Sixth gear in a headwind
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,899
Likes: 3,412
From: OH
Don't sweat that *** hat comment about the pocket protector. The aerodynamics of the touring bikes is not all that great. The TC's need to be spun up a bit in RPM's if you want the bike to be responsive.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
My 204 cam comes on at about 2800 so yeah. Not to turn this into a cam thread but until I installed the 204, 6th gear didn't have meaning; it was an RPM reducing overdrive. Since the 204 install, (and at appropriate revs), 6th gear pulls for me, all the way to 100 mph at least, (fastest I've gone
).
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 14,731
Likes: 2,536
From: Mountain Top, Alabama
Sounds like a good time for performance upgrades, give 6 gear some new life.
For my 103, it was SE255 Cam, SERT, SEAC (Now its A/N Big Sucker), and V/H Power Duals. More low end torque for easy 2 up hilly touring. Big headwinds just make the motor growl a little deeper. My dealer says this is a very common upgrade, and is probably how all Harleys would run "Out The Door" if not for the EPA.
The difference is like night and day!
For my 103, it was SE255 Cam, SERT, SEAC (Now its A/N Big Sucker), and V/H Power Duals. More low end torque for easy 2 up hilly touring. Big headwinds just make the motor growl a little deeper. My dealer says this is a very common upgrade, and is probably how all Harleys would run "Out The Door" if not for the EPA.
The difference is like night and day!
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 40
From: Reno, NV
Everyone has that same complaint, 5th gear, "its all right"....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 32,851
Likes: 17,887
From: Newcastle, OK
For me 65 mph is that in-between speed were I may use 5th or 6th depending on the conditions such as head-wind, slope (both up and down grades for power issues and engine breaking respectively) etc....I generally don't even shift into 6th though until I hit 70 or so and it feels like I need to.
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; Jul 28, 2017 at 06:40 PM.
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Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
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From: along the shore of Mishigami
The "barn door" windshield is already pushing a lot of air, noticed this on my SuperGlide, but with the '13 Road Glide Ultra hardly notice the head winds. The Roadie will feel a wind from the side or quarter off the nose. 5th gear is optimal for some conditions but hasn't been an issue on the nose of the bike with headwinds. I'm sure batwings don't have too big of an issue being aero.