Just for your information DD6 refers to Direct Drive 6 which means in 6th gear the ratio is 1:1 same as the 5 gear in the stock tranny, to get a Lower ratio (higher speed at the same rpm) you will need to lower the primary ratio with a larger engine sprocket (28T vs 24T) or a clutch basket with less teeth. The 28T sprocket, longer primary chain and new adjuster comes in the Baker DD6 builders kit. Or you could decrease your final drive ratio with a 34T tranny Sprocket. The other option is to go to a OD6 which is an over drive tranny typically .86:1
That OD6 makes more sense to me. Why would any one want more gears just to have the same final drive? The Ultima's an option, but the swing in price makes me worry about quality. (too good to be true?) I've abandon the trip I was taking next month because I had plans to blow the bike apart in the winter and customize it to my liking rather than buy a new one so I'm thinking of pushing up the schedule. Making a hasty decision on my trans now may cost me later. I have my softail to putt around town on but it's nothing more than a bar-hopper now.
I want to do do a mild custom. My bike has 80k+ on the ticker and I'm going to go through the whole thing. I planned on redoing the clutch just not the trans. lol I've found a reputable mechanic and will be getting with him to freshen the motor up and discuss trans options as well as blacking out the motor and polishing the fins. I had already talked to a paint/body/sheet metal guy about doing my fenders, tank and bags. A real craftsman that going to fatten and stretch my tank and lengthen my rear fender with steel. This will just give him more time to get it right and have it done for next riding season. I'm not doing a taildragger just a 4-5 inch stretch on the bags to give it some style. I've gone back and forth and still do about doing the build versus buying a newer bike. I like the new bikes, but I like to be an individual and it doesn't make sense to me to drop 30k on a bike to put another 10-15k into it when I have one paid for that I can do that to. There isn't anything about the newer bikes that make me go, "Wow! I have to have that!" As long as I have tunes, cruise, comfort and reliability I'm happy. Having the bike stand out in a crowd is just a nice ego boost. I'm budgeting 20k for the build and I think I can shave that down. I've put together a spread sheet for a budget and I'm at half that, so I think I'm where I'll need to be with it.
Thanks for all the input and more is always welcome. I'm going to open up the primary and check the clutch travel per earlier suggestions and see if there's something rolling around in there. You never know, right? I'll probably start the tear down. I'll keep pics coming and start a new thread in a more appropriate section.
D