I'd like a sixth gear so first could be just a bit lower and top gear just a bit higher. With regard to knowing what gear your in it would be nice to have an indicator in the speedo LCD display. I think the six speed will eventually come to the Sportster, they don't have a lot more major changes that they can makenow that Sporties have rubber mount motors and EFI.

 

I'd like a 6th gear. And I'm pretty certain, if I keep trying to shift into 6th, one day it might happen...LOL. 5th is fine up to around 80mph...above that 6th would be nice. I don't have a tach, but I know that engine is humpin at 85+. And my gas mileage goes to hell above 75.

 

I think they already have different trannys, I believe; different gearing, that is. I believe that the 1200 is slightly higher geared in each of the 5 gears. If I'm wrong and it's just the difference in entire sprocket thing (1200's have a 29 tooth front sprocket verses a 27 tooth for the 883s), then I stand corrected; but I think there's different gearing in the tranny as well, but I could be very wrong; I don't know.

883 tranny overall gear ratio vs. 1200 overall gear ratio:

First: 9.717 - 883, 9.047 -1200
Second: 7.120 - 883, 6.629 - 1200
Third: 5.180 - 883, 4.823 - 1200
Fourth: 4.267 - 883, 3.973 - 1200
Fifth: 3.615 - 883,3.366 - 1200

--

I've never looked into it in detail before, because I never really cared all that much. If it's just a sprocket thing, then I stand corrected.

 

High engine revolutions 'vibration.' What year is yours? Mine's a '98, and the harder the engine works, usually the more 'vibration' there is.

Cruise range is around 65 to 70 with mine on the freeway.

I think it also depends a little with the weight of the rider, the windshield set up (air drag and buffeting), etc.; so very often no two 883's are alike.

I'm down to around 200lbs now from about near 250lbs before, so it's a little easier on my bike now than before.

The more output from a 883 engine, the more exhaust output and everything else in the engine that will produce 'vibration'.

Also, my '98 883 has about 3 less horses than the 2000+ versions; there apparentlyhave been some engine changes from the 20th century to the 21st century Sporties.

 

I wonder what my rpm's would be for me@ 70mph,I'm a four speed 883..

 

I don't know, but it has me curious now as well. I guess about the only thing you could do is do some Googling and see what you can find.

Do you have an '88 owners manual? if so, it might tell you what the gear ratio is in 4th.

Nice bike, BTW.

 

thanks I'll google search now and see if i can find out the ratio..

 

I just found a sportster page and it said 4.77 in fourth gear, so what is the formula to see my rpms at 70?

 

Mine is an 05 model. Each engines balance is slightly different, even in the same size or class. It seems mine finds "perfect" balance between 70-75MPH. So it is smoother. Not saying all individual 883's are the same, but, each 883 will be smoother at or about the same RPM, and that being found higher in the power Band. The drive ratios I am sure are tied to the final drive ratio in each gear, most specs for gearing are stated considering the final drive ratio.
I have friends with big twins who wanted another gear, they got it in the 07 models. The MoCo. changed the tranny in the Sportsters in 07, personally I think they screwed up, the 05 and earlier trannys are considered "rock crushers". We'll see what the newer helical cut gears do for the later models.

 

Well, I believe it then means that your engine is turning over 4.77 times for each rotation of your wheel. Find out the circumference of your speedometer wheel/tire, divide that into a mile, then divide that by 4.77, I believe (don't trust me on this, I'm already confused), and multiply that by 70 mph, I think.

I'm probably off in the formula, but it's something like that.

My head hurts.