Is gearing down your motorcycle really the best $30 off-road upgrade, or is it one of the most overrated modifications in adventure riding?
In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted: Shortcuts, Drew Faulkner takes a practical look at one of the most common modifications in dual-sport and ADV riding: changing your final drive gearing.
Learn what "gearing down" actually means, why so many riders swap front and rear sprockets, and the real-world advantages for technical trails, hill climbs, rocks, and slow-speed control. More importantly, we discuss the trade-offs that often get overlooked, including higher highway RPM, increased vibration, speedometer changes, and why there really is no free lunch when changing your motorcycle's gearing.
Whether you ride a Yamaha Ténéré 700, Triumph Scrambler, WR250R, CRF250L, KTM dual sport, or just want to understand motorcycle sprocket changes before spending your money, this episode will help you decide if lower gearing is actually the right modification for your riding style.
In this episode:
What gearing down really means
Front vs. rear sprocket changes
Why ADV and dual-sport riders lower their gearing
Highway compromises nobody talks about
Common installation tips and mistakes
How to decide if it's worth doing on your bike
Subscriber Bonus: After the public episode, Drew shares his personal experience with four different motorcycles—the Triumph Scrambler, Yamaha Ténéré 700, Honda CRF250L, and KTM 350—including why he geared each bike down, why he returned several of them to stock gearing, and how his opinion has changed after years of riding everything from adventure rallies to hare scrambles. If you've ever wondered whether lower gearing is really worth it, this is the part of the conversation you won't want to miss.
Have you changed your gearing? What motorcycle do you ride, what sprocket combination are you running, and would you make the same choice again? Leave a comment or send us an email—we'd love to hear your experience.
The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles.
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