Tecate Question

[J.D.]

I was just looking in my Rocky Mountan ATV book and I see they run 13/37 stock sprockets? That's somewhat high gearing, isn't it? Can they pull it ok? What top speed does that give them?

[200xer]

there's more to gearing than the sprockets, there is the insides gears as well.

[86waterpumper]

they can pull it just fine, the reason they have a smaller rear sprocket is to make up for the lack of a sixth gear I would imagine, like the other watercooled trikes from 86 had. The tecate in my opinon would be awesome with a sixth gear, it seems to wind out so fast, but it will still easily run as fast or faster top end with the five gears as the 250r will with it's six. The tecate was pretty much purpose built for track racing, as evident by the adjustable rear strut, twist throttle, light weight, 10 inch rear rims etc...I guess they had the same thought as yamaha does recently with the yz450 four stroke. They changed it to a four speed from a five, as it is mainly for track use. As Tim said, the transmission gearing is also a factor, he may know about the TRI-z but I'm sure they changed the gearing all around on it for it's change to a six speed in 86.

[J.D.]

Okey dokey thanks for clearing that up gentleman

[Jeb]

I believe 84/85 Tecates had 13/42 stock. I believe the extra size was to help with absence of low-end. In 86 when the KIPS motor found it's way into the redesigned Tecate chassis, they raised the gearing to 13/37. With the KIPS helping things on the lowend side I guess they figured they could raise the top speed in 5th. Plus it wheelies too easy as is and would have been much more light in the front with the exta torque from a bigger rear sprocket.

I cant remember off hand what the Tecate 4's stock gearing was. but it's motor is a six speed.