Quote:That big single puts out a gob of torque over a wide RPM range. We don't need another gear, we need wider ratios. If the 5-speed had kept the ratios of the 4-speed and simply added an overdrive 5th the swap would be worthwhile.
Personally I'd be just as happy with the 4-speed, less shifting.
tuxedo wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:06:trade ya.
the 4 speed is set up in the most confusing fashion, at least to me. I can never seem to decide what gear should be engaged since any of them are useable at any speed.
I'm used to car transmissions though. They make very apparent what the stick should be doing.
But seriously, what should my shift points be on this 4-speed, if anyone knows?
Read my "Comparison 1987 vs 1999" post/article.
After much consideration, I've come to the same conclusion. I much prefer the 5-speed for the same reasons you don't like the 4-speed. The 4 is often in the wrong or bad gear. Second is a bit fast for average street corner turning, and first is too low. You shouldn't have to go all the way to first to go around a street corner without a stop sign. First on the 4-speed is cool for digging out of the hole and running up to 30+mph though. Advantages of the 5-speed include: First is noticeably lower. Second is perfect for in-town street cornering. Third is great for staying within the 35-40mph speed traps; and fifth though only a tiny bit higher, is still an improvement over fourth.
However, all of my opinion has to be taken with the knowledge that my 4-speed is running the stock 140/80-15 IRC and my 5-speed is running a bigger (both fat and diameter) Dunlop 404 in 140/90-15. I'll take the 5-speed any day over the 4.
However, if you let me pick my exact gears; considering the torque and wide power band of the Savage engine, I could probably live with just three gears. First from the 4-speed, with third and fifth from the 5-speed would git-r-done.
The engine would just have to live with a lot more up and down RPM, though I don't know how I could subject a bike to much more up and down RPM that my poor bikes suffer now. I do kind of ride the dribble out of them!
Pages: 
