14 tooth sprocket for 690

[Xpat]

I want to swap front sprocket on 690 for 14 as the sand is bitch now here in moz, but it doesnt have the rubbers original 15 has. Is it ok to use replacement sprocket without the rubbers?

[witblitz]

Yes you can run it without the rubbers.

For interest sake, how many teeth does your back sprocket have if you want to run a 14T front? Secondly what rear tire you running?

[Xpat]

Thank you! Rear is standard 45, and the tyre is e09 dakar 140.

Im trying to ride sand tracks along the coast of moz, and current gearing is too long, forcing me to go too fast and i had few hairy moments with trees.

[Bill the Bong]

You need to run the E09 at 0.8.- 0.9 bar to make it work in sand.  Took me half my 1st Amageza to figure it out.  A 14T will work (rubber or not) but will make the gearing pretty tight.  A 690 should lug 3rd gear on std gearing without sweat.

[Xpat]

Thank you. I have put the 14 in and for me its definite improvement in sand. Even on tar here in moz where it keeps me at about 100 kmh so it is easier to slow down to 60 in villages - but the bastards nailed me once anyway.

I will try lower pressures tomorrow. Was running 1.4 - 1.6 and still battling on the sandy tracks following the coast and had to resort to more tar than i wanted. After day 1 i lowered front forks in the tripple clamps a bit as front was very flighty with luggage at the back. Probably too much, so i raised it today a bit back. But maybe the problem really is pressure. But strange thing is that i have ridden some of those tracks fully loaded on e09d on husky 630 and it was much easier. Will try lower pressures tomorrow and see how it goes.

[boland]

You should also bleed the front shocks regularly aswell

[Xpat]

You mean bleed the air? I am afraid i do not have bleeders in - or are they there as standard?

[sidetrack]

Xpat must be hot as hell up there now, keep hydrated  I realized yesterday when riding some slippery Limpopo dirt and sand with the Z how special the 610 was as well. Agree on the tyre pressures, on sand you can go really soft.

[boland]

You mean bleed the air? I am afraid i do not have bleeders in - or are they there as standard?

Yes sorry, bleed the air. There is a screw on top of each shock and you can use a philips head screw driver to bleed the air. The front can sometimes start to feel a little twitchy if you dont do it for a while

[Xpat]

Thanks, found them. It wouldnt help now as the forks has been upgraded and serviced by hilton hayward right before trip. Yesterday i rode sand from zavora to Tofu and it was much better mostly because if the heavy rain day before on overcast weather. That is until i got too cocky and spent 2 hours trying to get through big dune field to the beach. I believe now that the main culprit is lack of fitness - i can ride even brutal sand ok for a while, but heat and effort sucks my energy quickly, and its quick downhill from there.