March 28, 2024, 05:27:24 AM

News:

For advertising inquiries or help with registration or other issues, you may contact us by email at help@harleytechtalk.com


Ultima Transmission?

Started by ragboat, July 21, 2019, 06:07:45 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ragboat

My ride is an 87 FXST/C.  Pretty much stock with no engine mods except an Ultima Dual fire ignition unit and a Mikuni carburetor.  I use it around town and for commuting on the interstate.  Interstate speeds around here average 80mph.  Most interstate travel is single rider but around town it is often with the wife on the back.  I'm running the original HD 5 speed.  I did have a local Indy install a Baker shift kit a few years back and that is the last time I will ever allow anyone to work on the bike but me.  It has recently developed a bit of a whine and I'm getting fuzz on the drain plug magnet.  I was looking into 6 speed gearsets or complete transmissions.  The Ultima 6 speed unit is attractive because of the price but I also wonder if that price is an indication of quality.  I don't have the money for a Baker set up and I do all my own wrenching.  So my questions are: 1. have these transmissions been holding up to regular everyday use, and 2. will I be able to take advantage of the 6th gear on the highway with my stock 80 in EVO?

turboprop

6th gear will be sluggish in that heavy softail with a stock 80. Have heard a lot of he said/she said regarding Ultima gear sets, but nothing clinical or any imagery. I bought an FXR a couple years ago that had an Ultima six speed in it. Most systems on that bike were pretty ragged out and had issues, except the gear set. I only put a few miles on the bike before flipping it. Of all the whining I have heard from the new owner, the transmission has never been mentioned. That FXR is quite a bit lighter than a softail and has a 96" engine, so no direct comparison there.

As an alternative to an Ultima six speed, have you looked at the Baker five speed kit? Cost is like $850 and includes a new drum, pawl, forks, and gaskets. The gear set itself has many physical improvements over the oem gears/shafts and can be ordered with close ratio first and second gears.
'We' like this' - Said by the one man operation.

capn

89 has a tapered mainshaft.Dont know if ultima sells trannnys with the tapered shaft.

Burnout

You must be a very gentle rider for your tapered shaft setup to have held up this long.
Or does it have the old 4 speed style clutch? (it must to have lasted this long)
Does it have an external clutch release arm or does it have the internal release in the end cover?

The problem is with the tapered shaft and the newer style clutch that the hubs split at a stress riser which is the keyway slot.
I split 2 hubs on mine before I gave up on it and switched to a later splined shaft trans.

Why not just fix your trans? What is your current final gearing ratio? What is your primary ratio?
Will an overdrive put you over the edge on your torque curve?
The cheapest fix is to replace the gearset with a eBay take out. I believe up to 06 will fit.

I installed a Baker 6 .8 OD in mine and it was way too much overdrive, I wound up lowering my final drive ratio so I could use 6th gear.
Also of note, I had a posi shift in the 5 speed, because if i shifted fast it would over-rotate the shift drum.
The 6 speed required replacing the posi shift and it now over-rotates the drum again and Baker had no fix for it, and denied there was a problem.
They don't call me Ironhead Rick just because I'm "hard headed"

capn

Have owned at least 5 or 6 bikes with tapered shafts ,knuckle ,pan and shovel never split a hub.

turboprop

Quote from: ragboat on July 21, 2019, 06:07:45 AM
My ride is an 87 FXST/C.  Pretty much stock with no engine mods except an Ultima Dual fire ignition unit and a Mikuni carburetor.  I use it around town and for commuting on the interstate.  Interstate speeds around here average 80mph.  Most interstate travel is single rider but around town it is often with the wife on the back.  I'm running the original HD 5 speed.  I did have a local Indy install a Baker shift kit a few years back and that is the last time I will ever allow anyone to work on the bike but me.  It has recently developed a bit of a whine and I'm getting fuzz on the drain plug magnet.  I was looking into 6 speed gearsets or complete transmissions.  The Ultima 6 speed unit is attractive because of the price but I also wonder if that price is an indication of quality.  I don't have the money for a Baker set up and I do all my own wrenching.  So my questions are: 1. have these transmissions been holding up to regular everyday use, and 2. will I be able to take advantage of the 6th gear on the highway with my stock 80 in EVO?

To the OP, are these the questions you would like answered or would you prefer to hear stories about stuff totally unrelated? Asking for a friend.
'We' like this' - Said by the one man operation.

misfitJason

I bought an entire six speed in 2010 from Ultima for my rigid chopper.  Since then I have run it in two different bikes and probably have about 35k on it.  I went through a shifter pawl spring and the chrome on the hardware and trap door weren't the best but overall it has been good for the money.
2006 Dyna, Kraftech Evo Softail

Burnout

Quote from: capn on July 21, 2019, 02:10:35 PM
Have owned at least 5 or 6 bikes with tapered shafts ,knuckle ,pan and shovel never split a hub.

The 4 speed clutch hub did not split, the 5 speed hub however is a  :turd:
They don't call me Ironhead Rick just because I'm "hard headed"

ragboat

I appreciate you all taking the time to answer.  The answers have been helpful.  I do have the factory five speed clutch with the release arm inside the right endcap of the transmission.  I will probably stick with the five speed for several reasons but I will make up my mind for sure when I get into it this winter. 
Dave

jughead

I have a couple 86`s an flhtc 5 speed and fxwg 4 speed.You might be able to change sprockets in primary or secondary to get what you want. Baker has a calculator here it is      https://bakerdrivetrain.com/pages/calculate-gear-ratios-on-your-motorcycle-rpm-vs-speed    If you call them and talk ,they are great people ,with loads of info.

RTMike

I have a Ultama 6speed gearset in my FXRT it shifts and works fine but is real noiseie,that said it dropped the rpm down 450 when cruzing way better at hi way speeds

ragboat

Based on the Baker calculator it looks like having the .86 overdrive will drop my highway RPM to about 3250.  Currently I turn about 3700 to run 80mph.  I haven't made up my mind yet but it is just another thing to consider.

JW113

If all you're looking to do is drop the highway rpms down a bit, isn't it easier/cheaper to just put on a 65T or 61T rear pulley?

-JW
2004 FLHRS   1977 FLH Shovelhead  1992 FLSTC
1945 Indian Chief   1978 XL Bobber