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Why is it that when I shift into 5th gear on my 1995 Dyna I can toe the shift lever as if I were going to shift to 6th gear (even though it is a 5 speed and there is no 6th gear) and the shifter will move up like it wants to go into another gear. But on My 07 Sportster when I do it, there is no movement of the shifter?
I've noticed it's different with other bikes I've owned too. Some would allow the shifter to move up a little after 5th gear, and some wont budge when you try it.
I've noticed that on various bikes and wondered about it as well.
I`m a bit late to the party on this thread, but the reason is the design of the shift drum.
The early design shift drum had the play in the shifter in 5th gear, but the shift drum/shift pawl design changed in 2000 on Softails, 2001 on the rest of the Big Twin models.
The newer design shift drum uses a roller detent instead of the old design spring loaded pin, which makes shifting much more positive, and the new drum eliminated the play in the lever in 5th gear.
The late model shift drum/pawl setup is a great upgrade to an older 5 speed (my `89 Softail has an `05 shift drum assembly).
Older pin detent drum
Later roller detent drum
Excellent, thank you.
Originally Posted by RHPAW
Your bike is old. The newer ones don't do that. Dunno what year it changed.
Like Bubba said, crystal clear.
Reminds me of an answer that my chopper riding older brother gave me about 45 years ago. I was riding a Yamaha XS650 at the time, and hadn't learned the difference between wet and dry sump yet. I asked him why his bike had an oil tank and mine didn't. "Because yours is a f'n riceburner" was the answer. We still laugh about that.
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