[POP0404]

I would be interested for any comments on the 5 speed 8 ball verses the 6 speed Kingpins.
Does the 5 speed run out of legs at highway speed say70mph or 110 kmph?
Does anyone know the gear raitios?
I am interested in any feedback.
Thanks in Advance
POP0404

 

[dsjr70]

I test rode the 8ball 5 speed and the Vegas 6 speed before I purchased. The 8 ball has taller gears and didnt rev high at 70. The vegas seems like it isa little faster off the line but 5th and 6th don't pull as well as the 8 ball in 5th.

 

[bubba]

The only difference you will notice is on long trips. At 70 you will run at 3G RPM's with the 5 speed. Not bad (I have owned both), but at times you could be looking for another gear. My last two have been 6, really only use 6th on longer trips. Can't go wrong with either IMO

 

[dsjr70]

...but at times you could be looking for another gear.

If we had 7 speeds we will still be looking for another gear. I was searching for 7th the whole way down to the Keys last week...

 

[phoenix9]

DSJR70 is absolutely correct. We always want another gear to drop the RPMs down from where we are regardless of how low we're at....If you were running 2000 RPM at 80 miles an hour after a while you would be trying to bring them down to 1500 RPM....just human nature. Anyone of these modern motorcyclescan run a lifetime at 3500-4500 RPM....it'sUS who have the problem.
This reminds me of the debate I once had with a guy who felt the Suzuki M/C-50 could not run on the interstate because it was running at too high of an RPM. Funny thing is that when I had my M-50 I got her up over 100 MPH on a desolate stretch of interstate without even blinking....and could have run there for hours if I didn't run out of interstate...or into police running radar. :-0
I nowhave a 113 C.I. Star Roadliner (91HP, 115 TQ) and if anyone ever said that it's weakness is that it is missing a 6th gear I would probably chuckle a little.
Anyoneever see the movie "Major League" with Charlie Sheen? the scene where the guy crushes the pitch for a homerun and the one fan says "too high"....meaning he didn't think it would be a homerun because he hit the ball too high, and the other fan looks at him with a pained look on his face and says "Too high? What do you mean too high?". Moral of the story is that sometimes we get caught up in the detailsthat we can't seethe answer right in front of us.

 

[MONKEY666]

I just did 2500km's on my 8-Ball w/ the 5 speed. It got kinda buzzy after 110km/h (65 mph) I've ridden the 6 speeds too and they are nicer on the highway. Otherwise, I really didn't need the extra gear. At legalhighway speed your barely above idle either way.

 

[dsjr70]

This reminds me of the debate I once had with a guy who felt the Suzuki M/C-50 could not run on the interstate because it was running at too high of an RPM. Funny thing is that when I had my M-50 I got her up over 100 MPH on a desolate stretch of interstate without even blinking....
I nowhave a 113 C.I. Star Roadliner (91HP, 115 TQ) and if anyone ever said that it's weakness is that it is missing a 6th gear I would probably chuckle a little.

I hope the guy isn't your friend because he is a "blank" (you fill it in)... I still own and ride my C50T, not as much as I used to but when I am going somewhere I need storage and dont want to take my C90 out (my garage is getting way to crowded). But my point is that I rode the C50T from Orlando, Florida to Beaumont, Texas to Hartville, Ohio to Staten Island, NY and back to Florida and was never wanting for more power, more weight or more gears. The bike performed flawlessly.
As far as sixth gear goes, it is not needed but it is a convenience.

 

[Rollin]

I've had both. 6th gear is like cruise control and a power windshield, nice to have but not required.
I met a guy at a campground in Utah in 2007 that had a 1984 Harley that he had bought new. That bike had a chain drive and a 4-speed trans. He even pulled a trailer with the bike and had no problem doing road trips. He had 536,000 miles on the bike at that time.

 

[phoenix9]

"I met a guy at a campground in Utah in 2007 that had a 1984 Harley that he had bought new. That bike had a chain drive and a 4-speed trans. He even pulled a trailer with the bike and had no problem doing road trips. He had 536,000 miles on the bike at that time."
Just goes to show you how spoiled we can get over time.

 

[Dewidge]

So what your trying to say is... 5 speed OK, 6 speed better.

I test rode the 8-ball and a 6 speed Vegas as well and liked them both doing 80. The 8ball didnt seem to be over revved or anything.

That said, I am hoping to find something with 6 gears...

 

[Rollin]

So what your trying to say is... 5 speed OK, 6 speed better.

Yes

 

[Rollin]

So what your trying to say is... 5 speed OK, 6 speed better.

Yes

I should add, only if you need it. Nice on longer trips but not having a 6 speed wounldn'tbe a reason, for me, to not buya bike.

 

[dsjr70]

5 speed works on pretty much any cruiser. You really need to be doing some really high speed touring to get a real benefit to the six speed. Yes it was nice going down to the Keys (300+miles) but I was doing 90+ mph on the turnpike most of the way. Coming back I took it easy on I-95 and US-1/A1A and really never got into 6th.
If you find a bike that you like get it in whatever gear it comes in, dont buy a bike based upon how many gears it has.

 

[MONKEY666]

5 speed works on pretty much any cruiser. You really need to be doing some really high speed touring to get a real benefit to the six speed.

I agree. On my long run I onlywanted a taller gear a couple times and that was at high speed. 99% of the time 5 is fine.

 

[bikeriderga]

If you have the 5 speed and want to drop those RPMs at higher speed, then purchase the TurboTech Overdrive gear. That will drop RPMs around 300-400 RPMs through the gears, roughly making 5th like 6 gear. Of course if will change dynamics at lower gears as well, but that is not necessarily a bad thing either. Imagine not changing out first until 40 or 50 MPH!!

 

[MONKEY666]

I thought of trying that. 1st gear is crazy low anyways. Have you tried it? Did it make it too fast to idle around at low speed like in a parking lot, etc?

 

[POP0404]

All,
Thankyou for your responses.
My old Roadstar is a 5 speed and I only really look for a 6th gear at speed above 110kmph. It sounds like the Kingpin gearing is similar. It opens up my purchasing options a little.
POP0404

 

[Dewidge]

Is that 32 tooth gear something 'easy' to install? I would bet the cost to have it done would make the jump from jackpot to vegas not seem so bad.

I changed the sprocket out on the rear of my sport bike and that was rather cake but this gear would be buried up front right?

 

[Chris]

The over drive pulley is awsome for the 5 speed's and no idleing around a parking lot isn't bad. Yes you roll a little faster but its not uncontrollable. I absolutly love my OD pulley!

 

[FishWitch]

If you had 10 gears, you would still be grabbing for one more.

I have the 5 spd 92. (05 KP) It still has plenty of get up and go after 90mph. Calif freeways cruise around 80 or you will get run over. I have never had a lack of power even when pulling a grade.

I've had my bike in triple digits and it still had plenty of power. I shut down only because I feared a ticket. Stage 1 no frills.