.75 Suzuki DR125 (6 speed)
3.63 Kawasaki Sherpa 250 (6 speed)
3.53 Honda XR250L
3.46 Yamaha XT250 2008 (5 speed)
3.45 Yamaha TW200 (5 speed)
3.40 Husqvarna TE610 (6 speed)
3.40 Honda XR250R
3.36 Yamaha WR250R/WR250X (6 speed)
3.33 Honda XR650L (5 speed) with the '96-'99 NX650/FMX650 fifth gear
3.32 Kawasaki KLR250 (6 speed)
3.27 BMW G650X (5 speed)
3.18 KTM 530 E/XC-R (6 speed)
3.18 Honda XR650L (5 speed)
3.18 Husaberg FE650E (6 speed)
3.15 Kawasaki KLX250 (6 speed)
3.13 BMW F650GS (5 speed)
3.06 KTM 640 Adventure (5 speed)
3.04 KTM 950 (6 speed)
3.01 KTM 520 E/XC (6 speed)
2.93 Suzuki DR650 (5 speed)
2.88 KTM 690 Enduro (6 speed)
2.86 Kawasaki KLR650 (5 speed)
2.83 Honda XR600 (5)
2.82 Honda XR400 (5)
2.66 Honda XR650R (5 speed)
2.65 Suzuki DRZ400 (5 speed)

BTW, I have a 100% stock engine with an FCR-MX carb set up using a wide band exhaust analyzer and it will pull 15/45 sprockets with the NX fifth gear 70-75 with plenty left for passing and lugs way down so handling slow rocky trails with 15/48 sprockets are no problem.

Don't you mean the FMX650 5th gear swap? I thought the NX650 was the donor of the 2nd gear to fix the big drop between 1st and 2nd on the OEM XR650L.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by IheartmyNx

But how do you know the engine will even be in a curve strong enough to pull the bike?

Here's yer answer-

Originally Posted by flatfender

BTW, I have a 100% stock engine with an FCR-MX carb set up using a wide band exhaust analyzer and it will pull 15/45 sprockets with the NX fifth gear 70-75 with plenty left for passing and lugs way down so handling slow rocky trails with 15/48 sprockets are no problem.

Thanks flatfender.

[Barron]

Originally Posted by IheartmyNx

But how do you know the engine will even be in a curve strong enough to pull the bike?

Motorcycles, especially old air-cooled lower c/r ones, don't like getting out of torque curves.

I see this all the time as ppl often think revs are too high...

I see lifted 4cylinder Toyota's all the time that have 33's ~ 35's and STOCK gears... That won't pull themselves in 5th gear down the interstate... But the rpm's are sedate!

I hear what you're saying about the trucks and stock gears, it's kinda funny, and I've seen some that could barely get up a big hill in first- BUT.... I commute daily on my XR650L with 15/42 gears at 80MPH+ with no issues and have had her up to 100. I will say that at 80 you don't have a lot of passing power, but I'm still rockin 44 miles to the gallon.

-Barron

[AZ TOM]

My 2 cents. 15/48 & work on improving your off road skills? Or a new bike?

[flatfender]

Originally Posted by Jud

Don't you mean the FMX650 5th gear swap? I thought the NX650 was the donor of the 2nd gear to fix the big drop between 1st and 2nd on the OEM XR650L.

'93 was the first year for the 20T fifth countershaft gear, Honda (Europe) listed both a 20T and a 21T fifth gear. FMX got what the NX already had.

http://www.oemparts.eu/oem5.asp?M=Ho...2=HO-NX500P-QB

[flatfender]

Originally Posted by AZ TOM

My 2 cents. 15/48 & work on improving your off road skills? Or a new bike?

Agree, or improving the bikes' off road skills. By far the best thing I've added to this bike was a re-valved shock. I remember you saying once you set your shock at zero clicks out for comp and rebound on rocky trails. I started looking at mine more closely and found it's valved too heavy on slow speed and too light on high speed, did Honda put the valve in back wards? I found a guy in Utah that knows these shocks. When he said "Honda put enough shims in the shock for two shocks" I knew I found someone that could do a custom revalved job not just rebuild it. Along with the XR650R forks I installed this shock makes the bike handle the tough stuff with ease and 14/48 sprockets unnecessary. The suspension is now faster than the engine.