Rock in belt so should I change the gearing
Yes, if you've got a visible chip in your wheel pulley, it needs to be replaced. If the rock in the belt chipped up the wheel pulley, the trans pulley also needs to be inspected for damage, and probably also replaced. If the trans pulley needs to be replaced because it's damaged, then now is the perfect time to change your gearing. Your logic is correct.
I think a 30t trans pulley combined with your stock 68t wheel pulley is the perfect final drive gearing for these heavy bikes. That's what I'm running on my bike, along with a pretty stout 107 motor, and the bike finally feels like it's got decent acceleration. I can cruise all day on the freeway at 75+ mph at just over 3000 rpms. (at the 70 mph speed limit, I'm doing around 2800 rpm).
It's a great upgrade, not at all expensive if you're doing the work yourself. If you're paying labor cost to have your pulleys changed, you want to think carefully about what gearing you actually want in your bike.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 914
Likes: 1
From: Republic of Texas
It's time for the OP to step up and clearly state if he believes re-gearing is required, and if he does, asking for opinions here is fine. But, if we don't have that information, all the speculation is pointless.
Last edited by racklefratz; Jul 5, 2012 at 07:18 PM.
Road Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 3
From: Mass.
I don't know why OP wants to gear down, but from the last post though it's on top, he wants to be in 6th sooner and gearing down will accomplish that. It would also bring first down which in my opinion is also too high, they suck in traffic and low speed maneuvers compared to the 5 speed. I think you're on the right track, as long as you need to replace the pullys anyway.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
I don't know why OP wants to gear down, but from the last post though it's on top, he wants to be in 6th sooner and gearing down will accomplish that. It would also bring first down which in my opinion is also too high, they suck in traffic and low speed maneuvers compared to the 5 speed. I think you're on the right track, as long as you need to replace the pullys anyway.
I considered a 30 tooth trans sprocket change. It would get the rpms into the motors sweet spot sooner(like 70mph instead of like 76 in 6th) until I went 106.
Not considering the gear change anymore
Not considering the gear change anymore
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 914
Likes: 1
From: Republic of Texas
Lower the gearing and you'll lower all your shift points. You'll get off the line in 1st easier, and you'll maybe get into 6th a little earlier. But.....you'll probably give up some fuel economy, and, at the end of the day, no matter what your gearing is, when you stay in the engine's power band, the rest doesn't matter all that much.
IMO, the HD engineers probably spent a lot of time deciding how to set the bike's gear/drive ratios, based on a lot of stuff we don't even know about. I suspect it's optimized for normal riding, and any change lessens that optimization is one way or another. A decision to modify the factory gearing on an otherwise stock bike is essentially saying you know more than the designers - a pretty bold statement.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 537
Likes: 2
From: watertown, wi
But before you make the jump, make sure you understand there's no free lunch. You gain something somewhere, but you give up something elsewhere.
Lower the gearing and you'll lower all your shift points. You'll get off the line in 1st easier, and you'll maybe get into 6th a little earlier. But.....you'll probably give up some fuel economy, and, at the end of the day, no matter what your gearing is, when you stay in the engine's power band, the rest doesn't matter all that much.
IMO, the HD engineers probably spent a lot of time deciding how to set the bike's gear/drive ratios, based on a lot of stuff we don't even know about. I suspect it's optimized for normal riding, and any change lessens that optimization is one way or another. A decision to modify the factory gearing on an otherwise stock bike is essentially saying you know more than the designers - a pretty bold statement.
Lower the gearing and you'll lower all your shift points. You'll get off the line in 1st easier, and you'll maybe get into 6th a little earlier. But.....you'll probably give up some fuel economy, and, at the end of the day, no matter what your gearing is, when you stay in the engine's power band, the rest doesn't matter all that much.
IMO, the HD engineers probably spent a lot of time deciding how to set the bike's gear/drive ratios, based on a lot of stuff we don't even know about. I suspect it's optimized for normal riding, and any change lessens that optimization is one way or another. A decision to modify the factory gearing on an otherwise stock bike is essentially saying you know more than the designers - a pretty bold statement.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,996
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From: bklyn,ny
But before you make the jump, make sure you understand there's no free lunch. You gain something somewhere, but you give up something elsewhere.
Lower the gearing and you'll lower all your shift points. You'll get off the line in 1st easier, and you'll maybe get into 6th a little earlier. But.....you'll probably give up some fuel economy, and, at the end of the day, no matter what your gearing is, when you stay in the engine's power band, the rest doesn't matter all that much.
IMO, the HD engineers probably spent a lot of time deciding how to set the bike's gear/drive ratios, based on a lot of stuff we don't even know about. I suspect it's optimized for normal riding, and any change lessens that optimization is one way or another. A decision to modify the factory gearing on an otherwise stock bike is essentially saying you know more than the designers - a pretty bold statement.
Lower the gearing and you'll lower all your shift points. You'll get off the line in 1st easier, and you'll maybe get into 6th a little earlier. But.....you'll probably give up some fuel economy, and, at the end of the day, no matter what your gearing is, when you stay in the engine's power band, the rest doesn't matter all that much.
IMO, the HD engineers probably spent a lot of time deciding how to set the bike's gear/drive ratios, based on a lot of stuff we don't even know about. I suspect it's optimized for normal riding, and any change lessens that optimization is one way or another. A decision to modify the factory gearing on an otherwise stock bike is essentially saying you know more than the designers - a pretty bold statement.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 914
Likes: 1
From: Republic of Texas
No...not 'Nuff said. That's total bullshit. You can put the bike into 6th gear at any speed you want. But there will be some speed below which, the engine will work harder to achieve the same speed. That's the point at which you will have lost your fuel economy.