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I made the gear change on my 06 SG. The last cam change I made Bob Woods talked me into doing the 3.37 gear change, it is well worth it in power, you can make the change doing the work your self for around $350. If anyone is interested I can get some RPM vs MPH but on mine I had an increase of about 400 rpm.
I did do the SE 6 speed gear set to give me the highway gear.
My '99 RKC had a mild 95" w/ 3.37 gears. It was great in every way. The S&S 510's worked well with that gearing, I was right in the start of the power band at around 65. Passing was a blast. It would have been nice to have another gear at around 80 though. The 6 speed swap was too pricey for me. I'm hoping to be able to do the 3.37 swap on my '07 RG that will be here in a few months.
The 3.15 to 3.37 swap will give you 7% more touque multiplication. It will be a noticable improvement in but unlikely enough to offset the 17% increase in displacement of a 103. Now with an 07 six speed your looking at going from 2.79 to 3.33 were talking better than 19% torque mulitiplication. This would make for a serious screamer with the bottom 4 gears even quicker than running a 5 speed with 3.31 final drive yet you give nothing up in high gear.
Dammit know you got me thinking about a gear swap in my 07 RK. Six gear currently doesn't get used enough justify the high gearing.
Quote, "The 3.15 to 3.37 swap will give you 7% more touque multiplication. It will be a noticable improvement in but unlikely enough to offset the 17% increase in displacement of a 103."
Hold on everyone, are we comparing apples to apples here? I'll buy the 7% more torque except that that will be working at a lower MPH per a given engine RPM, but the 17% increase in displacement does not usually equate to torque and even more importantly HP which does equate to acceleration.
Its proabably not a one for one, but its certainly not a 2.5 to 1 ratio in favor of the smaller engine...not saying changing gearing is a bad idea in fact its a wise move if performace it your ultimate goal. Just don't expect to hang with a modified 103 with a stock 88" with nothing more than a 7% gear change.
Its proabably not a one for one, but its certainly not a 2.5 to 1 ratio in favor of the smaller engine...not saying changing gearing is a bad idea in fact its a wise move if performace it your ultimate goal. Just don't expect to hang with a modified 103 with a stock 88" with nothing more than a 7% gear change.
I think you got the part backward. Nogood was told a stage 1 88 (w/ 3.37 swap) could hang with a bone stock 103 (w/ 3.15 gearing). I've ridden a bone stock '05 103" CVO and it was not impressive at all. I have no doubt, with the gear change, an 88" w/ A/C and exhaust upgrades could run with it until around 80 - 90 MPH.
Hold on everyone, are we comparing apples to apples here?
I was refering to xxx's post, but its a moot point. If we truely compare apples to apples I doubt that a 7% gear change will offset a 17% displacement gain if all else is the same. Be it two Stage I's or two Bone Stock. Regardless I think we all agree that the gearing change is a "Good $ spent to Performance Gained" option....if freeway cruising isn't a high priorty.
Few things come to mind here. First, I think the gear change sounds great. But if I was concerned about getting my rev's back to the same 3100 at 70, it seems like I'm investing $5k to get more performance, not actual extra HP or torque, and the same highway RPM. I can get near 103SE performance and the same highway RPM for about $2K. Rosa's performance in LI will make my 88 a 95 with 94hp and 96lb for just more than $2K. Yes I know this means ripping up the motor, but gears and a Baker 6 speed ain't exactly minor mods.
I'm thinking you're getting two things off the higher gears. More wear and tear at cruising speeds and more vibration at cruising speeds. Not sure how big a deal either is. May generate more heat, that effects other things for example.
What I'm saying, if you're gonna swap the gears and can live with the higher RPM, go for it. If you're gonna swap the gears and then do a 6 speed to compensate, then why not just put half the amount $2.5K into more HP?
Think about doing the gears if you've already got the 103 btw...
I done it simply for performance, and that's the reason most of us dump a ton of $$ into a brand new bike. I already had the 103" with extras putting out 118 hp/tq, I changed the gears to 3.37 and the bike was strong before, but now Wholy Sh** it pulls. The down side was highway running at 80mph it was a little to high rpm for comfort and gas mileage was in the 25 mpg range. I went back and installed the SE 6 speed gear set, brought the rpm's down to comfortable range and gas mileage went back up to around 38 mpg.
I love it and highly recommend it
3.37 gear reduction about $350
SE 6 speed gear set with 20% off coupon $1599.96
I done it simply for performance, and that's the reason most of us dump a ton of $$ into a brand new bike. I already had the 103" with extras putting out 118 hp/tq, I changed the gears to 3.37 and the bike was strong before, but now Wholy Sh** it pulls. The down side was highway running at 80mph it was a little to high rpm for comfort and gas mileage was in the 25 mpg range. I went back and installed the SE 6 speed gear set, brought the rpm's down to comfortable range and gas mileage went back up to around 38 mpg.
I love it and highly recommend it
3.37 gear reduction about $350
SE 6 speed gear set with 20% off coupon $1599.96
Ok guy's can someone explain this?
I have an 04RoadKing and at 70mph it's at 3100RPM. Ok now my Dad's 02RoadKing is also at 3100RPM at 70Mph. We both have the same tach and we can ride next to each other in the same gear and the RPM's will be the same. Also when I had my 01 Softail it was the same, 3100RPM at 70MPH all day long. [sm=confused06.gif]
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