I just got back from the Winchester Bay dunes in Oregon. Last weekend I had went to Florence with the stock 13 tooth front sprocket, and in the trails, and cruising it seemed that first was to short, and second was to tall..... so.. I ordered a 12 tooth front sprocket and went yesterday with the new sprocket.

First of all I can say that it cures the problem greatly on the trails, and made riding alot funner. I am running 9 paddle haulers so I get alot of hookup, but it didn't seem to make it any worse as far as wheeling ( but then I could be getting used to the bike.. ) I am really happy with the results of the days ride. I did some racing for the first time with it. I raced a heavily built 310r,and 330r, a couple of stock banshee's, and a couple that had pipes and were ported. We were launching from about 50ft from the base of the hill. I ran even with the 310, smoked the stock banshee's, the ported shee's pulled me a bit ( 1-2 lengths at the top of the hill ) and the 330r smoked us all ( 4-6 legths ahead of me at the top ). Over all I am very happy with the results, actually I was a bit surprised. It was a steep climb, I could launch it hard in 1st, and grab second befor the base, and stay in second all the way up. When we started farther back from the base 100-125ft away, I could grab 3rd befor the base and pull it to the top. I messed around with trying to upshift on the climb, and it wouldn't do it, on climbs that wern't real steep I could upshift. but basically whatever gear you hit the hill on at the bottom is the gear you will be in at the top. I think the 12 tooth makes the bike alot more ridable at slow speeds.

Any ways thought I would share this for anyone wanting to know about the 12 tooth in the dunes, and the results of some friendly hill racing.

 

Hmmmm so it sounds like you didnt really get out of 2nd gear for the most part.

From the sounds of it, that type of gearing wont be of much use in Glamis. I recall drag racing up Oldsmobile and getting into 5th on occasion on my 93 Banshee (yea, it had alot of work done in it). Most of the time, I was launching from 2rd or 3rd gear. Basically what I am trying to say is that the Raptor will definitely need alot more top end power to take on the dunes of Glamis.

The setup you described sounds like it will work great for Pismo Beach though.

Blake
American Sand Association Member
GlamisOnLine.ORG

 

It will depend on the hill. wherever this dude was racin might be a steep. The raptor might run third and maybe even upshift at olds.

 

The hill we were racin was steep. The raptor even with the 12 tooth sprocket is high geared. I am not sure what gear the shee's were running in but on the 310r was pulling 4th. It was a friend of mines bike and we took turns on each bike. On the 310 we were launching in 2nd. From the shee's that I used to have, I think it would be safe to say that most people launch in 2nd on them. 2nd gear is to tall to launch in on the Raptor.... I will talk to my friend about olds... he is planning on going down there again this thanksgiving. He has been there the last two years. He was telling me about the long travel buggies running through the whoops at the bottom of old's one word impressive

 

Thanks for the post...sounds like a good day in the sand. Yes, the Raptor is still geared high with the 12 tooth. Did you do any top speed racing with the 12 tooth sprocket? Thanks!