6-speed gearboxes.

[smoky]

Fo' or agin?

Agin; My 1200s bandit has 5, I tried the new bandit 1250 with a 6 speed; It has a better quicker torque range, smoother engine from the fuel injection, bla bla bla… but the 6th gear was a pain in the arse, just seem to be changing gear all the time.
The RPM at 120Klm’s is the same as 5th on my old Bandit
I prefer my old bandit to the new one simply because I can’t be bothered with a 6 speed when 5 does the trick well. I use the gears a lot, the 1200 is a torquey bike and pulls from down low very well, get it up in the higher revs and it goes like stink, it has great engine braking – it actually takes some of the fun out of the bike with a 6 speed.

[scumdog]

I rate them as complete overkill on a 65+hp road bike.
Why Harley did it I have no idea - they could get away with 3.

Fo' or agin?

A sheer frivolity and a marketing 'trend-setting' device.

Even 5th in my 'glide is long-legged enough, 3,000rpm = 110kmh.

Any longer in the legs would mean changing down to overtake and it gets 55mpg+ even two up already so another gear (*if overdrive) wouldn't achieve anything much.

*I gather H-D 6-speeds ARE longer legged than 5-speeds?

[Stromble]

I rate them as complete overkill on a 65+hp road bike.
Why Harley did it I have no idea - they could get away with 3.

Fo' or agin?

Used to have the old Cagiva Mito II in the UK years ago.. 7 speeds on a 125cc 2 stroke..!! now that was fun...

[homer]

need it or not , it allows for gearing change ....dosnt it?

[James Deuce]

*I gather H-D 6-speeds ARE longer legged than 5-speeds?

Uncomfortably so, IMO. It would be OK at 130+. On the Rocker I did all my motorway and open road riding in 5th. It felt like I was breaking it to lug it round in 6th.

[jonbuoy]

In NZ its probably overkill, nice on long motorway trips where your sat at 140kph + for hours on end.

[Ixion]

Dunno that 6 gears is necessary for 65hp+ road bike. ..

Speak for yourself. When the power band's only a coupla thousand rpm wide you need 6 speeds and more.

[Swoop]

The viffer has a 6 speed box and the 6th is an in-and-out affair most of the time. Unless at MACH2, it is a little under-utilised

Have to agree with you on that one Hitch....Sales divisions!....(Sigh)

The marketing department at HD? Surely they should stick to doing the branded business ties, handbags, hairdriers and microwave ovens and leave the mechanical areas to the engineers???

Perhaps the HD would be better off to have 5 gears and a reverse?

[rideallday]

The viffer has a 6 speed box and the 6th is an in-and-out affair most of the time. Unless at MACH2, it is a little under-utilised


The marketing department at HD? Surely they should stick to doing the branded business ties, handbags, hairdriers and microwave ovens and leave the mechanical areas to the engineers???

Perhaps the HD would be better off to have 5 gears and a reverse?

classic

Just to be differant I like the 6th gear on my Harley when cruising along what passes for the national mototorway system.

I find on the Bandit though it encourouges speeding (intentional and otherwise.) and sometime drop back into 5th if its prudent to keep speeds down.

[martybabe]

Uncomfortably so, IMO. It would be OK at 130+. On the Rocker I did all my motorway and open road riding in 5th. It felt like I was breaking it to lug it round in 6th.

Spot on JD, I only ever put mine in sixth to see if the sixth gear light was still working.

At those ratios I think sixth is completely superfluous, you'd need a speed limit of about 80mph for it to be any use,as you said, isn't the wide spread speed limit in the USA 55 mph?

[Big Dave]

Perhaps the HD would be better off to have 5 gears and a reverse?

Smart men and women ride Harleys - not silly enough to park is so they need one.

[Forest]

The BMW R1200RT has a six-speed box.

The sixth gear is a bit too long for comfort at NZ road legal speeds. I suspect that it was intended for the German autobahns or transcontinental highways.

[MaxCannon]

I went from 5 on the GN to 6 on the ZZR400(and lots of Neutrals) to 6 on the Bandit.
Now the first two weren't 65BHP+ but the Bandit is.
I'd prefer 6th to be taller for better economy but as it is right now the ratios feel pretty good.
I thought the general idea with 6 gears was to get a close spacing so the engine is always in it it's optimal rev range.
Must get to a track and put this philosophy to the test.

[ManDownUnder]

The VTR only really needs the first 5 gears but long haul or higher speed sees 6th put to good use.

[warewolf]

When the power band's only a coupla thousand rpm wide you need 6 speeds and more.

You could always buy another power band and keep a spare in case one breaks.