RPM while cruising at 80mph

I agree on the mostly perception part, I've always had loud pipes, makes it seem like it's worse, but I always catch myself trying to shift into that imaginary 6th gear.
 
Overdrive on a Harley is a joke. Use it lose it. Oil pump works off of revs. Under rev the engine and oil circulation is not sufficient. Over 70 mph your good. Under 70 mph come see me I'll fix it for you. Even so at 75 MPH your running a good 3,000 RPM's at 80 miles per hour your running over. Now maybe if you have a baker transmission (7 speed) it may be different. Ever try to pass a semi on a Harley in 6th gear? Good luck with that. Say what you want but on the X doing 80 miles a hour when I hit it it goes. NO downshift required. Have rode both brands of bikes for over 40,000 open highway. Harley sets at 95,000 miles. Rocket X only at 39,000 miles. Yes the Rocket is a big boys bike. Not for the soft boys who require a soft ride. You what something soft go for it. Prefer the raw get up and go and will stick with the Rocket X. Besides you really look good on your label bike with all your gear bought at your local Harley dealer in my rear view mirrors as i pass you in shame with no regrets. Really enjoy doing that. GEE MOM NO CUP HOLDERS $uck it.
 
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You explained it best! They added that 6th gear for cruising and cutting RPMs. You still run 3K or higher at 75 plus and no performance. The rocket doesn't need a 6th, the RPMs are about the same, but the performance...well that speaks for itself.
 
You guys are comparing apples to oranges.

Harley's have different gear ratios than Rockets.

No one has mentioned changing 1-5 ratios in the Rocket, just that it needs a 6th. Looking at it from that perspective, it most certainly has to bring down rpm@80mph. Which of course raises gas mileage.
 
Post #25 addressed changing the helical output gear ratio which would change all five gears a bit.
 

Even if someone made up a set of output shaft drive gears, how many people would spend the money to do a complete engine teardown to install them ? If you already had it apart for something else maybe. My solution would be this. In reading about the early design of the R3, focus groups wanted to "feel the engine" so Triumph gave them what they wanted. If some enterprising individual wanted to tackle it, the crank and balance shaft could be rebalanced to make the engine silky smooth at 3,000 rpms. But again I doubt many would lay out the cash to do it. Maybe it's because I rode an old shovelhead for twenty years. At 80 mph (with a good tailwind) the hand grips felt about as big as beer cans
 

Absolutely agree with you there. Current design has us "limited" in what can be done cost effectively. I have no issue with the Rocket as is, but part of human nature is to want a little more.
 
No problem
Mine sits down real nice with a Land rover diff and the third wheel at 100+
 
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