I must be a blissfully ignorant fool because I am totally happy with the gearing and driveline on my bike. I have rode a good bit on a 08 and 09 Ultras and just downshifted and used the throttle. 6th gear works fine on the freeway.

 

Some of us have been riding Harleys long enough to remember just putting the darned thing in top gear and rolling the throttle. Current bikes have too many gears and too tall gearing for us. You young whippersnappers who know no different......

 

I do a lot of in town ridding and some trips, since in town is the majority I want the lower gears. With my Dyna blasting around town was no sweat but the bagger is sluggish with the EPA gearing. Yes I know there is a weight difference but even two up on the Dyna was sportier than this thing is now and that would be a fair comparison. I will eventually do cams and head work but gearing is always a quick, easy performance mod.

 

I hear you Graham. I changed out the '89 ultra for an '07 E glide and wish I had the pull that I had with the evo. 5th gear worked pretty much from any rpm or speed; not so the new 6 speed. I personally would rather not down shift to pass on the highway, but at 110 kmh (68mph), 6th gear does not have a great pull, so I end up down shifting. At 120 (74 mph) 6th is fine. Also, this '07 does not pull as hard through the lower gears as the '89 did. Besides, with most of the speed limits here being 100 kmh (62 mph) you are good to go 110 without getting noticed but after that you are looking at tickets.

So after wading through all this, I need the 68t pulley part # 40350-07 and it brings me a better response in the lower gears with 6th speed being negligible right? I don't have IDS and never had it so i won't know what I am missing. I have had money and spending if I spend it on IDS I will know what I am missing. Maybe it is better but not my concern right now.

 

I feel your pain, from across the pond! If my data are correct your fifth gear is currently 3.24:1, compared with our 89/90 Evos of 3.37:1. That is a difference of around 4% in favour of the Evo, ignoring all other factors. Using a 68T instead of a 66T rear pulley will give you a 5th gear of around 3.35:1, which is about as close as you are likely to get to the good ole days.

You will benefit in all gears by that 4% extra torque at the rear wheel. If all it costs is a new pulley and a little effort, that is cheap performance. Sounds worthwhile to me. You will also get a little extra in 6th gear, although not as good a response as your Evo in top/5th.

Of course you can always pop into the thread about 120R v S&S 124, for a little extra go......

 

The throttle by wire bikes also won't give you wide open throttle, regardless of twist grip position, until above 3000 rpm, if I remember correctly. That also contributes to the sluggish feel and makes a downshift to pass almost mandatory.

 

I have ordered parts now it's hurry up and wait. I hope like hell it all bolts up, I really want to by-pass the 68 tooth and go directly to the 70 like my Dyna had. I could pull a slight hill no problem at 65 in 6th even with some baggage on there, not so with the 08.

 

I've got about a year on the 30t trans pulley and 68t wheel pulley on my 07. It was a cheap and easy mod, made impressive changes in acceleration and highway cruising. I'm not going back, wouldn't even consider it. Final drive on my bike is about what it was on the 5 speed twin cams. Those early 88 inch motors pulled as well as the 96 inch six speed bikes, mostly because the gearing was so much better.

 

That's interesting. No doubt part of the emissions control stuff. Another reason to use a tuner and do away with such restrictions!

 

This has cussed and discussed for several years. Perhaps it is emissions but I figure it is to keep from beating the bottom half of the motor to death.