Gearing - who's running what?

[DirtDogs]

I too, feel the 2018 TRS 300rr is geared too high. I looked at it from a mathematical, stand point.

40/10 is 4.0

40/9 is 4.4

48/10 is 4.8

48/9 is 5.3

I was running a 40/9...still a little fast...too much clutch action to slow it down...imo

I just installed a 48/10 on the bike, along with a new chain.

I will report back, after more ride time.

[trevbul1]

10/38 for me!

I am an old-school greybeard rider with my first trials bike being a Bultaco Sherpa in 1978 that I used to ride to college weekdays and trial at weekends. I ride my current bikes 2 miles to my local practice ground on the road so 10/ 42 that my GG came with is too slow in top gear.

I am 61 now and am not even going to try 'stunt' sections, I just enjoy proper nadgery through tight woodland sections. I now run 10/ 38, am much happier with that set up. I never use 1st gear and 2nd only rarely, I use 3rd nearly all the time except 4th & 5th between sections.

Am I old-fashioned or has the sport changed dramatically these days that people want slow speed but quicker delivery? I just bought a TRS and the owner looked at me very strangely when I selected 3rd to pull away when I tried it out.

Any other oldies care to comment?

Happy riding, everybody. BTW, I maintain a list and have owned 46 bikes on and off road since I was thirteen.

[lemur]

Stock gearing, I too would be happy if my 300RR had only 3rd gear, I only use 4th to keep up to the enduro bikes better or to save fuel on the faster trails. 

[bikerpet]

I run stock 10:40 and don't have any problem with it at all. If I want to go slower I slip the clutch, which has many other advantages too.
Going to something lower like 9:40 or 10:42 will increase torque at the rear wheel, making it harder to maintain traction when it's tenuous and when you accelerate.
Slipping the clutch considerably increases available traction, but does require development of that skill. There is a massive gain in traction to be had by using a higher gear and slipping the clutch rather than using a lower gear.

The TRS is definitely pretty snappy on the throttle, but I believe that stuffing around with different heads, reeds, slow throttles, blah, blah, is a poor substitute for learning how to use the clutch.
However ... just using a thicker base gasket (or doubling up) is a very quick & cheap way to soften a 2-stroke.

Personally I'd far prefer slightly too high gearing than slightly too low.
That said, my preferred riding would be significantly more challenging in 3rd gear! I mostly only use 3rd for big hills or when on my way to 4th & 5th.
Horses for courses.