need help for gearing on moderate/long track

[Marc]

i have searched for the past hour for gearing ratios and i still havent found one thats for me. i run on a moderate/long mx track. just recently for recreational use i put a 16 tooth front sprocket on the front and i am running a 38 tooth sprocket in the rear. i was debating on putting a 14 tooth sprocket on the front and a 39 tooth sprocket on the rear with 20 inch tires. i would go back to the factory gearing but my factory 15 tooth front has a broken tooth and my 38 tooth rear is showing some extreme wear, also i want a little more torque for when i come out of the turns. right now when im on the track im lucky to hit the top of 3rd gear/bottom of 4th. i want to atleast hit the top of fourth gear on the big straits. if you were in my shoes what setup would you guys go with?

thanks
Marc

the link below is the image of the track. its hard to make out but there are some stretches that are 150+ yards long and the total length of the track is roughly a mile long.





http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=16&X=3281&Y=21864&W=1&qs=%7claurel%7cindiana%7c

[Marc]

anybody???

[400ex28]

I've always been satisfied with the factory gearing.

[NacsMXer]

Here's the gear ratios you are working with, running 20" rears.

16/38 - 2.38:1
16/39 - 2.44:1
15/39 - 2.60:1
15-38 - 2.53:1 (stock)
14/39 - 2.79:1

Right now i'm running 16/39 but with 18" rears and it's about perfect for me. Has long enough legs between gears and still accelerates fast. It could accelerate faster if I ran a 15T front, but revs out too fast for my taste with a 15T front.

You are running 20" rears, so it's a little different in your case. Right now if you are running 16/38, you have a 2.38:1 ratio. Going to the 14/39 you are thinking of, you jump to 2.79:1....a pretty big jump. It would definitely get you way into 4th gear if you're barely into 4th right now.

Dropping a tooth on the front sprocket will give you a big increase in acceleration that you are looking for, but you will be zipping through the gears and be in the higher gears at lower speeds in exchange. It's obviously a trade off, but maybe you can look at some of the gear ratios above and make the best judgement yourself.

[Marc]

awesome thats exactly what i needed thanks for the help!!!!

I love the 1999 - 2004 stock 15/38 gearing. Seems a bit too high without any mods but with exhaust and intake mods its perfect. It has long enough gears to be able to haul a** and not have to shift up again and thenm quickly back down. I dont get out of 2nd or 3rd much on the trails and track type riding 3rd gear is where its at lol.

[Marc]

with my 400ex i got the k&n filter, stage 1 webcam and a namura 11:1 comp ratio stock bore, and fmf powercore 4 slip on

[04-honda-400ex]

Mac your 400ex sux! :blah:

[Marc]

hey i beat you didnt i:muscle: