5-Speed vs. 6-Speed
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
That makes a lot of sense. I got as good a mileage going 80 mph on my five speed as I do with my 6 speed and felt like I had more power. I don't know what RPM I was riding my five speed because it was a RKC w/o an RPM indicator. But it ran great. I think as you point out, it was just at higher RPMs and folks want it lower to quiet it down. I would be happy to have my five speed 88 back on this new frame.
Beary
Beary
But not as good as my 03 Dyna, with 3.75:1 fifth, courtesy a 21T compensator....
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,236
Likes: 95
From: lancaster, pa
you dont hear too many people saying they want to take there 6th speed out?the 5th gear whine is rediculiously minor imo. On an open road at an incline 6th gear can strugle a bit. I just added a mid-upper cam with 103 and it really seems to help the 6th gear so far but have only had a few miles to test out.
carry on....
carry on....
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
It's taken me a long time to get used to the 6 speed in my UC vs. the 5 speed in my Wide Glide. The lower rpm's make the UC less tiring to ride, to me, but I rarely use 6th because it is so tall. Cruising at 70, I just wind it up in 5th, which is about 2800 and normally tend to use a lower gear and keep the rpms up instead of lugging it. The 96 seems to be smoother and happier wound up than the 88 did, but that might just be me.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,413
Likes: 17
From: eastern oklahoma
i ride my 08 streetglide with the six speed, and on a ride this past weekend me and a friend went riding, he's got an 04 roadking with the five speed. he rode my bike for about 40 miles and i rode his 5 speed rk. i actually didn't miss the sixth gear at all. his shifted great, and sure there was the lack of sixth gear, but the 5 speed transmissions were geared really great in my opinion. either trans will put miles behind you with ease.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,580
Likes: 7
From: The Internet (& Dyer, Indiana)
i ride my 08 streetglide with the six speed, and on a ride this past weekend me and a friend went riding, he's got an 04 roadking with the five speed. he rode my bike for about 40 miles and i rode his 5 speed rk. i actually didn't miss the sixth gear at all. his shifted great, and sure there was the lack of sixth gear, but the 5 speed transmissions were geared really great in my opinion. either trans will put miles behind you with ease.
If you are a 65 mph guy, either trans would satisfy you.
If you feel most comfy near the 80 mph range (like me), then the 5 speed won't seem as attractive.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 723
Likes: 1
From: NorCal (Sactown)
I have a 07 6 speed. Actually most of the time I wish I had a 5. The 6 speed it geared way to tall in most gears.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
I've got a S/E 6-speed in the 'Train. Great transmission. Shifting that bike is like working a quality rifle bolt. The Cruise-Drive 6-speed in the Limited is a noisy bucket of bolts compared to the S/E.
Shame I can't retrofit one.
Shame I can't retrofit one.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
My Dyna is getting close to 5,000rpm at those speeds, but it drives in top gear from below 40mph and just goes! Modern high gearing has got recent riders into bad habits. Our bikes should all be geared much lower so we can ride them mostly in one gear. I took the lowered gearing route with my Dyna and the increased torque route with my Evo!