Madman wide ratio trans gears .....

motorguy · Post by **motorguy** » September 25th, 2008, 6:42 am

Is anyone running the Madman wide ratio tranny?
If so, what are your thoughts on it.
I am about to go for it but, just thought I'd ask before I coughed up the cash and went through the effort.
Motorguy

teemtrubble · Post by **teemtrubble** » September 25th, 2008, 7:57 am

Save your money buy a later model trans put all the gears in a brass tumbler for a day = wide ratio trans that shifts like butter!

Post by **AlisoBob** » September 25th, 2008, 2:40 pm

The Madman gearset is a true overdrive, not just late model oem ratio's,Mike.

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » September 25th, 2008, 2:48 pm

ya, but he has a '92, so switching to the newer 4th and 5th gears might get the desired effect for far less money.

teemtrubble · Post by **teemtrubble** » September 25th, 2008, 3:59 pm

Your right my bad...

I still would update the trans do what I said and call it good before I spent that coin.

motorguy · Post by **motorguy** » September 25th, 2008, 9:15 pm

Thanks for all of your input, it is appreciated.
I have considered the later tranny but want the tallest final ratios I can get, that way I can run down a dirt road at speed.
Some of my buddies have 650R's (one friend solo'd the Baja 1000 and finished mid pack in the iron man at 47 years old) and big KTM's. I need some speed without screaming this smokers guts out.
So, today I pulled the pin and bought the gears!
They are on their way from the heat treater as we speak.
Should have them next week.
What a good time to clean up the ports!

Still haven't heard back from Surf City about the PWK.
I am ready to go for it.
I spent major bucks $$ on my KDX carb at RB Designs, was worth every single penny, that friggin thing is electric in it's power delivery, awesome!
I know a lot can be gained from proper carburation.
Enjoy the ride!
http://motorguy.rack111.com/

fastkart · Post by **fastkart** » September 25th, 2008, 11:54 pm

While you're at it, send the cylinder and head to Glen @ GSS and get the race setup done. You won't be sorry...unless you go off the back end

motorguy · Post by **motorguy** » September 26th, 2008, 6:03 am

fastkart wrote:While you're at it, send the cylinder and head to Glen @ GSS and get the race setup done. You won't be sorry...unless you go off the back end

How much $, time to do, and contact info?
Since the entire engine will be down I would be able to match the transfers to the cases. Not sure about race porting, not looking for overrev, just a meatier mid range.
Also was considering extrude hone after a clean up, any thoughts?

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » September 26th, 2008, 6:45 am

glens contact info is in the approved vendor section. do yourself a favor and give him a call!

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » September 26th, 2008, 7:12 pm

motorguy wrote: Since the entire engine will be down I would be able to match the transfers to the cases. Not sure about race porting, not looking for overrev, just a meatier mid range.
Also was considering extrude hone after a clean up, any thoughts?

you can clean up the ports yourself and use fmf pipe... youll have plenty of mid-range for a weekend cruiser

ctatv · Post by **ctatv** » September 27th, 2008, 8:16 am

i cant wait to hear how the wide ratio gears went in, thats an eventual plan for my Cr500 cause its supermoto and while (as some know from my thread) i am playng with sprockets to get on or off road but id like to be able to ride on road and then hop in the woods with enough low for trails and enough high for crusing comforably at 65 on back roads...

how much did the gears themselves run you?

motorguy · Post by **motorguy** » September 27th, 2008, 10:50 am

ctatv wrote:i cant wait to hear how the wide ratio gears went in, thats an eventual plan for my Cr500 cause its supermoto and while (as some know from my thread) i am playng with sprockets to get on or off road but id like to be able to ride on road and then hop in the woods with enough low for trails and enough high for crusing comforably at 65 on back roads...

how much did the gears themselves run you?

Yeah, that's how I look at it, the CR500 has the power to pull more gear and to still have low enough gearing to pick your way through the nasty stuff is a huge advantage. The way it is now it's one or the other.
The gears seem like a lot $ but, after talking with a long time friend who makes the trannys for the Terrible Herbst trophy trucks, he said that it sounded pretty fair and actually since it's such a niche market item a pretty good deal. That's what helped me to cough up the $780 for the set.
I have seen later gears on fleebay for much less but, if I'm going to go to through the effort of doing this then what the heck.
My 1984 Maico (M-Star) 490 had a fantastic transmission!
It was a very wide ratio box, to the point that I never in ten years felt the need to change the final gearing. From Glamis, Cal City, Gorman, Jawbone, Kennedy Meadows, Dumont, etc. the gearing was fine.
The tranny gave that bike super versatility. One of my buddies had quite a few bikes during the time I was riding the Maico and yeah his CR500's were quick but the Maico always had another gear and would trail ride in the woods like a KDX (well, like a big shaking loud abrupt KDX).
So the gearing deal is pretty important. Motocross bikes are designed to go betwen about 20 & 60 mph and you know that 20 mph in some sircumstances is way too fast and 60 is not fast enough for open country.
Unfortunately most of my bikes could use a wider ratio trans, heck even my street bike (700 Intruder) could use a taller high gear or a 6th.
My buddy (the Terrible Herbst tranny guy) and I have had many conversations about this matter. He likes to go dirt bike camping which requires the bike to be able to ride in truly knarly terrain and then make a stint on the highway, all while being loaded to the gills with camping, survival, tools and stuff. His main bitch is the tranny(s). He has been contemplating making a 2 speed hub, this will be heavy and expensive.
Also he (and he is totally capable) considered making a wide ratio tranny but, once again the time and cost have caused him to just deal with the situation. Question ... "have you ever been compleatly satisfied/happy with any piece of equipment?" He has asked me. The honest answer is NO.
We just deal with the compromise that is in any dasign. Development is usually done with a fairly narrow focus or purpose/goal, that's what we end up with as our starting point, from there we tailor our stuff to (hopefully) fit our specific needs. Kinda long winded

but, yeah I coughed up the bucks for the gears and am looking forward to using them. Finding the time to do the deed on the motor is another matter! LOL!!!

http://motorguy.rack111.com/

motorguy · Post by **motorguy** » October 13th, 2008, 4:12 pm

Got my gears, they look great.
Martin (Madman) told me that that is probably the last set they will make, his gear guy has other interests and these are a pain in the ass, so he is done. At least that was what I was told. I hope it isn't true.
Will need to find some time to get these in the bike, I will let you all know how that goes and try to take pics of the project.
I had a feeling that I shouldn't wait to get the gears, maybe this time I was right.
Happy trails!

MICK · Post by **MICK** » October 13th, 2008, 5:24 pm

You're going to love them! Two riders in my family have the wide ratio trans for their CR500s and it's a terrific off road upgrade. They reduced their final drive ratio to acheive a lower 1st and still retain a taller 5th. Excellent trail ratios. I would almost prefer to ride their steel framed CRs in the woods than my AF because their motors are so much easier to use. With 14/49 my bike was still geared too tall for the slow stuff, causing me to tire my left forarm and clutch. And I would still run out of gears on the fast stuff. When I think about the "Best" off road upgrade for a CR500 those trans kits come first to mind. I sure hope they continue to produce them. One day I might have a dedicated off road 500 and those gears are going to be the first thing on my list.

exackery · Post by **exackery** » October 17th, 2008, 5:58 pm

Let me know how they work out? Im interested in a set too.

motorguy · Post by **motorguy** » October 19th, 2008, 10:14 am

exackery wrote:Let me know how they work out? Im interested in a set too.

I am in the middle of restoring my Wetbike and need to have the motor off my bench before I tear into the CR5hunski, so it will be a little while before I get the gears in. Also I'm gathering other new parts so when it's apart I can make it as new as possible. I was talking to the owner of the Honda shop here in Ridgecrest and he paused when I mentioned the gears. He asked me if they were really dark black in color compaired to the stockers. Yep they sure are, I replied. He said had those in his CR500 which he raced in over 60 desert races. He said it was a huge advantage and that I was going to love them. Back in the day he got his from IMS. from what I understand this current set is from the same plans, which were originally Honda, as I understand it.
If you want some you may want to get in touch with Martin at Madman and let him know, since he told me that his gear guy is loosing interest in making them. Also, the price is $820.00 a set as the website has not been updated with the current pricing. Still not too bad for 6 gears.
Madman's (Martin) ph# 618-949-3898

ctatv · Post by **ctatv** » October 21st, 2008, 1:24 pm

motorguy wrote:
exackery wrote:Let me know how they work out? Im interested in a set too.
I am in the middle of restoring my Wetbike and need to have the motor off my bench before I tear into the CR5hunski, so it will be a little while before I get the gears in. Also I'm gathering other new parts so when it's apart I can make it as new as possible. I was talking to the owner of the Honda shop here in Ridgecrest and he paused when I mentioned the gears. He asked me if they were really dark black in color compaired to the stockers. Yep they sure are, I replied. He said had those in his CR500 which he raced in over 60 desert races. He said it was a huge advantage and that I was going to love them. Back in the day he got his from IMS. from what I understand this current set is from the same plans, which were originally Honda, as I understand it.
If you want some you may want to get in touch with Martin at Madman and let him know, since he told me that his gear guy is loosing interest in making them. Also, the price is $820.00 a set as the website has not been updated with the current pricing. Still not too bad for 6 gears.
Madman's (Martin) ph# 618-949-3898

im not going to have money till the srping but i really want to get a pair of these before they are gone...

Im having trouble figuring out what gears to run right now for the woods & road. These gears would be even more of an asset for when i run it as a supermoto street tard

teemtrubble · Post by **teemtrubble** » October 25th, 2008, 11:41 am

Ok so here's the scoop Madman and Baja Designs both sold these transmissions and they are "not" overdrive transmissions the are "NOS" HRC components and haven't been produced in 20 years.

If anyone here is interested in a set "call me" at 805 306-9840 $800 plus shipping and handling

BannedCR500Riders.com