Changing the front sprocket and chain breakers

It's a 32mm. A 1 1/4" works great too. A quick trigger burst on a 3/8 impact gun will spit it off across the garage

The 16 tooth only requires the clutch slave removed (no bleeding!), and you can probably get around that.

thanks desmo. Perhaps 950bear has somehow collected one with the wrong nut on it which might explain why he can't remove it :huh

This is what I'm planning on doing. Note that you will have to pull the aluminum chain adjuster blocks out and spin them around with the shorter end pointing forward to get enough slack in the chain. :)

It should make the bike turn noticeably quicker, even more so if you raise the forks in the clamps a notch or two. Just be aware that a shorter wheelbase is less stable in the sand. ...there's always a compromise.

Or you could simply drop a link on the chain, keep the rear stocker & go with the 16T frt; it`s cheaper this way!

It cannot be said that I will not admit it when I am wrong. The nut was indeed a 32mm nut. I figured out that I did not zero the calipers before I checked the nut size.

Thanks guys for setting me straight.

The 16t really wakes up the bike, it wants to wheelie if the throttle is twisted in the powerband. I can see just messing around in the driveway that I am going to like this new power range in the dirt.

so now you have a spare 30mm socket?

Why, yes I do. Actually I have 20 extra sockets. I wanted these anyway


http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00999594000

reserection of an old thread. my 07 950se has the 17/45 (2.647) gearing as stock, i wonder if anyone has tried the 16/45 (2.8125) combo and what the results were. i have it on and will see how i like it.

Mine will be here Thursday, 16/45, running 16/42 right now but finding i need it a bit lower..ill report back

I put 16/45 on my bike today, love it offroad.. little short for hiway use.. 60 is ok 70 is just over 5k. So not too awfully bad, but for an extended trip I'd change back.

I use this bike alot off road and 50 mph back hi way stuff so this gearing will work for me 90% of the time. I'm heading to Big Sur soon for a trip and then I'll put a 17 up front for the trip down, switch out down there, switch it back for the ride home.. i know people bitch about chain wear etc, etc, but figure itll be fine.. plus It doesnt bother me if I get 1/2 the life of the chain if i can have 2x the fun without having to 'settle' for a gearing i'm not happy with.

I don't like it, as woodlief says the gears are too short for me and i don't feel good at +70 speeds. i think i am going back to 17/45

Me too.. going back to 17/45 today


16/45 after about 500 miles is WAY TOO low for me,

Since the 16T is so bad, feel free to send your unwanted front sprockets my way.

When I swap out the front sprocket, I just loosen the chain adjusters, slide the wheel forward and flip the chain off the rear sprocket. Tons of room then. KTM even gave you a nice place to hold the chain while you're working on it.

Pull the cover, pull the two bolts on the slave, just loosen the one bolt that holds the curved chain guard to the bikes frame. It's a PIA, but a racheting dog bone wrench will get it. I always forget to tighten this one.

The big 32mm sprocket nut is a normal right handed one. There's kind of a simple rule, if you are on the left side of the bike, most nuts are right handed. If you're on the other side the 'could' be left handed. Works this way on old Chrystlers anyway. This big nut is usually loose after 10k miles. Put the bike in first gear and get a long 1/2 drive break-over bar, apply steady force. I don't like to hammer on this. If you use an impact driver, leave it out of gear and just let the shaft spin. You don't really need to get this nut super tight.

Cutting the chain. I only do it once, just before the chain hits the recycle bin. Grind off the pins until they are flush with the slide link. You need a 4" right angle grinder for lots of other projects anyway. I then just pop off the link with a big cold chistle between the center and side links. I never use my expensive and somewhat fragile chain breaker for this. It will really put a lot of stress on it.

Put some moly grease (the black stuff) on the splines under the sprocket. This is a very high stress area and it needs some moly to cushion it.

Gear ratios - the stock is good for high speed work and easy two track. I find that it's in 5th a lot up to 70 mph.
The 16th is great if you are using 1st a lot or ride off pavement 75% of the time, other wise I find it very agrivating on the highway. the 45 tooth rear is more so.
I special ordered a 43 tooth rear (or was it 44?). I hope this will be a good comp for all time.

Just ordered an EK MVXZ X ring chain (In Gloss black finish) and sprockets for $180 shipped. Bike is at 15,000 miles

my 950 ADV came with 17/42

i installed 16/42 which is very close to 17/45 that came stock on the SE I used to have. both are good.

i just saw where (at least the 09) 990 ADV now comes with 16/42 stock. Interesting.

I went with 16/41 for my set (He didn't have a 17t on hand). A little lower than stock but should be a good compromise.

A noob question:

How do I bend that little folded washer tab on the 32mm sprocket nut so I can get the socket on it? A great beeeg hammer???

Seriously, I don't want to do any damage, what's the technique? And do I need to bend it back when I have the new sprocket on or replace it?

I'm going for the 16 tooth up front for a planned summer of dirt...

950 ADV:
The stock tooth gearing is 17 front, 42 rear.
A 16 tooth front plus 42 teeth rear is incrementally lower gearing.
A 17 tooth front plus 45 teeth rear is slightly more aggressive.
I purchased a stealth 45 tooth rear, 17 tooth front + HD DID chain at 1000 miles from sprocket center for approx $230 last year.
The bike runs at less than 5K RPM while zipping down the highway at speeds close to 80/90 MPH.
And the bike still hits 110 mph quickly... with bandwidth for more.
But, I don't think people buy this bike for ultimate top end?
Point is,.. that's fine for touring speed RPMs while affording a reasonably aggressive gear ratio for dirt kin the the SER stock setup.

Running 16 tooth front and 45 teeth rear is definitely starting to limit the "touring comfort" but may be optimal for those who just want to make it to the dirt and tear it up.
Running 5K RPM at 70 MPH is still decently smooth travel if not a good engine rotation with respect to vibration.
I have noticed a sweet spot at 5K to 6K RPM on my 950...
Anyway, I ditto other peoples comments on chain and sprockets.
If you can afford it,... replace everything at one interval.
My god,.. the bike costs around $7 to $14 K!
Dho!!
Why shortchange the drive train???
It's like engine work... when you replace pistons you replace the rings and hone the cylinders.
These things wear into each other and match surfaces.

Anyway, that's MHO...
Cheers.

http://www.ktm950.info/how/chains/r..._and_sprocket_install/chain_and_sprocket.html