Dustmaker asked me to comment on my new SE 6 spd tranny. I posted my 5 spd on the classifieds for sale. So.....

It's an extra overdrive gear, so it's quite noticeable. The 5 spd tranny and the SE 6 spd have identical gearing with 5th at 1.0 gear ratio. The SE has a true overdrive for 6th at 0.89. I just had a pile of work done and my mech was supposed to change my primary gearing but didn't do it for reasons I won't get into here. The change in primary gearing was the reason for the new tranny. I was afraid 5th would wind out uncomfortably at highway speeds with this change. Without that changed, I don't think I will use 6th at all. If you want to cruise at 80-100 mph then the tranny is great. If I change my primary or sprocket then I'm hoping it will be worth it. Since those things haven't changed on my bike, then it may be a waste of money for me. The tranny feels great though, no complaints about the performance.

The funny thing is, I found I would look for a 6th gear at highway speeds before and now I don't. Go figure? It feels like the gear ratio is different but it is the same. I don't get it. It may have to do with the other work done but it still confuses me.

 

thanks for the info

I have personally use the 6th gear a ton, not sure why, I just always shift up into it, especially on the highways

 

6th Gear has given me hell since I bought the new bike last year (1st 6 spd).. Never felt like I was in the right gear.. Lower gear seems to be winding out and when I shifted the next gear seemed to almost lug.. Don't get me started on 6th gear.. lol.. Anyway, di a 103" build on the motor over the winter and VIOLA!.. Didn't change the gearing but there's never a doubt about which gear to be in and I really like it now.. Don't need 6th until about 70-75 and that's only on the highway..

 

I have another performance issue that I will get corrected in the next week or so. Then, the bike may like 6th but I think I will be getting tickets to go along with it.

 

Thanks TG for the post. I have heard the same as you have described from others, no real change??? And if as Rail explains "not good until 70-75mph" I am not sure it will benifit my riding. I sure am glad this thread got started, as I was ready to pull the trigger on a new 6 speed tranny.

Hope to hear from others experiences with the new tranny's.

 

6th on my stock stage 1 didnt feel like it pulled right, I could feel the motor laboring at any speed. Usually didn't use it below 65 and when never got above 38 mpg.
Felt like the best speed and motor rpm was 55-60 in 5th and that is where I got the best milage, (40-44 mpg)..
Now last month after I put in the 26h's and only 500 miles on it, I can tell a big difference in the motor at 65 in 6th, its as smooth as it used to be 55 in 5th, no more laboring and it pulls it easy...
It will have to warm up more to get out on open road to tell about mileage, hope its better now,

 

.. I hear ya.. I was asking a fuel mileage question on the TTS thread and Doc said I should be getting x amount as long as I stayed out of the 211 cams... That seems to be a slight problem at this point..

 

Had my SE 6-speed gear set put in about 2 years ago and love everything about it..
The 6th gear is just where I use to try to shift on the highway to it
when I had 5 gears (and hit a brick wall) all the time... 'bout 70mph..
Now that I am doing a lot more traveling on highways at 80mph the
6th speed overdrive is smooth as silk with those rpm's down and better gas mileage....won't get another Harley without a similar trans.