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Thread: Ninja 250. 415 gearing

  1. #1
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    Ninja 250. 415 gearing

    Making the jump form a 520 to a 415.

    I managed with 1 chain and 3 sprockets on the 520 for all CMRA tracks. Hoping to do the same with a 415.

    Which sprockets and chain length do I need?

    Thanks in advance.

    PS. Yes, I am lazy and could've worked it out on my own....
    Better Dead than Red

  2. #2
    Senior Member Rodrigo DaCunha's Avatar
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    Good luck with that Dean.
    Make sure you have always a spare one with you cuz they do break easy.
    P.S. I would not try that on the endurance bike, sprint only.
    CMRA#672

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    Agreed. I have been running a 520 for that exact reason. I will need all the help I can get for next season. Hence, the change.
    Better Dead than Red

  4. #4
    I run 134 with a 58t rear pretty much everywhere. Fast people will run a 57 on the longer tracks. I don't remember what the front is. Maybe a 14? I'm too far from the bike to check anytime soon.

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    For the 250 running the 415 setup, I used:

    17-55 MSRH
    17-55 NOLA
    17-57 MSRC (both ways)
    17-57 Hallett

    I was buying the 140 link DID415ERZ chains and I was cutting the extra links out of them to make a 132 (I think - it could have been a 134 link, though). As I recall, I just used the one chain length on the Ninja for all the gearing I ran.

    Trying to use a single 415 chain for a full season would be insanity. If you want to run the 415 setup, you need to budget for frequent chain replacements and plan to lube the chain religiously after every weekend of use. The chains were running me ~$70 a pop, which wasn't awful in the scheme of things (blowing a couple of motors in a season changes your perspective on cost, though). The 415 sprockets easily last a full season (even the Al rear ones).

    When running the 415 on the 250, I would replace the chain every 3rd weekend. I lubed the chain after every round that it wasn't being replaced. The chain also got a fresh master link after every round (I had problems with tweaking the master if it was reused).

    (The R3 would get a fresh chain after every other round - it was a bit harder on 415 chains than the 250 was.)

    I lubed the 415 chains by dropping them in a bucket of gear oil for 1/2 hour or so, and then hanging the chain (from my garage rafters) to let the excess oil drain off (usually takes several hours). You'll find a surprising amount of grit and dirt accumulated in the used gear oil after you're done... I didn't bother scrubbing the 415s or using spray chain lube like the bigger 520 o-ring chains - the oil bath seemed to do the trick for these little guys.

    It's definitely a commitment to run a 415 chain with the cost/frequency of replacement and maintenance, but aside from putting Mupo valves in my forks, running the 415 chain/sprockets was easily the best performance upgrade I made to the 250.

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    Thank you, gents. Scott, your old bike will continue to roll as long as the latest Manny motor allows
    Better Dead than Red

  7. #7
    I'll have to check what front sprocket I run. Has to be smaller than 17.

    I change it twice a season. Once at the beginning and once in the middle. I might clean it. I don't soak it or anything like that. I don't replace the master link (I even reused one on a new chain once ). I change it based on how loose it gets. I'll usually set it, ride a couple sessions and bring it in. I might tighten it a little after the first weekend but then I'll leave it until I replace it. I once ran it in endurance but that was only because we had to switch to my bike at the last minute. It was a fresh chain and was fine for the race.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Martin View Post
    For the 250 running the 415 setup, I used:

    17-55 MSRH
    17-55 NOLA
    17-57 MSRC (both ways)
    17-57 Hallett

    I was buying the 140 link DID415ERZ chains and I was cutting the extra links out of them to make a 132 (I think - it could have been a 134 link, though). As I recall, I just used the one chain length on the Ninja for all the gearing I ran.

    Trying to use a single 415 chain for a full season would be insanity. If you want to run the 415 setup, you need to budget for frequent chain replacements and plan to lube the chain religiously after every weekend of use. The chains were running me ~$70 a pop, which wasn't awful in the scheme of things (blowing a couple of motors in a season changes your perspective on cost, though). The 415 sprockets easily last a full season (even the Al rear ones).

    When running the 415 on the 250, I would replace the chain every 3rd weekend. I lubed the chain after every round that it wasn't being replaced. The chain also got a fresh master link after every round (I had problems with tweaking the master if it was reused).

    (The R3 would get a fresh chain after every other round - it was a bit harder on 415 chains than the 250 was.)

    I lubed the 415 chains by dropping them in a bucket of gear oil for 1/2 hour or so, and then hanging the chain (from my garage rafters) to let the excess oil drain off (usually takes several hours). You'll find a surprising amount of grit and dirt accumulated in the used gear oil after you're done... I didn't bother scrubbing the 415s or using spray chain lube like the bigger 520 o-ring chains - the oil bath seemed to do the trick for these little guys.

    It's definitely a commitment to run a 415 chain with the cost/frequency of replacement and maintenance, but aside from putting Mupo valves in my forks, running the 415 chain/sprockets was easily the best performance upgrade I made to the 250.
    dang, I ran a 415 chain all season :X. on a 250 probably should replace that

  9. #9
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    I was behind one of the Randalls when they slung a chain off their 250 at MSRH in 2016, and I guess that episode made a bit of an impression on me regarding the durability of 415 chains, lol. Changing it so often might have been overkill, I guess.

    (I wouldn't endurance race with a 415, either, but I know others that have done it.)

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    We have endurance raced with 415 chains on EX250/300 and R3's since 2007. Only time we had an issue was a ML clip came off once in 07 and never again. We also use EK GP chains only. The RS and TZ125's came with 415's and they make over about 50hp. If worried about it run a 428, we have front sprockets for sale
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