Pulley/Belt combo's

[SHOEI]

Could someone please tell me why the combinations for my 1989 softail differ from the USA combo too the International combo.
Mine is currently running with the USA spec which came with the bike when I bought it (second hand) is as follows Front 32- Rear 70- Belt 132
But according to the charts the International models for that year should run on the following Front 32- Rear 61- Belt 127. Would there be any benefit if at all dropping down to the Iternational combination?

Thanks
SHOEI

[robbiemac]

Not sure as to why the US and international models have different gearing, i think there may have even been a Swiss or Japanese spec one but not sure.
Bound to be someone here who can answer that one correctly. Perhaps has something to do with some EPA regulation.

If you change it you should see a drop in RPM's for the same road speed and your acceleration will be down on what you had before.

[SHOEI]

Thanks for the input, but it seems a hell of a drop down don't you think from USA too INT.
I was thinking maybe the drastic difference could be down to the difference in speed limits from the USA to the rest of Europe which some don't even have limits but not really sure on this.

SHOEI

[Strawhead]

I thought that it was down to fiddling emmissions from the exhausts so that they were relatively environmentally friendly at national speed limits

[Phil]

Originally Posted by Strawhead

I thought that it was down to fiddling emmissions from the exhausts so that they were relatively environmentally friendly at national speed limits

Exactly, emissions & noise at certain testing speeds.

[kiwidave]

Was it not also because the ''International'' models bound for Europe were considered to be inevitably headed for higher-speed use, so were geared for normal riding conditions on say the autobahn, as opposed to the US-spec for 55mph on I-95...

There was a Swiss spec set-up for one or two years in the early 1990s, to counter their own peculiar noise laws. These pulleys seems to be sought-after now....cannot remember why.

[Phil]

I though that that was what I was saying Dave.....Certain gears for certain markets. I understand that they had a 40mph maximum speed gearing set up for NZ, but didn`t release it......

[kiwidave]

i resemble that remark

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by kiwidave

the ''International'' models bound for Europe were considered to be inevitably headed for higher-speed use, so were geared for normal riding conditions on say the autobahn, as opposed to the US-spec for 55mph

Dave, you are correct as usual. The International models were higher-geared to suit European cruising speeds, while US models were lower-geared to enable useful RPMs to be developed at the typically lower US speeds, thus avoiding unhealthy snatch. And who wouldn't want to avoid an unhealthy snatch?!!

[grbrown]

At the time Shoei's bike was built Harley made just three versions of each model: one for California, another for the rest of the USA and the International version, which we got. That one was the most severely restricted due to Swiss regulations, which demanded lower noise levels than the other two.

When I bought my 1990 bike new, the most obvious things that restricted noise, as well as performance, were a restrictor in the inlet manifold, reducing it to 28mm diameter, and another in the airbox. The silencers were quieter than the US versions, and the ignition system maintained full retard far too long. It seems consistent that the gearing might also be raised, in the pursuit of a quiet life.

What is so offensive about all this is that the Swiss have an even greater disregard for such restrictions than the US market, so I doubt that many sold there remained standard for long.