FE550 gearing

Ok so the 550 is a little knew to me offroad but I know how I want a bike to feel with the combination of fireroads, medium and tight single track.
It has the stock 15/48 gearing. On the FE650 this was my perfect choice.
On my 2016 Ktm 500 it was a tad too tall so I went 14/46.
On the 550 15/48 is too short. It seems like 1st goes nowhere except if your hung up in tight single track. 6th is easily used not only on street but in the dirt as well. I can use 6th in the meat of it on a flowing fireroad.
On single track that is starting to open up I can wind out 3rd where I would be fighting off a bog on the Ktm .
Just today I was reved out in 3rd and looking for 4th but it needed something.
It needed a taller 3rd.
I'm going 15/47. I'm almost positive 1st will still be short enough for tight work. And spread out 2nd and 3rd a little more. 4th 5th and even 6th have been sweet at the 15/48 .
I will see.

Any other 550 guys out there with what they like with gearing?

pollo

I think you're looking at it the wrong way. when you have the right gearing you always say: "what is first?"

pull off in second, that way you never go near neutral.

regards

Taffy

Hi there,
this may sound strange, but I used to run a 16 /48 on both my 550s. They are a ballsy motor with a big bottom and pull like a truck, I found lower gearing fatigued me with wheel spin and so forth, especially in tight stuff.

It should get around 155kmh / 100mph topped out on speedo at a guess with 16/48. I rode the bike off the bottom end, more tractable , and bike turns better and changes direction with low rpm on it. I run pretty heavy tubes and steel sprocket ,anything just to take the hit of power out of it.

I seemed to focus on setting the bike up under brakes,in turns, and keeping the right rpm on down low ,roll the clutch out and a quick touch the throttle and its gone, without much wheel spin. Bit of practice works well, developing quick reflexes works well. Less gear changes as well especially in tight stuff.

I don't think you will get an ideal gearing all round on these for tight stuff and open terrain, you just need to spend time on it, on a short repetitive track with corners and learn how to get the best out of it for what it is in the right gearing. Focus on keeping fast and smooth with small inputs on the controls.

Well that was what I found worked for me after 800 odd hours on 550s, but you may have a different riding style and different terrain and so forth .

When I crossed over to the 2014 501 , I could not ride it to save myself, the FI and throttle response was strange after so many hr on the one bike with a carbi , then the 14/48 was terrible for me , all over the place, jumpy, different gear ratios , everything was new and I was not used to it. It kept flaming out and stalling also off the bottom.
( bikes fault , not mine!!)

I found happiness with 15/48 on the new 501 , but it took 60 hrs of riding practice before I liked the bike and felt confident, again I spent hours on set out single track with tight corners and various terrain , focusing on set up into corners with right rpm or combination of brakes ,keeping a flow happening. It is not ideal in all situations with that gearing , however I adapt my speed and style to get the best out of it.

The 501 is so quick n nimble in the tight stuff for me now , it feels like a 250 . It never steps a foot wrong , it is incredible what it does sometimes , according to the speedo it carries an average speed of 39kmh on mostly single track and some fire trail for me.

I cant ride the 501 anywhere close to what it is capable of ,it just does everything and does it well. Will never own a bike with a carbi again! Awesome.

We see many people write up on the site here on modifications, tyres, pipes , engines, suspension, getting more horse power and so forth, which is outstanding to say the least, but not much on the development of the rider or what it takes to get more speed in that area or stepping it up to the next level.

Well hope this helps some , must go.

Thanks enginenumber,
Interesting that you went down to 3.0 gearing.
This bike could pull a 7th gear on the Hwy with the stock 3.2 gearing.
I do like the 4th gear punch off road though.
15/47 will put me at 3.13. Going to start with that.
I do have an extra Iron man 45t on the shelf though.

pollo

And Btw, I like 15/48 (14/45) on the Ktm 500 also.
It can be an aggressive pace in single track.
I went 14/46 for now. I like them both.

I ran the 15/47 today on the 550. I know its only 1 tooth change but it seems like the perfect gear for me. It doesn't take away from the "hit" but gives it a better spread between shifts.
First is still short enough for tight work. And besides, I never really had a problem hitting neutral by accident.
I thought I would mention how easy it is to find neutral with the bike running while stopped at idle. It goes in real nice like I use to remember my 05 650 doing at new.
I wish my 06 FS650 was that easy. Its not. Probably needs Taffy's clutch pill.
I can find neutral while its running, but only while I'm downshifting from 2nd at a crawl.
And then it only needs to be a touch!

pollo

I thought I would make a comparison of gearing between my 2016 Ktm500 and the Fe550.
Just to show the characteristics of the high reving Husaberg.
With the 15/47 on the 550 ratio is (3.13)
The 500 has 14/46 and ratio of (3.28)
The 500 still has a taller pull. It cruises in 6th at about 64mph before the revs start to rise.
In comparison the 550 cruises at about 60mph in 6th before its revs start to rise.
I know they are completely different motors and gear box. But interesting comparison anyway.
Both bikes are just where I want them right now with gearing.

pollo

the 550 has a taller pull.

15/30 is 2.0 and is far taller gearing than 15/45 which is 3.0. so the lower the number, the taller the gearing.

regards

Taffy

Yes I do realize the 3.13 is taller than the 3.28.
My point is that the feel and speeds between the 2 bikes with these gearings do say otherwise.
They actually feel pretty close.
But not what you would expect by looking at the numbers.

pollo

Now if we are talking power. I must say.
The Ktm does have a nice pull all the way up.
But the the 550 feels like it will yard it in a drag race with the pull your arms off hit.

pollo