Pulley swap
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,713
Likes: 299
From: SC
I started off thinking about drive belt pulleys and never considered swapping out the primary pulley, clutch shell, and a longer primary chain.
Thank you for the schooling.
Not something I would do, but if it lights your fuse, why not?
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,609
Likes: 694
From: over the mountain
That's the way a 1200 is geared. When I did my 1250 kit I wanted the same gearing as a 1200 would have. The 883 uses a 34 tooth primary sprocket and the 1200 uses a 38 tooth sprocket. It seemed to me the right way to do it even if its a little more work.. I was going to be in the primary housing any way putting in a Barnett clutch. I have all the tools needed to do the job. So it wasn't that big of a deal. The speedo gets its info from the transmission so what gets changed before the trans wont throw it out of calibration. If you change the final drive pullys it throws off the speedo calibration. . Still not a big deal I guess but that's just me. I just got back riding the bike. When it was an 883 it would be turning 4000 rpm at 70 mph. Now it turns 3400 rpm at 70. That is a good reduction and makes cruising easier to me.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Last edited by apache snow; Apr 3, 2019 at 03:38 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 595
Likes: 262
From: Philly area
That right there is a good example of one of the side benefits I was asking about. Good info there.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,997
Likes: 2,083
From: Newport,TN area
That's the way a 1200 is geared. When I did my 1250 kit I wanted the same gearing as a 1200 would have. The 883 uses a 34 tooth primary sprocket and the 1200 uses a 38 tooth sprocket. It seemed to me the right way to do it even if its a little more work.. I was going to be in the primary housing any way putting in a Barnett clutch. I have all the tools needed to do the job. So it wasn't that big of a deal. The speedo gets its info from the transmission so what gets changed before the trans wont throw it out of calibration. If you change the final drive pullys it throws off the speedo calibration. . Still not a big deal I guess but that's just me. I just got back riding the bike. When it was an 883 it would be turning 4000 rpm at 70 mph. Now it turns 3400 rpm at 70. That is a good reduction and makes cruising easier to me.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Sorry for going off-topic.
T.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
That's quite true. Unfortunately both have limited options which restricts what we can do, unless we change to chain rear drive, for which there are more alternative sprockets, front and rear.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 164
Likes: 17
From: NY
I have looked into this a lot and have found that changing the belt sprockets is the easiest solution. Either a chain conversion or buy the sprockets from 883Sportster.com
Messing with the primary is a whole nother gig, if you understand how it works then go for it! For the weekend handy man swapping the external sprockets is the best solution.
Messing with the primary is a whole nother gig, if you understand how it works then go for it! For the weekend handy man swapping the external sprockets is the best solution.
Last edited by NPV288; Apr 4, 2019 at 11:20 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,713
Likes: 299
From: SC
I have looked into this a lot and have found that changing the belt sprockets is the easiest solution for me. Either to a chain conversion or from 883Sportster.com
Messing with the primary is a whole nother gig, if you understand how it works then go for it! But for the weekend handy man swapping the external sprockets is the best solution.
Messing with the primary is a whole nother gig, if you understand how it works then go for it! But for the weekend handy man swapping the external sprockets is the best solution.
*** I use Ulysse Speedometer Pro to track my MPH to avoid tickets, and it keeps track of my mileage while offering maps of my rides.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 164
Likes: 17
From: NY
You can even get the speedo module to fix the speed or just do the math and know you are off by 5MPH at 60 or 7 MPH at 80.
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 595
Likes: 262
From: Philly area
I still haven't seen anyone share any experience about what a lower mass final drive pulley might do for your, even keeping the size the same. I'm curious about the practical benefits of that. Better acceleration? Easier turning from the lower centrifugal force due to the lower mass? Or is the difference negligible apart from the drop in the bucket weight savings?