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5 gears vs 6 gears. whats your opinion?


leosantanalg
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I m not sure that this would be the ultimate factor that would sway me to one bike or another but in my last thread this has spiked some different opinions.

to me personally, my GG250 6th gear is nothing short of useless, and kind of annoys me that adding that 6th gear the shifting from 4th to 5th becomes a clunk.   Does anyone knows which manufactures do 6? and which do 5? whats the advantages and disadvantages on real world application. I also heard of a certain Italian bike which some owners claim the 1st gear for that specific bike is pretty useless in a sense no one ever rides on it. 

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In the UK we have many trials that use the road to link groups of sections in differing locations.  Like the SSDT and many others.  Without a road gear we would be knakered be it 5th on a 5 speed box or 6th on a 6 speed..  So it's not useless.....

 

 

Edited by gasserguy
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Wife's bike is a Gas Gas 125 (6 speed), kids old bike was a Beta 80 (6 speed) and her and I now both ride Montesa and we both love them, 5 speeds and all.  

Not much of a fan of the 6 speed in the Gas Gas or it's 4th to 5th clunky-ness.  Would take something like my daughters old Beta 80 6 speed over the Gas Gas or just stick to the 5 speed.

After a good ride on my old Montesa, in late fall this year, my wife is interested in switching to a Montesa as well. 

hope that helps.  

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 If you ride a properly laid out long loop event sixth gear is needed. But it seems most of the events now are set for the spectators and the riders would rather not have to ride a whole mile. Give me a 5 to 20 mile plus loop and I'll smile the whole way. I come to ride!

 The Gasser transmission clunks, because of it's unique design. Not because it is a six speed. The throttle is on the right.

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To me Gas Gas's 4th and 5th gears seem the same, it pretends to be 6 speed. Beta's 1st is low enough to tickle through cobbly streams without using the clutch, but not much use in other sections. My Sherco used to rev too high in 5th on the road sections but was OK otherwise. My 4RT was best on the roads but a heavy numb thing on sections. For me it's a tie between Gas Gas and Beta for range of gearing. Let's see what TRS's turn out like. 

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Well I wonder what the works riders use or prefer, bike A for rocky trials and bike B for mixed going. Five speed usually means slightly lighter bike, unless the gears are constructed larger for strength. Six speed gives a wider choice of usable ratios to select for different riding conditions. Also consider that the manufacturer may intend at production the engine type to be installed in enduro models not just trials. Obviously tuned differently but still utilising the same engine casing etc. Six gears allows higher road speed or more fuel saving if speed reduced. Lower engine revs equals lower wear rate.

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If you ride muddy terrain a lot, 4th gear in a section can come in very handy for big hills and the like. Not every trial, but when the section arises hitting it hard in forth makes all the difference, while those in 3rd struggle. Impossible on a 5 speeder, but with a little clutch and some revs on a 6 speeder, man can it shift!!! In other words, with a 6 speed, 4th is lower than in a 5 speed, making it usuable in a section. Very rarely but it is usable.

PS Maybe its just the power a GG pumps out and has nothing to do with a lower 4th :lol::P

Edited by faussy
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5 speed is just more of a comprise than 6.

My 07 sherco at the ssdt was fast enough on the road but on the moors 5th was too high and 4th was too low. 4th couldn't be used in mud sections as it was too high.

Gas gas / beta six speed box is better for long distance trials. However I never used 1st on my Beta so it's almost a five speed with a weight penalty but 5th 6th spacing was good.

I've currently got a TRS with a 5 speed box. 4th and 5th are lower than the sherco. So I've got a usable 4th for sections and it will pull 5th on the moors. But guess what, it's a bit slower on the road....

Number of gears shouldn't determine the choice of bike in my view unless you do lots of long distance trials with muddy climbs needing 4th! 

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The 250 and 260 4rts would not pull 4th very well in std gearing in sections but the 300rr will and 5th is a quick road  gear.

i think the extra torque of the 4rts  especially the bigger cc makes a 5 speed more effective 

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The 250 and 260 4rts would not pull 4th very well in std gearing in sections but the 300rr will and 5th is a quick road  gear.

i think the extra torque of the 4rts  especially the bigger cc makes a 5 speed more effective 

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It's not the number of gears that matters but what those gears are.  A pal, who was a better rider than me, could not keep up with my 200 Beta over the rough on his TYZ engined Scorpa until he lowerered the gearing when it became an even match.

I seem to recall riders managing to cross the Scott moors fairly rapidly with four speed boxes..............

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