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6 speed conversion

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by bambidee, Nov 22, 2014.

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  1. bambidee

    bambidee Active Member

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    Thinking about a 6 speed for my 2000 road king for longer trips. See Baker ,Ultima and Revtech. Is the Baker stuff that much better, would rather have my good working 5 speed than a poorly working/ shiftless (lol) 6 speed. Is 2.94 low gear stock? Not looking for the 3.24 as I ride 1 up most of the time.
    bambidee, Nov 22, 2014
    #1
  3. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Baker my vote
    Fatboy128, Nov 22, 2014
    #2
  4. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    I've heard good things about the baker. Wonder if the Harley 6 speed would also fit.
    FLHTbiker, Nov 22, 2014
    #3
  5. HarleysLR

    HarleysLR Active Member

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    I put a harleys SE 6 speed gears in my 05 stock gearbox, works great, at least as good as my stock 6 speed in my 08 bike. Shifts very smooth and quiet. Makes a big difference, 2800 rpm = 80 mph. Keeps my wife happy and keeps her up with the rest of us.
    HarleysLR, Nov 22, 2014
    #4
  6. marc 55

    marc 55 Well-Known Member

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    Ditto what HarleysLR said...I put the HD 6 speed Over Drive (33102-03) on our 04 GeezerGlide before we picked it up and love it...Great on the highway but useless below 65 - 70 though...You will never again search for that extra gear...
    marc 55, Nov 23, 2014
    #5
  7. HarleysLR

    HarleysLR Active Member

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    I wouldn't use anything RevTech, couple of my brothers had the Ultima and they seemed to work ok, by the way my 05 Fatboy has a balanced and blueprinted 103 Stroker motor,
    HarleysLR, Nov 23, 2014
    #6
  8. Lucifer

    Lucifer Well-Known Member

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    I agree....Run away from anything ReckTech...No experience with the Ultimas but from what I've heard some are OK some give up the ghost,bearings,shifter pawl or shifter forks...Kinda roll the dice on them(you get what you pay for)
    Baker or the SE gear sets would be the way to go...but for me it would be kinda hard to justify $2200- $2400 just to drop 500RPM or so...considering I'd have to be cruising at 95MPH to hit 4000 RPMs with the 3.15 final gearing on my King....

    MPH 5th gear
    3.15 3.37
    RPM RPM
    45 ----- -----
    50 2050 2200
    55 2300 2450
    60 2500 2650
    65 2700 2900
    70 2900 3100
    75 3100 3300
    80 3300 3550
    85 3500 3750
    90 3700 4000
    95 3900 4200
    100 4100 4400
    105 4300 4650
    110 4550 4850
    Lucifer, Nov 23, 2014
    #7
  9. baggerpaul

    baggerpaul Well-Known Member

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    Got a buddy that installs alot of ultima 6 speeds in five speed cases. Says they work well but the motors he dont like.at all
    baggerpaul, Nov 23, 2014
    #8
  10. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Just saw on TV a show " how's it's made". Baker transmissions was featured!
    Fatboy128, Nov 23, 2014
    #9
  11. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Ultima sucks I broke two of them on my softail
    hotroadking, Nov 23, 2014
    #10
  12. baggerpaul

    baggerpaul Well-Known Member

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    you dont count you had a big incher in that softail. lol
    baggerpaul, Nov 24, 2014
    #11
  13. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Yeah true. But the stock 5 speed never buckled


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    hotroadking, Nov 24, 2014
    #12
  14. baggerpaul

    baggerpaul Well-Known Member

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    that is very true!
    baggerpaul, Nov 24, 2014
    #13
  15. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    back to the op

    is the engine a stock 88?
    hotroadking, Nov 24, 2014
    #14
  16. Sleepy

    Sleepy Well-Known Member

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    says something for the stock 5 speed.
    Sleepy, Nov 24, 2014
    #15
    FLHTbiker likes this.
  17. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Yep mine in my 03 works just fine.
    FLHTbiker, Nov 24, 2014
    #16
  18. Sleepy

    Sleepy Well-Known Member

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    I have to ask a really stupid question here. How fast do you guys ride? I know my riding style is a lot different than some of you guys. Older and slower and a good part of the time I'm two up pulling a trailer so I seldom use 6th on the limited. but 2800 at 80 miles per hour wouldn't really be my cup of tea as the engine on my bike runs much much better at 3200 RPMs even the old 85 five speed comes alive at 3000. I hate the idea of lugging an engine, not sure if 2500 or so is doing that. How the engine feels when it's pulling will tell me which gear to put it in. I can see some of the stroker hot rods going for higher gearing to keep piston speeds down but other than that, it's beyond me. Not trying to start anything, just some input.
    Sleepy, Nov 24, 2014
    #17
    JohnnyBiker and FLHTbiker like this.
  19. marc 55

    marc 55 Well-Known Member

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    75 - 90 on the Super Slab....6th is great on the highway but useless below 65 - 70 though...My 6 speed is an OD....
    marc 55, Nov 25, 2014
    #18
  20. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Well here in Oregon thanks to the Democrats way of thinking we can't go over 65 on the freeway. Why, because they say we are using up to much fuel. So we don't do a lot of 6th gear touring as your almost lugging it, especially on state highways as its 55MPH only on those. By putting it in 6th gear and then you try to accelerate your actually twisting the throttle more thus using up more fuel, kind of the opposite for saving fuel. So, fast for us means more in the curves than the straight away and a big HP motor is more for bragging rights but does little for you on the freeways unless you like speeding tickets.
    FLHTbiker, Nov 25, 2014
    #19
  21. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    HD says you can go down to 60 in 6th, I've done it one up
    just loafing on a flat back road, but normally up in the mid 70's to 80 MPH
    here in the land of the free we can do 75.

    One of the questions I also asked the OP was regarding engine size, is this a stock 88, then maybe not a good idea to go to a true overdrive, now a baker 6 speed with a 1/1 ratio in 6th would give him closer ratios between gears

    If the engine has more power like a mild 95 then maybe 6th is good

    I know it really helps with the softail line smoothing out the highway miles to have 6th.
    hotroadking, Nov 25, 2014
    #20
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