Transmissions... What's the Attraction?

[JamLazyAss]

Three speeds, Four speeds, Five speeds, Six speeds.

What is the real attraction about having to shift so many gears?
I'm not knocking them, they're just not for me.

Buster has a good ol' Four Speed.
I've been thinking about tossing in a Three speed with reverse.
Did that many years ago and loved it.

[pumpguy68]

Does Buster run down the interstate at 85mph with his 4speed shovel?

I like my 6 speed because I can run pretty much any speed without lugging or over revving my motor ( but that's just me to each his own)

Ray m

[wholehog]

like he says......it keeps the engine running at the sweet spot to match your road speed...that's the reason you're seeing 8 and 10 speed automagic trannys therse days in cars and trucks

[ThumperDeuce]

If you've got the torque, I don't see the need for all the gears.  I run a Jim's Fat5 Overdrive.  3 shifts to get to 1:1 and then 1 more gets you into overdrive.  I like it.

[Brrrap]

I've heard it said that the 5 and 6 speed trannys were never a design gift to the buying public. "They didn't design that for you and me, They were created to lower emission gases exhausted by lowering Highway RPM's", and also, the stock motors at the time of offering were anemic for "get up and go" on the upper gears. (Just a hear-say consideration guys, on this subject)   

[calif phil]

If I could afford it I would have a Baker 7 speed in my bike.   You have to ride one to appreciate it. 

[BUBBIE]

Hell, I love to shift and Feel that Sweet Spot in action... Nothing Better keeping the RPM up and the FEEL of it...

I'm going to install a Baker 7 or 8 speed when I wear out my 96---103---?....... then a 124 SnS or by then ? 134  motor...

BUT, I do remember a 51 pan/hydro with a suicide clutch and a 4 speed tank shift... NICE 

signed....BUBBIE

Wonder how much a 7 speed cost phil, you seem to know...

[rbabos]

When I had the 120 in the softail I felt a 4 speed is all it needed. Just saying. Also, the stock 96 with 6 speed, well, about as useless of a drive train one can create.
Ron

[tommy g]

  I felt the same way when I " upgraded" from an 85 4 speed to an 07 6 speed.

[gryphon]

Not everyone has the same needs. Depends a lot on where you ride and how you ride. I imagine that for a guy who lives in the desert Southwest an overdrive is handy. Riding mountain and river canyon roads I've often wished I had a DD6. Not for a taller 6th but just to give me more options where I ride. Of course just a few years ago it was mostly a fashion statement with a lot of first time buyers opting to have their 5 speeds replaced with 6 speeds before they ever even rode the bike (there used to be a LOT of cheap new parts because of this). When I first went to a 5 speed it sure seemed like I had an awful lot of gears but you soon get used to it.  Then there are some guys who stick with a 4 speed so they can give the impression that they are so old school that they just don't need all this new fangled crap. If a guys buying a tranny he doesn't need then yeah, that's a total waste. On the other hand I don't claim to know how everyone else rides or where they ride and if they feel they need one then that's their business. I didn't NEED a 120 inch motor. Most of us don't. But I wanted one and I got it. I've been riding for 45 years now and when the time comes that I can't ride anymore I don't want to look back and say " Heck, I shoulda tried that".

[tommy g]

Some good pernts Gryphon. I'm certainly not agin more gears just suggesting the 6 speed behind my stock 96 EG was completely useless to me. Not that a bunch of cash didn't solve that problem.

[fbn ent]

I put a SE six speed OD in my '02 when I built it to 102". I like the OD for high speeds but keep it in 5th for anything under 75 mph or so.
On the Shovel I was always searching for another gear. Stock final belt ratios.

[gryphon]

I've often wondered why someone doesn't come out with a 5 speed that more accurately compliments the massive increases in HP and torque that have happened over the last couple of decades. Why are we stuck with gear ratio's that were developed back when factory bikes were putting out 50 horses (or less). All the aftermarket manufacturers offer a taller first but come on, we're only in first for a few feet and then never see it again until we stop. How about a taller second thru fourth also. Also, an overdrive option that just drops a couple hundred rpm would be a lot more usefull than one that drops us by 500 rpm.

[FSG]

like a Twistgear with a larger trannie pulley 

[gryphon]

Doesn't that combination just sort of bring you back to where you started. I do remember looking into them years ago. Seem to recall it gave a lower 1st thru 4th for better excelleration then gave a final 1 to 1 ratio on 5th.

[FSG]

Seem to recall it gave a lower 1st thru 4th for better excelleration then gave a final 1 to 1 ratio on 5th.

correct 1st thru 4th drop by 10% which is why I say "with a larger trannie pulley" to bring 1st thru 4th back to where they were or taller and the 5th will better than 1:1

[gryphon]

That would give you a taller 5th gear ratio for sure but you're still stuck with the same ratios in the first 4 gears. So while that may be a good option for someone looking to give easier hiway rpms (as opposed to an overdrive 6 speed) you still have the same first thru fourth. With a solid mount engine and no counterbalance a lot of older bikes just don't run at the same rpm's as rubber mounted or counterbalanced bikes. Changing tranny or wheel sprockets can help a lot but it's also raising your final ratio. I'm pretty happy with my final ratio but Id like to be able to run my first 4 gears a bit ftaller.

[FLTRI]

I built a 117 for my 03RG.
I bought the engine primary gear and chain from Baker for their DD6 and kept my 5spd.
Pulls like it should and don't need to shift again to get to highway cruise.
Bob

[gryphon]

That gives you a 2.81 final drive which is probably fine on a rubber mounted engine. Since you can comfortably run each gear to a higher rpm that not a big issue. My 120 pulls a final 2.94 just fine but I would still like to have taller gearing in 1st thru 4th without raising 5th any higher.

[PoorUB]

I don't really see the point of more gears either. I did not see and earth shaking advantage to the six speed over the five and I have been known to cruise at 90+ MPH once in a while. I averaged 95 MPH from Newell, SD, to Eagle Butte once running from the weather on my 2005 with a 5 speed. Ran over 120 indicated for a little while, probably a real 115 MPH. Nothing wrong with the six speed either, just not a deal breaker.

[harborjohn]

If you need to ask you wouldn't understand.

[FLTRI]

Actually Baker has decided we need a 7 speed!
Bob

[JamLazyAss]

If you need to ask you wouldn't understand.

Just like the guys with their booming radio's and seven speed transmissions.

What's to understand?
I've always believed that the more gears were to compensate for an under powered engine.
And the radio?
Those are the kind of things I enjoy getting away from when I ride. 

[gryphon]

Well, I will have to agree with you on the radio. Not saying that it's wrong I just personaly won't have one. On the other hand I've never come back from a ride thinking how much better it would have been if I hadn't needed to move my left foot ever so slightly to shift gears those few extra times.

[Snowyone]

Well I've had them all(4,5,6,7)and the 7speed Baker is the best.  Guess I like to shift though I don't need to much with my 124.  rbabos was right on with the stock 96 and a 6speed.  Like useless as tits on a boar.  But...now that it's upgraded to the 124 I use all 7 and think it's great.  Would probably do the tranny upgrade before the engine upgrade if I knew then what I do now.