Trail riding - do you use first gear?

[Worm]

I noticed first gear is really low (91 kdx200). When I have a slow speed corner I drop it down into first and it revs out so quick im almost instantly flicking it into second.
Am I better off keeping it in second, laboring the engine a little and using the torque to drive out of the corner? The bikes does seem to pull fine in second. Perhaps first is really only for taking off from standstill?

cheers guys

[MikeNZ]

is the front sprocket standard 13 tooth. If it has 12 you could try 13 tooth (they are cheap). Even with 13 tooth front second gear is usually better option try riding with one or two fingers always on the clutch then you can feather (slip) clutch instead of labouring engine, this allows you to stay in the power. Clutch control is important, especially with two strokes.

[Dodger]

Which model KDX do you have?

If you have the Australian "road legal" registered version with a metal fuel tank then the internal gearbox ratios are different from the "E" series non compliance version.

More info here: http://www.kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopi ... 90&t=10878

Cheers

[SS109]

I only use 1st when in hike-a-bike type terrain. Actual trail riding I never use it. BTW, I run 13/48 gearing.

[ohgood]

I noticed first gear is really low (91 kdx200). When I have a slow speed corner I drop it down into first and it revs out so quick im almost instantly flicking it into second.
Am I better off keeping it in second, laboring the engine a little and using the torque to drive out of the corner? The bikes does seem to pull fine in second. Perhaps first is really only for taking off from standstill?

cheers guys

i'm old, and slow, but use 1st gear a lot. actually, i might use 6th gear .... once a week, if that. everything i do is 1,2,3,4... but even 4th is extremely rare.

mines a woods bike, ridden as a woods bike, and 'race' isn't a mode i operate in. if you do, change your gear ratios to suit. it's easy, cheap, fast, and going from "hare scramble" to "woods" mode in gearing is painless.

[Worm]

Bike is metal tank road going version. The ride I was on yesterday I only got into 6th on the way home on the main dirt road out if the forest. On the single tracks or 4wd tracks I would only get into 4th briefly, mostly 2nd and 3rd. Not sure on the gearing, ill check today when I give it a wash.
Clutching to keep it in the power seems pretty hardcore! I'm pretty much never on the pipe when riding single trails, would be way yo fast haha

[Fitterman24]

13/51 gearing here. 1st gear is useless with my ratio, but I knew that when I did it.

[Worm]

My gearing is 14/48. Should make first gear longer.... Anyway, first dirt bike, ill just ride it as is and keep her in second.

[sperz1]

I noticed that last time I went out. I only used first to get going. After that I never used it again. Even it tight turns 2nd and working the clutch did the trick. 95 kdx200 us here.

[KDXGarage]

sperz1, you might want to check the date. The last post was from over 8 years ago.

[MoonStomper]

Well, while we’re on the topic here’s a great sprocket calculator resource for figuring out what you want gearing wise…
https://sprocketcalculator.com/

577CCD5B-96DB-44E7-A366-5A1E95344DF1.jpeg (297.71 KiB) Viewed 300 times

[Goat]

I only ride in 1st, when I screw up my line, rythm, or balance.
(I am in 1st gear a lot)