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cush drive do or don't...

Joined Oct 2012
716 Posts | 170+
Belgium brugge
About a year or so ago I destroyed my kite (non cush drive) hub because sprocket bolts came loose.
I temporarily fixed it by drilling the oval 8mm holes to almost 10 and threaded the holes now I can still use the hub.
Downside is I also have to adjust al rear sprockets to make it fit and changing a rear sprocket is a lot of work (use longer bolts with locktite and nylon locknuts on the back of the hub and first have the adjusted rear spr).

Now there are a few options when my chainkit needs to be replaced:
-drill all holes to 10mm and get some spacers machined with outer diameter 10 inner 8 that fit perfectly flush in the hub this way I can use stock sprockets/bolts without any adjusting.
-Keep using the method I am using now and adjust the rear sprockets (cheapest option but don't like it)
-Buy new hub prefer a cush drive because on my rebuild gears where damaged maybe this was just because of the incident of the bolts that came loose but maybe not.

The bike has over 60 hp on the wheel so it puts some stress on the drive shaft/hub I think for durability cush drive would be better but I mailed some company's who sell hubs and they can't even replace it on my wheel because it's a tubeless system that needs different spokes so I probably would have to send my rear wheel+new hub to alpina to get it done...

Most aftermarket wheel company's don't even offer rear wheel with cush drive because it would not be necessary on mx/supermoto:rolleyes:
(but my bike puts out +10hp compared to average supermoto bike and it's possible I want even more power in future:p )
 
Some thoughts, no conclusions from me :) -


There are those who are of the reasoned opinion that a cush hub is good on these - to save the countershaft splines from wear. Others think that the issue isn't with the non-cush hub. You can search a bit for "countershaft splines cush hub husaberg 570" or similar. Couldn't really find one good link to explain it so I'll let you search yourself :)

(Is that the stock wheel you have? If not, does the stock wheel have a cush hub?)


Then Dirt Tricks Ironman sprockets last like crazy - tens of thousands of miles! - so you don't have to switch sprockets as often. And they're lightweight. Almost as light as aluminium sprockets, last much longer than normal steel sprockets. Less worn sprocket means less wear on the chain over time too. That might be part of the fix, to not have to change sprockets as often :) ?: KTM SE Rear Sprocket [PVD] | Dirt Tricks

but maybe you adjust it to each track anyway so that's a no-go?
 
I have a steel rear sprocket on now to but I only change between front sprocket for the moment currently running 14/43 15/43 for tracks with topspeeds around 180
For me wear on sprockets and chain is not my biggest concern its the expensive main drive shaft and gears in there I replaced gears worth approx 500 euro last rebuild.
My first time replacing the chain kit I looked at what was lightest and lowest roll resistent.
But powerfull supermoto eats chaind so now I choose durability even if its almost an extra kg of weight chain is rated for +1000 cc bikes and over 200hp so it lasts much longer
 
The stock wheel has a cush drive but I sold them I bought alpina carbon tubeless wheels the price difference compared to the tubeless wheels from husaberg with a 5inchy rear was small so I chose for extra bling lower weight and better tubeless system only downside no more cushdrive.
 
Google "kush sprockets". Mixed reviews and the company seems to struggle a bit with demand. I don't know anything about it except for a quick google and that I like the idea.
 
Google "kush sprockets". Mixed reviews and the company seems to struggle a bit with demand. I don't know anything about it except for a quick google and that I like the idea.

I always liked the idea too and intended to get one, but it seems that Kush Sprockets have come to a tragic end:

This is the page behind http://kushsprockets.com/ https://m.facebook.com/337451129795...51129795499/337452066462072/?type=1&source=46

And then a later post: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=406232549584023&id=337451129795499

edit - there might be some hope?: http://www.adcreator.org/index.php?threads/kush-sprockets.852975/page-8
 
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I went OEM Behr with cush recently. Feels a little smoother of a ride. My 05 650 snapped 3rd Gear at 117hr. And that was in the bush..go figure. It also took or chipped up 5 other gears with it
I put the cush on the 06 650 at 143 hrs. Looking for a positive experience.
 
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If you plan on keeping the bike long term, I would go ahead and get the cush hub. I'm still running the stock cush hub on my FS570 and had a Haan one put on my FE570. I even had one (Rad) put on my Husky TE630.
 
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I already contacted haan to see if they can instal a cush hub on my wheel but they say they cant because the alpina have specieal type of spokes maybe if I contact alpina they can install a cush hub on request but I would already lose 100€ on shipping costs back/forth only than cush hub/labour it would not be cheap for sure....
 
The spoke issue might be solved by having custom spokes made. Here in the US, it's not that hard to do with Buchannon. They do custom stuff all the time.

Probably not too many custom spoke shops in Brugge or even Belgium. Visited Brugge a couple of years ago. Very cool old town.
 
I asked alpina what they could do for me now just wait for reply yes brugge is a small town with a lot of historcal **** some american tourists think it's a theme park or something :p
 
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Alpina got back to me and they are saying I can send my wheels together with hub (alpina themselves can't supply cush hub for the 570) to italy and they will rebuild them.

(will send both front/back for rebuild because the front has been losing air quiclky recently... )

Cost would be 240€ excluding the cost of the hub and excluding the shipping cost I have to pay to get them in italy... (140 rebuild/100 shipping)

Alpina said talon has a cush hub for my bike but If I google talon cush hubs I read some people have issues wit them so I would probalby buy a OEM cush
hub from hsb/ktm (cost 262€) and send it alll together +-600€ to get my wheels back good like new and with cush hub.

Only downside the rear hub will be boring/ugly grey instead of bling bling annodised blue but for me performance/reliability is first priority;)

Not sure if I will send them now or wait till after my last supermoto trackday this winter in march depending how big my end of the year bonus will be:p
 
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Looks nice but would cost me another extra 300...
And dont know these someone any experience with those for that money they better be realy good...
 
RAD hubs definitely are not cheap, but Woody's Wheel Works in Denver, Colorado swears by them. Woody's is one of the very best wheel shops we have here in the US. You could ship them your rim, they would lace it up and ship it back to you. They drill out hubs all the time to install oversized or odd configuration spokes. They answer emails quickly and their customer service is first rate.

I prefer Haan, but RAD is in the same league.

But as you said, it ain't cheap.
 
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Shipping a rim to italy is expensive from belgium shipping to us would be crazy I guess but I could Just buy the hub get it shipped to me and than send the stuff to alpina to get it rebuild.

I have some time to think about it will ride only one more time im march with my current hub.
(after that new chainkit is coming on and I will ride my racebike in May.

So will have some time to get the berg in perfect condition while riding my other bike.
 
I already contacted haan to see if they can instal a cush hub on my wheel but they say they cant because the alpina have specieal type of spokes maybe if I contact alpina they can install a cush hub on request but I would already lose 100€ on shipping costs back/forth only than cush hub/labour it would not be cheap for sure....

Hey husabelg, guess it won't help you much, but it still might be useful for others:

I still have my OEM wheels in the garage - unlike you - and I was intending to have them laced with new alpina rims and sts kit this winter (cause the saxess rims are damaged), but according to Hartl, there is no way to use the STS kit with OEM ktm hub (with cush drive )...

so to summarize:
- you say no alpina rim with haan hub
-I say no alpina rim with OEM hub...

it very much sounds like no alpina rims with cush drive hub ever....:(

I guess i'll pay a visit to jpfra soon (jepfra.be), he's apparently good when it comes to wheels, and sell haan, talon...he might have some tips for you as well... I'll ask him what rim to use with my oem hubs..
 
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