Transmissions... What's the Attraction?

[motolocopat]

Options are nice. I've got 5 motorcycles, a older Camaro Z28 and a 3/4 ton truck which all have 6 speed manuals..  6th is an OD on all of them. Have a newer 1/2 ton truck with an 8 speed auto.. will get 21mpg while running 75mph and accelerates pretty strong for a truck anywhere since it has a gear for any occassion.
With a 6 speed I can have 1-4 for accelerating.. tapped out in 4th going through the traps in the 1/4 mile.
5th is my typical gear for freeways around town or 2 lane highways, I don't just keep shifting up just because I can.
6th once at speed on open Interstate type.

I'm going to be in a gear that allows my motor to give decent response depending on the current conditions, if I'm in traffic I'm going to have it a gear lower than what I probably would if I'm open highway.

Obviously the more power you have the higher gear you can pull and you could eliminate some gears to save some "Work" if that is the way you look at it but that thought has never really crossed my mind

[Admiral Akbar]

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.

You haven't had em all.. Don't see a 3 to 2 or 1..   I've have owned 3-6 and for HDs I like the 5 the best.. My 131 and 116 have 5 speed gear boxes and I think they are great..

Max, what combo of gearing are you running ?  I've got a 5 speed 124" project bike (06 FLHX) with the factory 32/70 secondary.  I don't think it needs a 6 speed with the powerband of the engine.  I'm considering just a simple pulley swap and or rear sprocket swap and maybe the Johnson Engineering Twist Gear set up in order to compensate for raising the effective 1st gear ratio due to lowering the final drive ratio.  I'd like to drop my highway cruising rpms around 300 rpm or so but not wind up with a too tall 1st gear.  I'd appreciate your thoughts.  Thanks...

The gearing I have is 3.07 on a Dyna and an FXR which is 2.94. The FXR has 17 inch wheels so it's gearing it is real close speed wise in each gear to Dyna..  Both bikes have 2.94 firsts and 2.08 seconds. So first gear is pretty tall. On a light bike it makes power more useful in the lower gears. In your case to drop 300 rpm at 3000 you would need a top gear of 2.84.. That would make first gear a bit tall for a heavy bike.. You might want to split the difference or maybe only go for a 200 rpm drop..  Twist gear might be the way to go as it spreads the lower 2 out from top gear.. I'm not to hot on the idea tho.. i like the spacing between 4th and 5th as it is..

[build it]

What's the attraction of riding a bike you don't have to shift??? Sounds boring as all hell...

An upshift that lands in the meat of the power-band in all gears is just plain fun. An easily timed downshift just before getting hard on the brakes before turn in is just as much fun...even on an antiquated machine like a Harley.

Rowing through the gears is fun...I'd draw the line at a 6 speed though

[aabikrman]

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.

You haven't had em all.. Don't see a 3 to 2 or 1..   I've have owned 3-6 and for HDs I like the 5 the best.. My 131 and 116 have 5 speed gear boxes and I think they are great..

Max, what combo of gearing are you running ?  I've got a 5 speed 124" project bike (06 FLHX) with the factory 32/70 secondary.  I don't think it needs a 6 speed with the powerband of the engine.  I'm considering just a simple pulley swap and or rear sprocket swap and maybe the Johnson Engineering Twist Gear set up in order to compensate for raising the effective 1st gear ratio due to lowering the final drive ratio.  I'd like to drop my highway cruising rpms around 300 rpm or so but not wind up with a too tall 1st gear.  I'd appreciate your thoughts.  Thanks...

The gearing I have is 3.07 on a Dyna and an FXR which is 2.94. The FXR has 17 inch wheels so it's gearing it is real close speed wise in each gear to Dyna..  Both bikes have 2.94 firsts and 2.08 seconds. So first gear is pretty tall. On a light bike it makes power more useful in the lower gears. In your case to drop 300 rpm at 3000 you would need a top gear of 2.84.. That would make first gear a bit tall for a heavy bike.. You might want to split the difference or maybe only go for a 200 rpm drop..  Twist gear might be the way to go as it spreads the lower 2 out from top gear.. I'm not to hot on the idea tho.. i like the spacing between 4th and 5th as it is..

Thanks for the input Max, the spacing between 4th and 5th with the Twist gear is a mild concern for me as well.  Widening the spread between 4th and 5th isn't something I was too wild about particularly with higher overall gearing (lower numerically). I'm probably only going to change the tranny sprocket to a 34. That will give me about a 200 rpm drop in 5th, and 1st needs to be taller with the stock gearing anyhow, at least with this engine. 

[DTTJGlide]

You could also go with a 07 1" belt &66 tooth rear pulley, that gives you a 2.97 & would also give you more room for a wider tire. I ran that set-up with a 33 tooth front pulley on a 3.37 geared 00 FL, the 3.08 gearing with a 160 tire was great.

[aabikrman]

You could also go with a 07 1" belt &66 tooth rear pulley, that gives you a 2.97 & would also give you more room for a wider tire. I ran that set-up with a 33 tooth front pulley on a 3.37 geared 00 FL, the 3.08 gearing with a 160 tire was great.

I briefly considered that but had a concern about the narrower belt and the 124" engine.  Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Snowyone]

I've over 20k on a skinny belt 011 Fatboy Lo with a milder built 124(128hp/132tq) but I'm no tire shredder either.

[Deye76]

"What's the attraction of riding a bike you don't have to shift??? Sounds boring as all hell..."

Exactly. Riding a motorcycle should be interactive. Otherwise just find an old Honda automatic.

[build it]

"What's the attraction of riding a bike you don't have to shift??? Sounds boring as all hell..."

Exactly. Riding a motorcycle should be interactive. Otherwise just find an old Honda automatic.

Deye76, how're you doing man?

OP, the drag racers I've spoken to speak very highly of the Andrews gears, not just regarding cost, but also quality.

[Deye76]

"Deye76, how're you doing man?"

Doing well, thanks for asking. Little bit of lurking, lot's of riding.

[CraigArizona85248]

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. 

I'm in the same camp as you. Maybe even more extreme. I don't have or want all the modern things on my bike. No need for cruise, GPS, radio, speedometer, tach, electric start, 5/6/7 speed gear box, etc. But you gotta realize we are a small minority. I'm fine with others liking what they like and me liking what I like.


-craig

[Hossamania]

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. 

I'm in the same camp as you. Maybe even more extreme. I don't have or want all the modern things on my bike. No need for cruise, GPS, radio, speedometer, tach, electric start, 5/6/7 speed gear box, etc. But you gotta realize we are a small minority. I'm fine with others liking what they like and me liking what I like.


-craig

Well, maybe electric start.

[fbn ent]

AND tunes eh Hoss? 

[Hossamania]

Whaaaaaaat?
No.
Yes.

[Hossamania]

Cruise is kind of nice.
And a speedo, so I can tell the officer that yes, I do know why he stopped me.
6th gear comes in handy.
And hand warmers.
But no GPS. Let's not get carried away here.

[Tsani]

Not everyone rides a panhead either. I don't have any of that stuff on my pan, however I did put the windscreen back on. Same goes for the shovel. But on the TC, I do make use of my Zumo 550 GPS from time to time but most times it is in the saddlebag. My best bud likes his "foldable" GPS, that is until we need to find a gas station in BFE. My electric gloves are dang nice when its 20* sitting still. Even better when moving. Don't think you need to worry about that much in AZ. At least not for months at a time.  Never needed a radio as I sing along with my engine. I am fine with my gear box just the way it is. I have no problem transferring the power to road. It not like I am peddling a bicycle.
However, according to a lot of metric riders, it is a glorified lawnmower. 

[harborjohn]

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. 

I'm in the same camp as you. Maybe even more extreme. I don't have or want all the modern things on my bike. No need for cruise, GPS, radio, speedometer, tach, electric start, 5/6/7 speed gear box, etc. But you gotta realize we are a small minority. I'm fine with others liking what they like and me liking what I like.


-craig

Craig,  How is that Turbo and AWD doing on that new car of yours?   John

[CraigArizona85248]

Yeah HJ, I'm taking a totally new road with my car. What I like in cars and bikes are completely different. Car is still on order. Was supposed to arrive today at the dealership. But it was a no-show. 


-craig

[JamLazyAss]

Back around 1970, I built an old 45 flathead.
I got the transmission from a trike. And you know what that means; Reverse.

You should have seen the faces when I would pull up to a bar, then drop her in reverse to back to the curb.

I'm not sure that I could do a very good job of reversing one today.

But I do still have a foot clutch - hand shift on my Pan 

[gryphon]

About that same time I got my first Harley. Also a 45 that someone had chopped. It was a POS but I was 17 and it was a Harley. On the way home I spotted some buddies in an Arco station and pulled in to show it off. Out of habit I went for the brake on the wrong side. I rolled into a gas pump doing about 10 miles an hour. Pretty embarrassing at the time. Just funny now.

[Deye76]

Back around 1970, I built an old 45 flathead.
I got the transmission from a trike. And you know what that means; Reverse.

You should have seen the faces when I would pull up to a bar, then drop her in reverse to back to the curb.

I'm not sure that I could do a very good job of reversing one today.

But I do still have a foot clutch - hand shift on my Pan 

One of the older guys in the Seattle Cossacks (drill team) has a Knuck with reverse, not many guys can pull a hole shot....in reverse with both feet on the boards, and not drop it.