When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
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.
You are trying to compare apples to oranges. 04 got the rubber mounted engine and 1st year of split the cases to repair the trans, the trap door is gone. With it comes a "new improved" shifting apparatus. Frankly, my 1977 XLH shifts better and smoother than my Wife's 04 1200 Custom.
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
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Dec 9, 2025 at 07:51 AM.
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
Your explanation and the drawing helps, I kinda get it now.
Originally Posted by RHPAW
Your bike is old. The newer ones don't do that. Dunno what year it changed.
Oh, nooow its crystal clear, that explains everything. I get it.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Transmission question
