Hey guys, for any of you that have done a front pulley swap, what do you recommend for size, did you have to change the belt, and what did it cost?

The bike is an '09 883 xl with a 1200 kit in it. Revs high doing highway speed and has a lot of vibration between 60-65mph. Just looking to drop the revs a bit without killing the power.

Thanks!

 

Also, what have you guys used to hold the pulley white tightening and loosening the nut?

 

I just converted mine to a chain and I put my front tire against my truck and used and electric impact gun. Nut came off easy. Remember it has reverse threads.

 

Your bike doesn't rev any higher now than it did before you did your 1200 mods! My 883 is quite happy at around 85mph, but I do wear ear plugs, especially when on a ride of any length (which we all should). You should try them - best tuning aid known to man - and dirt cheap!

 

Why Change Your Front, Rear or Both Drive Pulleys?

The reason to change the pulley is because you do not like the existing "Road Performance" (Interstate) of your bike. Harley chooses pulley combinations for the average way they feel the bike will be ridden. Harley looks at the 883 as a "Town Bike" (60 mph) The 1200's are geared for the interstate (70 mph). You can change the gearing of the bike for the way you want to ride by changing the front and/or rear pulley.

• For more "pick-up off the line", decrease the front pulley size, and/or increase the size of the rear pulley. This is quick between stop lights, but increases throttle position and engine rpm at interstate speeds.
• For interstate riding, increase the front pulley size, and or decrease the rear pulley size. This increases the throttle position for quick launch, but decreases the throttle position at interstate speeds
• There are tool kits available that provide a Pulley Holder and the special socket, 1-7/8" x 1/2" drive, to remove the pulley nut, left hand thread.

 

Many people change the front primary sprocket. The 883 has a 34 tooth sprocket, the 1200 has a 38 tooth sprocket. Just put a 38 tooth sprocket on and a longer primary chain. The speedo will not be affected by this change. This will drop the RPMs at cruising speed.

 

Longer primary chain?

 

Well...yeah...sure. I mean, why not?!?
You want to replace the drive belt pulleys? Then go ahead and put a longer primary chain on it as well.
Of course you'll have to add an extension to the tension shoe adjusting screw to make it longer, so that you can take out the added slack in the chain.
But it's worth it.

 

No you don't.You will be using stock front sprocket and a stock primary chain from a 1200. The shoe is the same. I did it to mine when I went to a 1250. This was easier to me than changing the drive pulleys. Any thing changed before the transmission does not affect the speedo. Any thing changed after the trans does thorw off the speedo.

883 uses sprocket 40241-2A and has 34 teeth and chain 40005-57B and has 94 links.
1200 uses sprocket 40290-04A and has 38 teeth and chain 40147-04 and has 96 links.

 

Ah yes, my mistake, I thought you were talking about the front belt sprocket not the front primary chain sprocket.