Looking For Someone That Knows
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Central Texas
Looking For Someone That Knows
I have been perfectly happy with my 07 RKC till yesterday, and the tall gears got the best of me. It all started with a group ride about a hundred miles or so we were raising money to help fight breast cancer. The group as a whole was running fifty nine to sixty one MPH, and I was shifting from fifth to sixth, fifth to sixth, fifth to sixth over, and over, and over again and again to the point of ruining my whole damn weekend. Now I'm not lazy, I've been searching the forum from 09:00 till 11:00. So what I want to know from some one that knows is, can I use a 31 Tooth Bakers front pulley to rid my self of ever having to go through this crap again, or will I have to go down to a 30 tooth front pulley. I'm pretty much a lone wolf but I think I could learn to like group rides a little, because of the fun I had before it started and after it was over.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 10,858
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From: My own little slice of heaven
Agree with the above
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,384
Likes: 1,776
From: Central Texas
felt and neither was right, plus the wind was being a bastard as well.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 340
Likes: 69
From: Winnipeg
changed to sportster rear pulley
i changed to a sportster rear pulley. 98 tooth if i recall, would have to go looking for that info. it increased the rpm a few hundred and is a simple change. i find 6th to be a lot more useful now. i like it way better than what the stock 6th gear is.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 575
Likes: 4
From: SouthWestern Ontario
You have options.
The 31T front pulley will work with your stock belt but will be at the limit of adjustment.
If you are a DIY kind of guy, it is even possible to elongate the axle reciever slots in the swingarm (with appropriate reinforcement) to accomidate a 30T and still use your stock belt.
You could also, keep the 32T front pulley and change the rear pulley to the Japanese Sportster version which is a 68T. That in itself is an improvement that will have the same approximate effect as changing to a 31T front pulley and is easier and cheaper to do. This will get you very close in sync. with the '09up bikes that come geared with 32T/68T.
I kept my stock 32T front and opted for an '09up 68T rear cushdrive pulley but that might be more of a project than you want to take on.
Point is, with a 32T/68T you will bring your gearing into the usable range, giving yourself a litle more grunt down low and will be able to keep it in 6th gear more often.
I know of the out of sync. shifting while riding in groups with the '07 -'08 bikes geared 32T/66T along with the newer '09up 32T/68T bikes. With 32T/66T final drive the bike is too sluggish off the line and has more top end than you can legally use. If you are travelling on the by-ways, slower than super slab speed, you find yourself travelling faster than you should just to keep it from getting bogged down in 6th.
The 31T front pulley will work with your stock belt but will be at the limit of adjustment.
If you are a DIY kind of guy, it is even possible to elongate the axle reciever slots in the swingarm (with appropriate reinforcement) to accomidate a 30T and still use your stock belt.
You could also, keep the 32T front pulley and change the rear pulley to the Japanese Sportster version which is a 68T. That in itself is an improvement that will have the same approximate effect as changing to a 31T front pulley and is easier and cheaper to do. This will get you very close in sync. with the '09up bikes that come geared with 32T/68T.
I kept my stock 32T front and opted for an '09up 68T rear cushdrive pulley but that might be more of a project than you want to take on.
Point is, with a 32T/68T you will bring your gearing into the usable range, giving yourself a litle more grunt down low and will be able to keep it in 6th gear more often.
I know of the out of sync. shifting while riding in groups with the '07 -'08 bikes geared 32T/66T along with the newer '09up 32T/68T bikes. With 32T/66T final drive the bike is too sluggish off the line and has more top end than you can legally use. If you are travelling on the by-ways, slower than super slab speed, you find yourself travelling faster than you should just to keep it from getting bogged down in 6th.
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Seasoned HDF Member
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From: Central Texas
Jap version of sportster as well, but what about the belt did
you use a stock belt?
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 698
Likes: 13
Probably not the answer your looking for but I ran into the same issues when I had my '07 RK. I just kept it in 5th more.........Worked and it cost nothing.
If you really want to alleviate the situation I would suggest changing to a stock '09 or a little later rear pulley as that might eliminate the situation altogether.
If you really want to alleviate the situation I would suggest changing to a stock '09 or a little later rear pulley as that might eliminate the situation altogether.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
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From: Asscrackistan
I have been perfectly happy with my 07 RKC till yesterday, and the tall gears got the best of me. It all started with a group ride about a hundred miles or so we were raising money to help fight breast cancer. The group as a whole was running fifty nine to sixty one MPH, and I was shifting from fifth to sixth, fifth to sixth, fifth to sixth over, and over, and over again and again to the point of ruining my whole damn weekend. Now I'm not lazy, I've been searching the forum from 09:00 till 11:00. So what I want to know from some one that knows is, can I use a 31 Tooth Bakers front pulley to rid my self of ever having to go through this crap again, or will I have to go down to a 30 tooth front pulley. I'm pretty much a lone wolf but I think I could learn to like group rides a little, because of the fun I had before it started and after it was over.