[steve mount prospect IL]

i was wondering if any hi-tech types have thought about how to make a 2-speed final drive . i would love to be able to shift one more time , for the quiet and gas milage. i always take more gas at every stop than any bike i ride with.

 

[wingnutzz]

I take more also...

...but that is because I ride with a bunch of Valkyrie riders and I gas up every other gas stop. I think the gas mileage is great. Beats the heck out of the mileage I get with the Expedition also.!!!

 

[OrangeWingRider]

We actually have a project very similar to this in R&D right now.

 

[Capt America]

Keep us posted on your progress. Thanks

 

[steve mount prospect IL]

2 speed final drive

orange wing rider
i am very excited, can you give any details

 

[OrangeWingRider]

Steve,

No details just yet, but when I have any info I'll post it here and on our website, so all I can say is stay tuned in and turned on...

 

[WingAway]

sixth gear

When I met with some of the Honda staff in California I told them I'd rather have a 6th gear than a CB that worked. Let us all know if it works. :lol:

 

[Ken H.]

I agree, a 6th gear would be GREAT!!! AS I've posted before, the higher gearing is a BIG advantage of the Valk rear tire, now if the milage would just be decent.

I can't imagine how you would add an "after-market" 2-speed readend, but will certainly keep an open mind (I'm told I have a very open mind - everything falls out!!).

Ken H>

 

[g1nomad]

That would be so great. On the old board, I mentioned how
much I thought the GL1800 needed a 6th gear, and the general
reply was that I was wrong. Folks were saying they get to
126 MPH, so why a sixth. I think the wing revs way too high
on the interstate. I also felt that way with every other bike I
have owned, and in my 5 speed manual shift Ford F-150 too.

The Ninja's get 6 ?

 

[Lucky Phil]

Go figure, I had a Kaw 500 that had six speeds.

 

[Red]

Sounds like you Guys want a engine that will go 300,000 miles instead of 290,000 miles. LOL!! Are you telling me that 40+ mpg isn't enough?

Nothing says you won't get worse fuel economy with taller gearing either. Honda stretched out 5th gear on the '83 1100. Man that really stunk. You were shifting down all the time. I realize the 1800 has a bunch more hp but if you take advantage of a taller final gear you will still be shifting.

I'm happy where they are with the gearing!

 

[Lazyboy]

The amount of torque militates against the need for six gears, and the practicality.

I would also like the final gear to be higher, but you can do it just by stretching the distances between some of the other gears, notably between fourth and fifth.

Because of the extreme low end torque, the bike would still pull fine and not have to be revved between gears, so there is really no need for the extra gear.

Also because of the extreme torque, the gears need to be a certain width, so the extra gear will add extra weight and bulk to the gearbox, or will result in a less robust transmission.

Torque probably wasn't a big problem on the 500 Kaw.

I could live with just a higher fifth gear. If they wanted to do it right and change the other gears to optimize things that would be nice. I think that a sixth gear would be a bad trade-off, engineering wise.

 

[Bob C]

The 1800 takes off so easily in second that the single rear drive ratio could be decreased numerically to reduce RPMs across the board. First gear is plenty low enough to do the job with a faster ratio. This would be a lot simpler than messing with a two speed rear or changing ratios in the transmission.

Bob C