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.
OK so my question is the opposite of OP. I have a 2016 48 nad I want more power off the line. I don't mind some vibes at high speeds because I rarely do high speed. My riding is around town during the week and on secondary highways on the weekends. Those roads have 55 limit so I try to keep it at 60 max. How many teeth would I need to decrease the front pulley to actually feel an increase in power? Also a reduction in front pulley size would increase the wear on that pulley so bearing that in mind what does anyone suggest?
OK so my question is the opposite of OP. I have a 2016 48 nad I want more power off the line. I don't mind some vibes at high speeds because I rarely do high speed. My riding is around town during the week and on secondary highways on the weekends. Those roads have 55 limit so I try to keep it at 60 max. How many teeth would I need to decrease the front pulley to actually feel an increase in power? Also a reduction in front pulley size would increase the wear on that pulley so bearing that in mind what does anyone suggest?
i bought a 28T pulley off eBay. Its the factory pulley from the 883. I ended up using it to design my own aluminum version so I can sell it to you if you want.
OP - You can have my original 29T pulley if you want it. That should be +1 for you.
Primary chain has nothing to do with the drive sprockets except that the drive sprocket won't turn without the primary chain doing it's job. It transfers power from the engine's flywheel/crankshaft, to the clutch shell.
If you are looking to change your final drive ratio, you mess with the drive sprockets, front (main) and rear (wheel).
Changing the primary sprocket changes the final drive ratio, so change the primary sprocket. Bigger = lower cruising RPM and smaller = higher cruising RPM.
Changing the primary sprocket changes the final drive ratio, so change the primary sprocket. Bigger = lower cruising RPM and smaller = higher cruising RPM.
It may be for some but not for me. I did it the same time I changed out my clutch. I doesn't affect the speedometer either. I say what ever works best for you.
The OP wanted to know about dropping the RPMs at cruising speed. He now has all the options.
Last edited by apache snow; Apr 3, 2019 at 11:05 AM.
Assuming that the effective final drive ratio was the same, what would be the advantages/disadvantages of changing the front primary sprocket vs front drive pulley? Is there some secondary effective benefit of one approach over the other?
Also, with respect to drive pulley, what effective difference would be noticeable for switching the front final drive pulley from the stock steel to aluminum, if the same number of "teeth" were on both? I know the aluminum may be lighter and more prone to long term wear, but what side benefit would you experience from that lower rotational mass? How would that change how the bike feels? I haven't yet seen any real discussion of that.
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.