My view is that with the power it has you will be done with 1st gear in a second or two. I would imagine that you could probably start out in second gear just fine. It was designed around the gears it has because there's no easy way to change the ratio as there is with sprockets or pulleys. I also doubt the statement NOTHING else compares in the motorcycle world even though I believe its in the top tier. I know some of the V8 Choppers I've sold you can grab a handful of throttle at 3000 rpms which is about 80 mph and lay a long strip of rubber on the freeway, with proper throttle management the speed from 80 to 160 is incredible, maybe faster than the Carpenter Rocket 3. Maybe nothing else in the motorcycle compares to that but thats a statement I won't make. I like the feeling of torque at a lower rpm better than the power band being real high but both have their pro's and cons in the absolute speed world. The thing is that these are street bikes and top speeds are rarely reached on the streets. The V8 Choppers are running in the 9 second quarter mile times and I know they aren't the fastest but the torque of 427 cu inches and 575 hp at low rpms make them feel pretty good on the street. I am not downing the accomplishments of Carpenter Racing but statements such as "nothing else compares in the motorcycle world" is just an opinion, not a fact. Carpenter also modifies the Hyabusa and possibly the owner of one of those might feel its even faster or more powerful than the Rocket. As far as I know the Harley Davidson might still be the current 1/4 mile record holder even though its no more a Harley than my Triumph is and its only 2 cylinders.
OH ok Dave yep you can say whatever you like about those V8 bikes its your opinion thats why they make different bikes and no Harley doesnt make any 1/4 mile bike there isnt one Harley part on the VANCE & HINES drag bikes YEP Hyabusas are fast and im sure there owners will say the same about them and that goes for anyone who can say anything about whatever bike they like they are all opinions . You can start out in second gear just fine with any Rocket or just about any bike But no we dont need to change ratios on the Rocket as 1st gear works great and 5th gear is great for cruising and top speed and I said nothing compares to the Rocket as they are unique in the motorcycle world as a 2300CC triple. Obviously you like the V8 bikes thats cool thats why they sell them someone wants them . We take the rockets and test and tune them on the track and street and on the DYNO we dont guess .
 
I do like the V8 bikes but I also like the Rocket, its one of my favorite bikes in 58 years of riding. I still think the engineers that choose a gear ratio for a 100 horsepower bike would not choose the same ratio for a bike that had 200 or more horsepower and one and a half times the rpm's. I realize the stock ratio works and works good for the 240 horsepower bike but its not the optimum. Chain and sprocket or belts and pulley bikes let the ratio's be fine tuned for whatever the conditions the bike will be used for, a shaft drive doesn't allow for that. By the way I like shaft drive bikes. In flat track racing, road racing, motocross, and maybe even drag racing its common to change a sprocket thus changing the ratio to get the optimum performance for the that particular race. My V8 Chopper is really just a compromise as far as gearing goes since it only has one gear. It tops out at about 165 at 6000 rpms. If it was geared higher the bottom end would suffer and if it was geared lower the top end would suffer. It is what it is just like the shaft drive.
 
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600 pounds and a V6 240 hp engine with high midrange torque. We will never see this bike but it would be a dream come true for many of us.
 
The FGR Midula looks like a Triumph Speed Triple with an extra 3 cylinders on the back side of the engine. Good looking bike. I hope it makes it to market. This bike could be one of the reasons the Rocket has to get bigger displacement of at least 2500 cc.
 
I don't see where 200 more cc would change much on such an undertuned motor. Seems more cost effective to drop a better cam for more stock hp if they think that's what the public is looking for.

Personally I'd like to see a taller final gear. Either a 6th or just a taller 5th, to drop 80 mph cruising to about 2500 rpms.
 
I would like the same thing as far as the six speed or a taller gear goes. The engine has plenty of grunt and can easily be made to have much more. It will never be able to compete with a 600 pound V6 powered bike such as the FGR Midula posted above but I doubt that bike will ever be available to the general public at an affordable price. I would still like to keep the Rockets rpms down and add torque and gearing to make it perform a little better and cruise t a lower rpm than it does now. I admit that it will cruise effortlessly at 90 mph all day right now but it could also do that at a slightly lower rpm with no problem in an overdrive sixth gear.
 
I do like the V8 bikes but I also like the Rocket, its one of my favorite bikes in 58 years of riding. I still think the engineers that choose a gear ratio for a 100 horsepower bike would not choose the same ratio for a bike that had 200 or more horsepower and one and a half times the rpm's. I realize the stock ratio works and works good for the 240 horsepower bike but its not the optimum. Chain and sprocket or belts and pulley bikes let the ratio's be fine tuned for whatever the conditions the bike will be used for, a shaft drive doesn't allow for that. By the way I like shaft drive bikes. In flat track racing, road racing, motocross, and maybe even drag racing its common to change a sprocket thus changing the ratio to get the optimum performance for the that particular race. My V8 Chopper is really just a compromise as far as gearing goes since it only has one gear. It tops out at about 165 at 6000 rpms. If it was geared higher the bottom end would suffer and if it was geared lower the top end would suffer. It is what it is just like the shaft drive.
WE dont need a gearing change we have a 5 speed gearbox 1st gear is fine we dont want it lower or higher and 5th gear is good for 235+ mph and what would we change we wouldnt gear it lower as it would cause the engine to rev higher at cruising speeds and it is where we want it you could ask for a 6th gear that would serve only for cruising at illegal speeds over 80 mph . these are street bikes and have to do everything If you watch the video youll see the modded Rocket gets down the 1/4 mile just fine at close to 160 MPH there are no weak areas in the power deliverey NOT the case with that 1 gear only setup on the V8 bike you mentioned now thats a bike that needs a gearbox
 
WE dont need a gearing change we have a 5 speed gearbox 1st gear is fine we dont want it lower or higher and 5th gear is good for 235+ mph and what would we change we wouldnt gear it lower as it would cause the engine to rev higher at cruising speeds and it is where we want it you could ask for a 6th gear that would serve only for cruising at illegal speeds over 80 mph . these are street bikes and have to do everything If you watch the video youll see the modded Rocket gets down the 1/4 mile just fine at close to 160 MPH there are no weak areas in the power deliverey NOT the case with that 1 gear only setup on the V8 bike you mentioned now thats a bike that needs a gearbox
The T-Bird has 6th gear and like it. The Rocket certainly works but I'd prefer to be under 2500rpm at 70 mph than 3000 rpm.
 
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