I just rode my 04flht with new Tle sidecar home from harley in Ftmyers Fl. I rode around the parking lot to get use to the new setup and hit the road in rush hour traffic for the 10 mile ride home. I was really suprised with the way it handled, I have read alot on this site about handling, and riding with a sidecar, and was starting to get a little nervous about the sidecar. I was amazed how secure I felt.I am very happy with the new rig and cant wait to get it out this weekend.
Next will be the raked triple trees so that you can really enjoy the rig without sore shoulders.
Lonnie
Welcome to the sidecar world. You are not the only rig in Ft Myers. I am looking forward to seeing you on the road.
Originally written by Jay FLHT on 8/30/2007 5:47 PM
I just rode my 04flht with new Tle sidecar home from harley in Ftmyers Fl. I rode around the parking lot to get use to the new setup and hit the road in rush hour traffic for the 10 mile ride home. I was really suprised with the way it handled, I have read alot on this site about handling, and riding with a sidecar, and was starting to get a little nervous about the sidecar. I was amazed how secure I felt.I am very happy with the new rig and cant wait to get it out this weekend.
Congratulations on your new sidecar! I have a 2004 Ultra with a TLE sidecar. You will enjoy this combination. The only suggestion that might improve things for you would be a gearing change to 3.37:1. I did this and it's really much nicer for general riding. The original 3.15:1 is a touch high for pulling a sidecar.
You would need to get a 24 tooth motor sprocket P/N 40269-85A)and a 37 tooth clutch basket (P/N 37846-99A. Both are still available from a dealer or the internet dealers. You would use the same primary chain. It's a bolt-in project. I did it myself in about 4 hours. All you need is a torque wrench suitable for the necessary torque.
With the 3.37:1 gearing you will be able to use fifth gear to greater advantage. My bike has the stock 88 c.i. motor and it had a tendency to lug under 60 mph in fifth (high) gear. It's really nice now with the lower gearing.
Happy Trails.
+1 ON YOUR HD/HD RIG i ride an 02 ELECTRAGLIDE
WITH A 98 TLE ULTRA SIDECAR. install the 5 degree
raked triple tree from LIBERTY. you wont be
dissapointed. btw-i used to live in naples.
congratulations on your new rig.
Hi all,
gnm109 posted this
"With the 3.37:1 gearing you will be able to use fifth gear to greater advantage. My bike has the stock 88 c.i. motor and it had a tendency to lug under 60 mph in fifth (high) gear. It's really nice now with the lower gearing"
what do your rpms run at 60 mph now, as compared to before changing gearing?
thanx, Pauly.
Originally written by uralpaul on 9/4/2007 11:21 AM
Hi all,
gnm109 posted this"With the 3.37:1 gearing you will be able to use fifth gear to greater advantage. My bike has the stock 88 c.i. motor and it had a tendency to lug under 60 mph in fifth (high) gear. It's really nice now with the lower gearing"
what do your rpms run at 60 mph now, as compared to before changing gearing?
thanx, Pauly.
Hi, it adds about 300 rpms at 60 mph. Whereas formerly it was about 2,200 rpm at 60 mph now it's about 2,500.
The 3.37:1 was used on most of the Evolution models and it's excellent for a sidecar since rpm's are fairly iimited in Harleys to begin with. I do virtually all of my riding between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. Thats translates to something like 50 mph to 70 mph for cruising and it's very nice. It also makes for much easier startups in low gear with a bit more pull.
Also, the lower gearing makes it feasible to cruise around town in fourth gear without lugging or having to drop to third gear. I rode a 1993 FLHS Harley for almost five years with the 3.37:1 gearing with a sidecar and it was very good. It was also good when riding solo, too.
The later Twin Cams have been geared up to help meet emissions requirements. The 2007 and later HD's are geared about 2.70:1 with six speeds. That's awfully high, IMHO. I've heard lots of complaints about pinging and lugging at lower speeds on the later bikes. Also six speeds is too much shifting for a guy like me with a bum left leg.
Hope this helps.
amen to that 109. i miss the 4 speed shovels.
like you don't know why everyone is so hyped
up on the new 6 speeds.
Originally written by shortcut on 9/4/2007 5:38 PM
amen to that 109. i miss the 4 speed shovels.
like you don't know why everyone is so hyped
up on the new 6 speeds.
I can recall a long time ago when I was happy with three and a reverse. Ha. The idea that a torquey motor like a Harley needs six speeds is baffling. Guess it's just all the rage this year.
Originally written by gnm109 on 9/4/2007 6:21 PM
Originally written by shortcut on 9/4/2007 5:38 PM
amen to that 109. i miss the 4 speed shovels.
like you don't know why everyone is so hyped
up on the new 6 speeds.I can recall a long time ago when I was happy with three and a reverse. Ha. The idea that a torquey motor like a Harley needs six speeds is baffling. Guess it's just all the rage this year.
ha ha you must be talkin' bout the ol' 45 ci trikes. yikes.
i agree with you 100% on the new 6 speeds. it started in the
aftermarket world with jim's 6 speeds and the motor co.
followed suit. now 6 speeds on my new HAYABUSA- that's kool.
179 HP 100 ft# TORQUE- 🙂
I can recall a long time ago when I was happy with three and a reverse. Ha. The idea that a torquey motor like a Harley needs six speeds is baffling. Guess it's just all the rage this year.
ha ha you must be talkin' bout the ol' 45 ci trikes. yikes.
i agree with you 100% on the new 6 speeds. it started in the
aftermarket world with jim's 6 speeds and the motor co.
followed suit. now 6 speeds on my new HAYABUSA- that's kool.
179 HP 100 ft# TORQUE- 🙂
I was also referring to the three and reverse that Harley installed on bikes that were built for sidecar use. That included early bikes like VL's and the later UL's, ULH's, EL's and FL's.
I can see the need for six speeds with a sport bike where the torque is made high up. Oh well.
Originally written by gnm109 on 9/5/2007 3:50 PM
I can recall a long time ago when I was happy with three and a reverse. Ha. The idea that a torquey motor like a Harley needs six speeds is baffling. Guess it's just all the rage this year.
ha ha you must be talkin' bout the ol' 45 ci trikes. yikes.
i agree with you 100% on the new 6 speeds. it started in the
aftermarket world with jim's 6 speeds and the motor co.
followed suit. now 6 speeds on my new HAYABUSA- that's kool.
179 HP 100 ft# TORQUE- 🙂
I was also referring to the three and reverse that Harley installed on bikes that were built for sidecar use. That included early bikes like VL's and the later UL's, ULH's, EL's and FL's.
I can see the need for six speeds with a sport bike where the torque is made high up. Oh well.
you know your harley history way more than me.
i didn't know harley made a 3 speed & reverse
for sidecar use. kool-i learned something new today.
thx 109. now that would really be nice if they put
a factory reverse for sidecar use TODAY. & a factory
installed raked triple tree. (i understand they USED
to do that too.)
Originally written by shortcut on 9/5/2007 4:01 PM
Originally written by gnm109 on 9/5/2007 3:50 PM
I can recall a long time ago when I was happy with three and a reverse. Ha. The idea that a torquey motor like a Harley needs six speeds is baffling. Guess it's just all the rage this year.
ha ha you must be talkin' bout the ol' 45 ci trikes. yikes.
i agree with you 100% on the new 6 speeds. it started in the
aftermarket world with jim's 6 speeds and the motor co.
followed suit. now 6 speeds on my new HAYABUSA- that's kool.
179 HP 100 ft# TORQUE- 🙂I was also referring to the three and reverse that Harley installed on bikes that were built for sidecar use. That included early bikes like VL's and the later UL's, ULH's, EL's and FL's.
I can see the need for six speeds with a sport bike where the torque is made high up. Oh well.
you know your harley history way more than me.
i didn't know harley made a 3 speed & reverse
for sidecar use. kool-i learned something new today.
thx 109. now that would really be nice if they put
a factory reverse for sidecar use TODAY. & a factory
installed raked triple tree. (i understand they USED
to do that too.)
Yep, they made the adjustable triple tree starting with the Panhead era. It had the ability to change rake and trail by several degrees. They are still available in the aftermarket.
Originally written by gnm109 on 8/31/2007 8:23 AM
Originally written by Jay FLHT on 8/30/2007 5:47 PM
I just rode my 04flht with new Tle sidecar home from harley in Ftmyers Fl. I rode around the parking lot to get use to the new setup and hit the road in rush hour traffic for the 10 mile ride home. I was really suprised with the way it handled, I have read alot on this site about handling, and riding with a sidecar, and was starting to get a little nervous about the sidecar. I was amazed how secure I felt.I am very happy with the new rig and cant wait to get it out this weekend.
Congratulations on your new sidecar! I have a 2004 Ultra with a TLE sidecar. You will enjoy this combination. The only suggestion that might improve things for you would be a gearing change to 3.37:1. I did this and it's really much nicer for general riding. The original 3.15:1 is a touch high for pulling a sidecar.
You would need to get a 24 tooth motor sprocket P/N 40269-85A)and a 37 tooth clutch basket (P/N 37846-99A. Both are still available from a dealer or the internet dealers. You would use the same primary chain. It's a bolt-in project. I did it myself in about 4 hours. All you need is a torque wrench suitable for the necessary torque.
With the 3.37:1 gearing you will be able to use fifth gear to greater advantage. My bike has the stock 88 c.i. motor and it had a tendency to lug under 60 mph in fifth (high) gear. It's really nice now with the lower gearing.
Happy Trails.
hey gnm109- i trashed my transmission last week on the trail of tears ride.
had to drive home 150 miles using 2nd,3rd, & 5th. 1 & 4 are on the same shaft i believe. they're gone. sounds like loose change and grinding metal.
bike is in the shop right now and i'm glad i purchased the extended warranty. anyway since it's in the shop- are these the only 2 part #'s
i need to buy for the gearing change? and what kind of top end speed
do you get?
Originally written by shortcut on 9/21/2007 5:10 PM
Originally written by gnm109 on 8/31/2007 8:23 AM
Originally written by Jay FLHT on 8/30/2007 5:47 PM
I just rode my 04flht with new Tle sidecar home from harley in Ftmyers Fl. I rode around the parking lot to get use to the new setup and hit the road in rush hour traffic for the 10 mile ride home. I was really suprised with the way it handled, I have read alot on this site about handling, and riding with a sidecar, and was starting to get a little nervous about the sidecar. I was amazed how secure I felt.I am very happy with the new rig and cant wait to get it out this weekend.
Congratulations on your new sidecar! I have a 2004 Ultra with a TLE sidecar. You will enjoy this combination. The only suggestion that might improve things for you would be a gearing change to 3.37:1. I did this and it's really much nicer for general riding. The original 3.15:1 is a touch high for pulling a sidecar.
You would need to get a 24 tooth motor sprocket P/N 40269-85A)and a 37 tooth clutch basket (P/N 37846-99A. Both are still available from a dealer or the internet dealers. You would use the same primary chain. It's a bolt-in project. I did it myself in about 4 hours. All you need is a torque wrench suitable for the necessary torque.
With the 3.37:1 gearing you will be able to use fifth gear to greater advantage. My bike has the stock 88 c.i. motor and it had a tendency to lug under 60 mph in fifth (high) gear. It's really nice now with the lower gearing.
Happy Trails.
hey gnm109- i trashed my transmission last week on the trail of tears ride.
had to drive home 150 miles using 2nd,3rd, & 5th. 1 & 4 are on the same shaft i believe. they're gone. sounds like loose change and grinding metal.
bike is in the shop right now and i'm glad i purchased the extended warranty. anyway since it's in the shop- are these the only 2 part #'s
i need to buy for the gearing change? and what kind of top end speed
do you get?
Sorry about your transmission. Sounds expensive......
The gearing is very nice. it's the same as most Evos had all during the 80's and 90's. 3.37:1. You will still get close to 100 mph.
