Sprockets Again.......

[cdevito]

Hey I know there's a sprocket post on the third page but I have another question. I only want to change one of the sprockets. If I go down one tooth on the front, it's like picking up two or three on the rear--right? Would it be better to do go down on the front or up on the rear. The motor is stock and the pink wire is cut. The rear tires are 18's. I haven't changed them to the smaller rears yet. We had our first FTR race the other weekend and by my own fault he had a bad start. Once your behind, it hard to make up ground. I noticed that he kept going into too high of a gear and was not blowing out of the corners like he shold've. I figure if I could get him a little more punch on the low end he could take that jump out of the corners and get out in front of the opponent.

What do you guys think? Next race is Nov. 3rd in Myakka.

[guy310]

First of all, unfortunately there is no cure-all. If you add out of the corner acceleration, you take away top end speed. If you can live with that, then that is what to do. If you can't, just keep coaching him into shifting. It takes a while, I know, and it can be frustrating to be standing on the sidelines and knowing the machine is capable, but we can't shift for them. My daughter had been on an Eton for a few years and at the beginning of this year we got an Xtreme 125 and it was very frustrating waiting for her to get the hang of when to shift and even to shift at all. For short tracks we use a 13T stock front and for big tracks we use a 14T front. I know this doesn't help you now for the short term, but one of the things we struggled with was starts. We got to the point where I told her when it revs out just pull up, don't let off the gas or anything, and just stay in it. She struggled for a while but with repetition, she got it. I got her enough engine to be able to start in 3rd gear. It has made her more consistent because she doesn't have to worry about shifting on the start straight. What gear do you start in and what is the start procedure you are using?

[cdevito]

First thanks for all of the info.

I had made a rookie mistake and left him idling at the start till they sounded the horn. He dropped his hands and mashed the throttle: it sounded like the choke was on. Once the carb drained the bike took off. I was told after that I should hold the back of the bike up and let him rev the motor with the tires spinning; just till the 10 sec. call. Then place the bike down and leave it in first.

He shifts pretty good, just forgets what gear he is in-fourth usually. I do stand on the sidelines just before one of the major shikkanes and yell " down one!" He responds but seems anxious to go back into fourth. Frustrating is right.

Chris

[GILCO]

Learn him to pull up to the gate, put the quad in 2nd and hold the shifter up so it will be in neutrel. A few seconds before the gate or flag drops tell him to hold the gas about half throttle and when the gate drops let off the shifter and the gas should be wide open. If the quad wants to bogg put a 13 tooth sprocket on the front. Have him work on this at home and he will start pulling hole shots at the track. Put a set of 18 inch snowhog tires on the rear and 19 inch hole shots on the front with some wheel spacers to widen the quad up and this will help him in the turns. Stay after him to change gears if he is staying in 4th he is looseing alot of power. Now go get um

[cdevito]

Thanks gilco,

We transitioned to FTR trail races from mx. Just something new. They start with their hands on their helmets, bikes running. I'll try the pulling up on the shifter so when he drops his hands he mashes the throttle and drops his foot. His bike is 44"s wide now with the rear spacers, a-arms, and rims/tires.

Thanks,
Chris

[guy310]

We've found it less tiring to shift and hold down from 3rd to 2nd. They can hold down longer than up and if you have any delays it helps. Also, if they let go, the quad jumps and they panic and get flustered too.

[FASTDAD-77]

I agree with GUY with holding down on 3rd instead of up in 2nd. My son hit the gates twice this year and thats no good with the motor turning a few thousand RPM. He said its alot easier to hold down on the shifter, especially with a gate-man thats waiting to long to drop the gates. Either way its a super advantage over alot of the fully auto minis.