Import Harleys

[pritch]

I did use the search facility and there was a similar thread. It got hijacked though.

Anyway it was two years ago and something might have changed.
Then again, we are talking about Harleys...

Friend of mine is the Manager of a motorcycle dealership, so while he may be in a position to know, he also has a vested interest. He tells me that the Jap import Harleys have different gear ratios to the American market bikes. Does anybody know if this is true?

If it's only a matter of changing a sprocket, no problem. It seems strange to me that Harley would make bikes for Japan with different internal ratios. Then again Suzuki used to make special(ly fast) Katana 1100s for NZ...

[twotyred]

yes,it's true...

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Harley-D...ster_2005.aspx

[Big Dave]

They don't have sprockets they have pulleys - and they are not real cheap like a sprocket.

With the new six speeds it wouldn't matter anyway. They got gears for africa!

[Headbanger]

Interesting.

PERFORMANCE
Engine Torque8 (per SAE J1349):
• North America 87.90 ft. lbs. @ 2750 rpm (119.19 NM @ 2750 rpm)
• World 84.80 ft. lbs. @ 3200 rpm (114.99 NM @ 3200 rpm)
• Japan 81.60 ft. lbs. @ 2750 rpm (110.65 NM @ 2750 rpm)

And yes, It matters, Its something a prospective buyer would want to know considering the amount of HD's that get sourced from Japan.

[pritch]

Thanks for that. Interesting, although it doesn't seem to completely answer the question. It seems that some models do have different ratios for the US and others.

Are we different to Japan (or Belgium)? We are not part of the US.

Oops hadn't noticed the two later posts...

[nadroj]

Interesting.

PERFORMANCE
Engine Torque8 (per SAE J1349):
• North America 87.90 ft. lbs. @ 2750 rpm (119.19 NM @ 2750 rpm)
• World 84.80 ft. lbs. @ 3200 rpm (114.99 NM @ 3200 rpm)
• Japan 81.60 ft. lbs. @ 2750 rpm (110.65 NM @ 2750 rpm)

And yes, It matters, Its something a prospective buyer would want to know considering the amount of HD's that get sourced from Japan.

Do they idle that high to stop them stalling?