On my 09 ultra , it is a 34 tooth

My question is can I go to a 32 tooth and keep the same chain , adjuster etc . Or ?????

Thanks

Dave

 

Man, just from what I have seen changing transmission sprockets dropping two teeth off of the motor sprocket would gear that thing down in the basement. I HATE bikes that are geared low (a pet peeve I developed from my first Harley, a Shovelhead). I spend most of my time on easy country backroads and the highway. I added one tooth to the front sprocket of my 03 Wide Glide and it made a big difference. It was geared so low from the factory first gear never got used. I would hit 5th gear at 45 mph so once I got up to 65 or 70 the motor was screaming. If I let off of the throttle at that speed it was like I had slammed on the brakes.

I look at it like this, if I feel I am in too high of a gear I can always drop down one, but when I am at highway speed and the motor is screaming and I am in top gear, there's nothing I can do about it. If you really want to lower your overall gear ratio since you are going to remove the compensator sprocket anyhow maybe pull the clutch basket and inner primary and drop one tooth off of the tranny sprocket. I THINK you can easily do that and keep your same belt like I did but you may want to run that by the gurus to be sure. That would monkey with your speedometer reading though. When I did my Dyna I got a Dakota Digital speedometer calibration box to calibrate the needle. I have a 2010 Ultra which is off from the factory about 3 mph and checked into a Dakota Digital module for that bike and they did have one but it was not just a plug in module, you have to splice wires so I just left it alone.

Good luck.

 

Thanks Hoyt
My issue is -- A ---I need a new Comp and --- B ---- I just got home from a 3000 km trip and never used 6th gear once on the whole ride .

I ride right around 3000 rpm and in 5th that's 65mph our Hwy speed limits up here are 60mph and the mountain roads never make 6th usable

I'm looking at the comp as it is coming off anyway do they make a 33 tooth

Dave

 

I think either Dennis Kirk or JP Cycles used to have a good selection of compensator sprockets. I don't know about the chain situation though.

I will say though that if your only issue is that you don't use sixth gear I wouldn't lower your overall gearing just for that. When I had stock gearing on my Dyna the issue wasn't just high RPMs on the highway, each gear was not as "useful" as it should have been. I was CONSTANTLY rowing through the gears on the backroads. It really was unpleasant to ride. Also fifth gear on your bike is a 1 to 1 ratio which puts even less stress on your drivetrain if I am understanding things correctly than sixth which is an overdrive (something like .86 to 1 ratio). I had read a post once from a guy that went with a 32 tooth comp and he wound up hating it because it had lowered the gearing too much.

I do understand wanting your bike the way you want it. I just wanted to add that the bikes I had that were geared really low were aggravating to me. If someone is a sport bike rider then rowing through the gears constantly might be fun, but I got tired of it real quick. Also things tended to shake loose on the bike more before I raised the gearing.

Good luck with whichever way you decide to go.

 

If OP is still using a 96 ci motor, by all means gear lower.. While the 07s and 08s are geared even taller than the 09s, IMO, the 09 gearing is still too tall for a 96 ci motor. Either gear it down or pull the top end and make it a 107/110.. I have an 07 and dropped the front pulley 2 teeth which is the approximate equivalent to only 1 tooth on a 09 but still it could be lower (and it's a strong 107). Rubber mount motors don't have the issues of the old solid mount bikes.

 

Thanks Max thats what I was thinking we ride two up 80% of the time and slip the clutch more then I would like when we start off and sixth gear is useless
32 it is

Dave

 

Just replaced my main shaft bearing in my 08 Ultra and you are right about the 08s gearing. I regret not changing the drive belt gear to a 31 tooth while i had it apart but money was tight . When u dropped 2 teeth did you have to replace the belt? Since i didn’t change the belt gear when i had the chance i’ Thinking of changing the 66 tooth ids belt drive to the 68 tooth ids that many have done to achieve better gearing when i do my next tire change

 

I had to change the belt.

 

Sooooo anyone want to answer the original question

If I go to a 32 tooth will my stk chain be OK

Thanks

Dave

 

Appreciate the reply and didn’t mean to hijack OP question