On an 04 Fatboy, or similar twin cam.. Anyone have any experience, concerns, likes, dislikes.

Maybe something like the andrews part:
Andrews 34T at JP

I understand that would lower the rpms at all given speeds, gears.. I think something like maybe 6%.

That would include at pulling off the line in 1st, though I'm not so concerned about quick starts off the line as I am with lowering the highway RPM's.

I was considering this as less intrusive than pulling perfectly good gears out of the tranny to go with one of the many 6-speed options as discussed in a few other forums. Would still require a complete primary teardown, but nothing internal on the tranny.. just the pulley on the mainshaft.. then belt install, primary rebuild and belt adjustment. I think.

According to baker's calculator, it would pull RPM's at 70mph from 3172 to 2986, all else stock. The OD6 chart says 2723 which is significantly less, so there's not as much RPM reduction but it's some.

Whata ya think?

 

Yes, that would work. It raises the overall gear ratio. Kind of like changing the gears in a mustang from a 3.50 to a 3.00.

The down side is two fold. 1. In first gear, you'll have a harder time getting it moving. You'll need to slip the clutch a little more, and it won't be nearly as quick. 2. Your speedometer will be wrong. You'll need an electronic box to change it.

Personally, I think 1st is too tall anyway. Changing the gear would just make it worse. Changing the transmission gears is a much better option, because you keep the gears you have, but add a 5th OD. I understand the Baker trans is a direct drive 6th (but could be wrong there) which means more power is transferred to the wheel. Also, I heard recently that Baker is making a new shift drum that's N-1-2-3.... That would be pretty nice.

If you do that much highway cruising that it's reall an issue, I would install the Baker 6 speed. It's expensive, but you'll be happier in the long run.

 

Labor wise it would be much easier to lower tooth count of wheel pully down from a 70. You will need to adjust rear wheel anyway to accomadate distance change of belt, but don't have to pull primary covers, clutch, reverse nut, ect.

 

I agree , lowering the final pulley would be less labor, but a smaller pulley for a 04' - 06 FL is not availiable without a belt change.

 

Aftermarket makes 65 tooth 1 1/8" pullys for 2000-2006 soft tails, (JP part# 600-896 is just one available) but they are not cheap! However there is no problem running a 1 1/8" belt on a 1 1/2" pully.

 

Wow.. Some good stuff here guys.
Some different discussion other than just this or that 6speed.. Although that's an interesting topic in itself.

N-1-2-3.... That would be nice with either a 5 or a 6speed.

Got a few questions from the food for thought:

On speedo-recalibration:
They have this part: http://www.bakerdrivetrain.com/dialu...brationBox.htm
How does a six-speed recalibrate in comparison to installing the box? Or do you still need it?

Difficulty of a 6-speed gearset install:
Given the issue that I don't entirely trust my current dealer's service dept these days (disgruntled svc guys.. low pay.. newer bigger building and they've got some growing pains and the owner is rough as a cob on his employees)...

How impossible would it be for a guy in his own garage to swap out a "trap-door kit" to put in a sixer?

I can think of at least two "special" tools needed right off hand.. Although, might not even be removing the front pulley and main drive gear, if just swapping the main shaft through the drive gear. So that would eliminate the need for the long socket. Might just be a puller for the trap door? 6-speed install, might need a thread of it's own in the diy section maybe.. Need pics! Lot's a pics! step by step 1,2,3... That would be very cool.

 

I want to do mine this winter with the DD6 , have you decided yet? May be we can find some pics somewhere. Who is your dealer? I used to go to Tilley in Statesvills.

 

Completely undecided. Doing the 6'er is an expensive deal, just for the parts.. Plus I'm gun shy about messing with a transmission after battling leaks in my old bike, though I'm sure you guys that have done it on the newer bikes probably haven't had any problems. Plus the cost of the tools.. pullers, etc.

Check it out.. I did find this pretty doggone good article with pics: http://www.bikernet.com/jims/6speedinstall.asp

With that particular Jims kit, like the H-D kit, you have to do a little machining to the case to install though.. but looked fairly straight forward, shockingly.

I wonder what the ballpark final figure is for a dealer 6'er install?
I'll bet that bill isn't cheap by any stretch.

Closest dealer here is Lummas, though if I pick on them, I probably shouldn't mention the name. I just lost confidence after they took a month to sit around, do nothing, not even look at the bike, then tell me my 40mph front end wobble couldn't be troubleshot, though I'm fairly sure they didn't check the fall-away, or wheel alignment. Although, since then, I think they've gone through a couple more service managers so they may be better now, who knows. Another topic in itself.

Were it my old beater, I'd just take a chance with a revtech kit and just do it myself, but this bike, I'm much more picky about.

 

Babs I'm actually going down the route you're talking about, but it is just turning out that way and not intended.

Our FB's have stock Primary 25/36T and Final 32/70T, which is an overall 3.15 ratio.
I just scored a killer deal on 18" wheels, and they came with a 65T wheel pulley (no choice, only 65T available in this deal). I'm happy with my stock 70T pulley on there now, but I sure don't want to spend big bucks on a 70T to match my new rims.

I'm going to wind up with a final of 2.925.
It doesn't seem too significant on paper, 200 rpm delta at 70 mph.
I don't want to lose much launch torque, I'll just have to see how it behaves.
I could change the tranny pulley to 30T which would put me back in the stock ballpark of 3.119.

 

"killer deal".. Spread the love.. I'm always into a good deal. ah just kidding.. I got maybe two nickels in my pocket to rub together that isn't already spoken for.

So I punched in your numbers on bakers little calculator..
At 70mph, you drop from 3172rpm to 2946.. a delta of 226rpm's dropped.
This is actually very close to bumping from 32T to a 34T front pulley.. 3172 to 2986.. but just a little bit less RPM.

The thing about the overall ratio change is it will affect all gears from 1st at full stop on.
From a rideability standpoint, I think you'll be as fine with the 65T final sprocket as you would with the 34T front pulley.

With the TC88's I think it has enough pull... I had a 34T andrews on the old '90, and I loved it's rideability, from stop through pulling hills and highway, but with the tired old 80inch evo, it didn't have all that much bumpity bump to accelerate at highway speeds.. The new TC88 is far better in my new bike.

All depends on if you don't mind slower start off the line.. Now that I think about it, I didn't really mind the slow starts on the old bike, as I had no experience with other bikes to compare it to.. but the gearing was a little different.

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A couple factors to consider with the 65tooth sprocket:

1. The probability that I'd have to swap out the belt to do it??
- If you're doing that soon, you could probably tell us.
- If not, peachy! If so, the primary and swingarm axle.. Yuck there goes the weekend.. but then you could do the 30T front if you really wanted. I'd probably keep the 32 for the lower RPM gain at highway speeds.. The stock RPM is really starting to annoy me, personally.

2. The upper and lower belt guards.
- With the smaller sprocket, might look so bad they'd need to be replaced with something.. If so, what?
- Do they even have 65T belt guards to fit TC88 frames?