one more gear?

[RocchenRolle]

does anybody tried to change a 4 gear to 5 or 6(if exists) ???
would it be possible???

[decman]

Sorry, it's not possible with any off the shelf parts or kits.

Plus you don't really "need" it. What are you looking for?
You can do gear changes as well as sprocket changes to get
better torque or better highway speeds.

[Gone]

Baker drivetrain has 'em for '91 up sportster. 6 speed/od. fits in the stock case.

[LoneRyder]

Baker drivetrain has 'em for '91 up sportster. 6 speed/od. fits in the stock case.

At what cost? Last I checked it was nearly astronomical. Decman has the answer.. Sporty is a hi-rev bike....for some this takes some getting used to. Although, I have looked for that elusive 6th gear a time or two myself.. ;)

[easywriter]

Heres a link to some Baker XL6 info, You might find it interesting:
http://www.bikernet.com/garage/xl6-1.asp

[Sleeper]

I installed Johnson Engineerings "Sport Gear" in my bike and am happy with the results.
5th gear is more like an overdrive or highway gear now.
Here is a link to their web site:
http://www.twistgear.net/page%20html/sportgear.html

[decman]

The question was on a 1988 4 speed if I remember correctly.

Nothing like the XL-6 for those 4 speeds.

BTW I have the XL-6 in my 2003, nice ($2100) if you spend a lot
of time over 75 MPH, other wise save your $$ for beer.

My 1988 I just changed to a 22T/46T combo for better highway RPMs
stock is a 21T/48T

[Sleeper]

decman spotted it but I didn't notice you have a 1988 4 speed.
I would say check with Andrews or some other respectable gear maker and see if they still offer options for your 4 speed Sportsters. If they still offer a wide gear ratio option that may work for you. Typically it moves first or first and second to provided the wider gear ratio. So running a bigger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket would be needed to convert 4th into more of an overdrive.

By the way this is the same concept Johnson Engineering used with the Sport Gears I installed in my bike 5 speed bike.
It's the poor mans 6 speed.

[dave76]

decman spotted it but I didn't notice you have a 1988 4 speed.
I would say check with Andrews or some other respectable gear maker and see if they still offer options for your 4 speed Sportsters. If they still offer a wide gear ratio option that may work for you. Typically it moves first or first and second to provided the wider gear ratio. So running a bigger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket would be needed to convert 4th into more of an overdrive.

By the way this is the same concept Johnson Engineering used with the Sport Gears I installed in my bike 5 speed bike.
It's the poor mans 6 speed.

I was gonna say the same thing, gear up first and second so you don't lose take off power and then the spockets can be geared for better highway use.
I got the 1990 which comes with the 2.29 first 1.66 second, 1.25 third, and 1.00.1 fourth. 1986 and down had the 2.52 first, and 1.83 second, and 1.38 third. Andrews still offers a 2.68 first, and 1.83 second. The wide ratio trans is fine if your not drag racing (there is more rpm drop between gears).

[Sleeper]

I was gonna say the same thing, gear up first and second so you don't lose take off power and then the spockets can be geared for better highway use.
I got the 1990 which comes with the 2.29 first 1.66 second, 1.25 third, and 1.00.1 fourth. 1986 and down had the 2.52 first, and 1.83 second, and 1.38 third. Andrews still offers a 2.68 first, and 1.83 second. The wide ratio trans is fine if your not drag racing (there is more rpm drop between gears).

I forgot my history, I thought they went to a 5 speed in 90 :doh , maybe it was the change to belt drive?

[dave76]

I forgot my history, I thought they went to a 5 speed in 90 :doh , maybe it was the change to belt drive?

Nah mine is still chain drive, I thought 91 and up went 5 speed belt drive??

[Sleeper]

Nah mine is still chain drive, I thought 91 and up went 5 speed belt drive??

Your right, I'm just going to keep doing this :doh :doh :doh to remember.

[Mojack]

I put a 23 T sproket on the front of my '87. I'm a lightweight so it's not a big deal pulling out, but there's no slow downtown type 5-10 mph crusing. I don't have a tach to make any comparisons to before the change, but I can tell it's not working as hard on the highway.

[LoneRyder]

I too have looked for the elusive 6th gear once in a while. But this weekend I tried to stay off 5th gear as much as possible. We did a big ride that included highway 65+ riding and and most of the times I kept the bike in 4th gear. What a difference in the response of the bike over all. I think Sportsters are made to run at higher revs, at least this is what I have been told by many techs and mechanics. Running them at lower RPMs (dogging the motor) can actually starve the motor of fresh oil.

Mind you, I have installed the SE Coil/Ignition Module which opens another 800RPM, which in turn allows me to do about 60mph in 2nd gear but still, most Sporty owners I have ridden with over shift in accordance with the speed they are traveling. Im not sure if it's the sound of the lower RPMS they like or what..

[Gone]

At what cost? Last I checked it was nearly astronomical. Decman has the answer.. Sporty is a hi-rev bike....for some this takes some getting used to. Although, I have looked for that elusive 6th gear a time or two myself.. ;)

A 3.81" stroke is "hi-rev"??? That's like saying a 460 Ford truck with it's 3.85" stroke is "hi-rev".

[RocchenRolle]

tnx but... what's this? i can't understand!
http://www.twistgear.net/page%20html/sportgear.html

[snevil16]

My 1990 has the largest front sprocket that will just barely fit under the engine side cover. The previous owner installed it. I don't recall the number of teath, but this gearing is a good compromise. I weigh about 220 and it starts off just fine, although you have to slip the clutch or coast a bit in stop and go traffic. On the highway the engine starts to smooth out at 65 mph and 70 to 80 mph is pretty comfortable. You can almost see things in the mirrors. 1990 was the last year for both the 4 speed and the chain drive.

[LoneRyder]

A 3.81" stroke is "hi-rev"??? That's like saying a 460 Ford truck with it's 3.85" stroke is "hi-rev".

Grrr, in comparison to other V-Twins in the HD line-up. I thought MAYBE you could fill in the blanks... sorry. :rolleyes:

[RocchenRolle]

if i mount a 5gears transmission in substitution of my 4gears??? doesn't it fit ???
i should not want to change the sprocket since my bike has not a good torque and on the other hand i guess it hasn't a high top speed ... change the sprocket would mean adjusting just one of these things... i want a 5 or 6 trans to get both them

[Sleeper]

if i mount a 5gears transmission in substitution of my 4gears??? doesn't it fit ???
i should not want to change the sprocket since my bike has not a good torque and on the other hand i guess it hasn't a high top speed ... change the sprocket would mean adjusting just one of these things... i want a 5 or 6 trans to get both them

I don't know if you can just bolt in a 5 speed gear set. I'm making the assumption it can't be done only because I've never heard of it being done.
That would leave the only option a wider gear ratio.
Yes your right with the wide ratio 4 speed you have to choose better acceleration or slower rpms in 4th gear.

[RocchenRolle]

i just talked about this question with a hd mechanic (i guess the best one here) and he said that's not possible since the 4-g transmission has got a .... uhm, dunno the term... a sort of magnet mounted near the clutch... and the 5-g has this magnet in another place... :( poor me, maybe i can try to ask if any buell motorcycle mount the same kind of trans with 5 gears

[dave76]

if i mount a 5gears transmission in substitution of my 4gears??? doesn't it fit ???
i should not want to change the sprocket since my bike has not a good torque and on the other hand i guess it hasn't a high top speed ... change the sprocket would mean adjusting just one of these things... i want a 5 or 6 trans to get both them

The 5 speed gear set will not bolt in place as it is wider then the 4 speed set. Anyway you said you wouldn't change the sproket combo even if the 5 speed would fit, but that kinda defeats the purpose of as the 5th gear is 1.00:1 on the 5speed, same a the 4th gear in a 4 speed. The difference comes in that 1st gear in a 5 speed is like 3.06 or 2.97 ratio alowing you to run a better sproket combo like a 23/47. Andrews gear makes a tall first gear set for the 4 speeds (2.68) compared to the 87 to 90 Evos stock 2.29 gear. The gear set is $150 and you need the earlier iron head counter shaft which they sell new for $75, only problem is you have to pull the trans appart and at that point IMO a Zippers billet trap door and bearing is worth the extra $500

[RocchenRolle]

The 5 speed gear set will not bolt in place as it is wider then the 4 speed set. Anyway you said you wouldn't change the sproket combo even if the 5 speed would fit, but that kinda defeats the purpose of as the 5th gear is 1.00:1 on the 5speed, same a the 4th gear in a 4 speed. The difference comes in that 1st gear in a 5 speed is like 3.06 or 2.97 ratio alowing you to run a better sproket combo like a 23/47. Andrews gear makes a tall first gear set for the 4 speeds (2.68) compared to the 87 to 90 Evos stock 2.29 gear. The gear set is $150 and you need the earlier iron head counter shaft which they sell new for $75, only problem is you have to pull the trans appart and at that point IMO a Zippers billet trap door and bearing is worth the extra $500

O_o
what's a counter shaft? what means "imo a zippers billet ..."?
if the 5speed gear set doesn't fit for the bolts may i adjust the holes to put the bolts in there?

[dave76]

O_o
what's a counter shaft? what means "imo a zippers billet ..."?
if the 5speed gear set doesn't fit for the bolts may i adjust the holes to put the bolts in there?

The counter shaft is the shaft that the main shafts driven power is transfered to, thus transfering the power to the output shaft.

IMO is an abbreviation for (In My Opinion)

Zippers is company that makes an aftermarket transmission cover for the sportster. It is made from Billet Aluminum. For short we call this the trap door.

You were not understanding me when I said bolt in, what I meant to say was it will not fit due to it being wider as it carries one more gear. The 5 speed physically won't fit into a 4 speed case. If you get a set 5 speed cases it will fit, and so will the 6 speed. The options are very limited with the 4 speed, either change the sprokets or install the Andrews 2.68 first gear set. Personnally it dosn't bother me at high way speed, at 70MPH I'm reving at 3900RPM and I'm using the stock gear setup of 21/48.

[RocchenRolle]

ok ok i understood now... thank you so very much... bye bye 5th gear :D

[Hardtail58]

I think it was 5 spd in '91 and belt drive in '93. :D

[Benjaminsasser]

ok guys i have been reading and i think i got lost..what i want to do is drop the RPMS at highways speeds.....right now i have and 89 sportster 883/1200 belt drvie...so can i do this buy change out the rear wheel belt pulley or do i need to change the gear ratio in the tranny itself

thanks
ben

[Casper]

For lowering the RPM's at highway speed, you are correct Ben; changing the pulley will drop your revs. You don't need to change the gears themselves to achieve that.

[Benjaminsasser]

Thanks Casper
well i am not sure what size pulley is on there now but in general which way would i go smaller or bigger...my thinking is bigger to drop rpms not sure if i am correct of not..thanks for the help

ben

[Sleeper]

For lowering the RPM's at highway speed, you are correct Ben; changing the pulley will drop your revs. You don't need to change the gears themselves to achieve that.

Casper's suggestion is a good place to start, it's cheap and practical.
Think of your motorcycle as a bicycle. The bigger the front sprocket the lower the rpms. The smaller the rear sprocket the lower the rpms.
If your chain and sprockets are in good shape, it will be cheaper to get a larger front sprocket and add chain links to compensate for the larger sprocket. If the chain and sprockets are both worn, changing out everything is your best option that allows a new start to the final gear ratio your after.
If you just change sprocket ratios and all is good, your done.
If first gear is too sluggish off the line for you, consider using Andrews gears for a better all round gear ratio.