Gearing

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May 29, 2015 | 06:27 PM

JimmyL

Thread Starter

Tourer

Joined: Feb 2015

Posts: 311

Likes: 52

From: Virginia Beach, VA

Gearing

Hey guys. I love my Sporty, but ... At stoplights I feel like I'm straining to keep up with the stinking Priuses on the take off. Once I get into third, I can barely hang on, but first and second are a little too low. I think I saw something about changing the front sprocket to a 1200 one. Does anybody have any experience with that ? My bike has loads of low end torque and I don't think a higher gear ratio would hurt. It just seems like first gear is too low.

May 30, 2015 | 10:29 AM

Zenmervolt

Road Captain

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 566

Likes: 7

From: Seattle, WA

I think you're a little confused about what low means in relation to gears. A low gear will make the bike take off faster, not make it struggle. If you feel you're not accelerating fast enough in first and second, then the gearing is too high. In that situation going to the higher 1200 gearing will make things worse.

May 30, 2015 | 01:41 PM

lewk

Road Warrior

Joined: Apr 2012

Posts: 1,755

Likes: 253

From: Northern Los Angeles area.

Maybe he meant that he has to go through 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear way too quickly before he can get some decent ooomph (in 3rd) and by then the Priuses have taken off and left him behind...

Last edited by lewk; May 30, 2015 at 01:50 PM.

May 30, 2015 | 02:58 PM

Zenmervolt

Road Captain

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 566

Likes: 7

From: Seattle, WA

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewk

Maybe he meant that he has to go through 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear way too quickly before he can get some decent ooomph (in 3rd) and by then the Priuses have taken off and left him behind...

Second should carry him to around 60 if he's running it to redline based on the 883 gearing charts. If he's still behind the Priuses at that point there are other problems. First is good for a bit over 40 before you hit the 6,000 RPM redline, again using the 883 gearing charts.

So I'm just not seeing the issue being as bad as he thinks it is unless there's something wrong with the bike.

May 30, 2015 | 03:08 PM

lewk

Road Warrior

Joined: Apr 2012

Posts: 1,755

Likes: 253

From: Northern Los Angeles area.

Oh well, dunno then.

In any case JimmyL, you can easily swap out your existing transmission sprocket (aka transmission pulley) if that's what you want.

I believe your bike comes with a 27-tooth transmission sprocket and the 1200 version (same year) has a 29-tooth sprocket. So it's just a matter of going to your dealership and buying a transmission sprocket for a 1998 Sportster 1200.

May 30, 2015 | 05:18 PM

kokemill

Road Master

Joined: Jan 2013

Posts: 1,228

Likes: 34

From: Wisconsin

If you look at the hammer performance dyno for the thunder header, OP is describing lack of low end torque that would match the dyno torque curve. Need new pipes or torque cone for < $ fix.