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Installing a six speed transmission

Wayne R

Active Member
Hello, I have a 2002 Road King I plan on keeping the bike for sometime and have been thinking of adding the six speed gear set, I have a fair knowledge of mechanics, I am a backyard mechanic I"ve changed a few car motors installed a tranny here and there and rebuilt one motor but aside from routine maintenance have never tore down a bike and was thinking of installing this myself, I understand Harley makes a six speed gear cluster which can be installed through the trap door of the transmission without removing the trans from the bike, with how to instructions from the kit im told they give you a template and the only modification to the trans is some filing of the case to make the gear cluster fit the case, after a conversation with a biker I met on one of the rides he had told me to look into another company century who also makes a similiar set of gears and claims I would like the gear ratio better than Harleys set up , I dont know much about the number, ratios, and how they feel when your driving the bike, the claim also made was that harleys six speed 1st gear ratio was lowered and the next sequence of gears also altered till you get to the 6th gear overdrive feeling as though you would always be looking to shift between 5th and 6th gear back and forth when around 50 or 60 mph I"ve never driven a six speed and I dont know if this is true or not, I tend to wanna stay with Harleys gear set I know its quality and american made I have trouble believing Harley would design a six speed gear set that would be uncomftorable to drive. anybody"s help tips or thoughts on this especially if youv"e done this conversion would be appreciated Thanks Wayne :cheers: :rider:
 
Hello, I have a 2002 Road King I plan on keeping the bike for sometime and have been thinking of adding the six speed
I deleted some of quote
I tend to wanna stay with Harleys gear set I know its quality and american made I have trouble believing Harley would design a six speed gear set that would be uncomftorable to drive. anybody"s help tips or thoughts on this especially if youv"e done this conversion would be appreciated Thanks Wayne :cheers: :rider:

I FOR ONE WOULD WONDER ABOUT THE STATEMENT HARLEY

"QUALITY AND AMERICAN MADE"

I installed a 6 speed in my 2000 dyna....GOOD UNIT putting on over 60,000 TROUBLE FREE miles to date( traded-in and sold to another now)

MY gear set with trap-door(ready to install) was purchased from JPcycle .. I've heard they go for about 800$ or 900$ NOW from JP..?? thinking I paid 1200???? too long ago.... I also believe mine was made by custom chrome or the other similar name ?.

I never had to grind out the tranny box for fit with that unit and DOUBT if you would also.... THINKING your bike NOT MUCH NEWER than my 2000 dyna....

IT is straight forward to install.... came with instructions and IF you have the OWNERS MANUAL for the bike (BIG HD FULL BOOK) you will have NO PROBLEMS.....

I WOULD go out on a limb and say GO FOR THAT GEAR SET......

ONE of the mods. here on HD T is going to or MAY already HAVE installed this gear set in his bike..... search thru different tranny threads and u will find a lot of information HERE about 6 speed conversions... maybe mine again

MAYBE ?that MOD WILL CHIME IN HERE TO HELP OUT.......

I also used REDLINE SHOCKPROOF HEAVY in ALL MY TRANNYS and NEVER-EVER have ANY metal on the magnetic drain plug.... NEVER-EVER...

I hear some people saying about this 6 speed unit NOT THE BEST UNIT

I SAY HOG-WASH.... 60,000 plus and still working.....now that is GOOD

ONE DRAW BACK if your bike is STOCK on the power...YOU WILL still like the 6 speed BUT a little bigger or stronger power range will be wanted(me)...

MY dyna was 95" and BUILT..
YOU WILL WANT at least a stage one and up... maybe 95" is what i would recommend good with that unit..... the ratio's will be good... 6th gear 60/120 mph.. 5th gear is still 5th gear/ will work the same... use of 6th over 60/up is what i did... lower gearing 2/3/4 was close ratio making a STOCK BIKE perform BETTER even if stock......

If you order from JP ,,,, MAKE SURE you talk with one of their TECHs and get the right one for your bike...letting HIM know it is a BIG bike and gearing suggested by HIM will work fine.....

I WOULD GO FOR THAT UNIT(jp cycle) UNLESS the HD UNIT IS CLOSE TO $$$$$$$$$
don't be fooled by HD on the part.... HD IS OUT FOR THE $$'$ AS NOTED:
SHORT-CUTS MADE FOR SAVING $$$$$$ ON ALL THE NEWER MODELS...

look n listen here on this site and YOU will learn ,,, I HAVE

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PM me and I'd be glad to help....

signed....BUBBIE
 
With what Bubbie thinks he paid for the gear set he put in his old bike, I would bet it was the RevTech builder's set. RevTech gets a bad wrap based on some guys having had a bad experience with them early on.

I am strongly thinking about the RevTech for my Dyna ('91). That OEM 5-spd is shot. The decision-maker is gonna be what specialty tools I would actually have to buy to do the job vs. buying a complete tranny and installing it. The difference in the two options with RevTech is less than $500.

On my '03 UC, I went ahead and replaced the whole OEM 5-spd tranny with a SE 6-spd. If I was gonna do it again, I would do the Baker DD6.

But the key in your decision is how you are gonna use the bike, and for how long. If you are gonna put a lot of miles on with some healthy road trips, you might consider the Baker DD6 builder's gear set. I believe they are one of the premier builders of trannies here in the States. But here are some of your choices:

Baker (BAKER Drivetrain | FL Transmission Products)
Jim's (http://www.jimsusa.com/pdf/2009_catalog.pdf)
Ultima (SECTION 1)
RevTech (http://www.customchrome.com/cc/view.asp?revtech_trannys.html)
Screamin' Eagle (HD) (Screamin' Eagle® 6-Speed Transmission and Gear Set, 33034-03A, Fully assembled and ready t look around for other HD like Zanotti's)
S&S (S&S Cycle - Performance Parts for American V-Twins)

That should get you started!!

But I have a deal for you. I have got my 5-spd tranny fully assembled sitting in the shipping box the 6-spd came in. You can have it if you pay the S&H. That way you can rebuild it with the builder's gearset while your bike is still running around. Then when you are ready, just swap them out. The deal is that you have to "pay it forward" and do the same thing with your old tranny when you are finished!! Find someone (ideally here on HDTimeline) to give it to if they pay S&H!

TQ
 
Got to agree with you T Q Rev tech has made good gear sets for a long time and I have heard few complaints about them, along comes baker and takes it to the next level with a good 6 speed, HMMMM do you think the MOCO was watching, now baker has a 7 speed gear set Harley are u watching
 
Got to agree with you T Q Rev tech has made good gear sets for a long time and I have heard few complaints about them, along comes baker and takes it to the next level with a good 6 speed, HMMMM do you think the MOCO was watching, now baker has a 7 speed gear set Harley are u watching

HEY JACK N HARLEY

QUIT:

MY FOOT CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE GEARS..

AND YES, my gears set is a REVTECH 6
TQ......still can't think of any special tools I needed for MY job....
 
Sorry Bubbie, I dont make the rules the Harley Gods do and i dont see a need for 7 gears either
 
Thanks for the info forgot about jp cycle im going to check out the catologue did not know too much about revtek.
 
I put an Ultima 6 speed in my Stage 3 97 Heritage. Good tranny and excellent customer service. It really made a difference doing 75 or 80 on the interstate. Paid less than 600 for it off of Ebay. Never had experience w/ Revtech but have heard about issues with them......
 
How about those that have done this posting Total cost of doing this tax the whole price labor if you had some one else do it.
Tools and extras you need to do it your self

My SE 6-spd (complete) set me back about $3K when all was said and done with the new side cover (required) and all the fluids, etc.

TQ
 
I would not buy anything from JP Cycles, they are just like an indy shop that buy from companies like Drag Specialties, CCI, etc., I would go to an indy shop who deals directly with Jims, or Baker, unless you are gonna go HD. JP will cost you more money.
 
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