Baker F6R (Reverse gear)

lightning

New to this Forum, want to say hello to everyone!
I recently bought a 09 S/G and I’ve been riding it every chance I can get. In short it’s a very surprisingly good handling bike. I traded-in a 2007 Low Rider and a respectable 2003 BMW K1200 G/T. My prior list of motorcycles goes back 30 some years and to long to list, but includes dirt bikes, sport bikes, sport touring, and cruisers. This is my first Harley Touring bike. The only problem I foresee having concerns backing the 800 lb. beast up especially if there is even the slightest little incline. Therefore the news of a Baker F6R (reverse gear) conversion for the Harley 6 Speed Transmission really got my attention. Being 5’-4” 145 lbs. doesn’t help when having to back up. The Reach Seat has helped some, but when it comes to inclines or irregular surfaces I need any help I can get.
The Kit is a little pricy but the practical benefits at least for me out weigh any further modifications aside from the V&H Ovals I installed & SE Air Filter next on the short list.
Has any of you seen this and/or given it any consideration?

TQuentin1

There is a guy on here (probably more, but I know about him) that has a sidecar. He may have a reverse gear on his bike. You might send him a pm and see.

TQ

User: scrinch

Dr. Doolittle

I'm 6 foot tall and weigh in at 235 pounds and I'm still VERY careful about which way I park my bike. You always have to consider your "exit strategy" before you even begin to commit to a parking spot.

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TQuentin1

Definitely! Park "nose up". If you have to back it up for some reason, and can't push it with your legs, put the stand down, lean it over on the stand, get off on the left side, grab the bars and stand it upright, and back it up with your right hip against the seat. Not very dainty, but it works.

Also, if you usually ride two up, train her to push from the front of the bike when that is required.

TQ

STEVE07

I woudn't mind a reverse gear,never thought about it till I rented a cabin in the mountains and the only way I could park on the double incline was nose down. When we would go to leave I would get on the bike,pull back while my wife would push on the fairing. Idon't know how some of the little guys would do it because it took all my effort and I'm no slouch. Still we must have made quite the site.

lightning

STEVE07, you hit it on the nose. It happened to me almost exactly the same way. I drove up our driveway to our vacation home and couldn't move the bike back. The driveway is crushed gravel hard packed but just uneven enough to make it imposable to back up. I was lucky to have been able to cut through my neighbors shrubs and go out his driveway, but for a while I was boxed in and no one around to help.
The Baker reverse works by simply shifting down from 1st gear after pressing a solenoid interlock button which prevents you from accidently putting it reverse. Unlike a Honda Goldwing you back up with V-Twin power via a crawler gear ratio.
When I think of the thousands of dollars I’ve spent on accessories for many of my bikes, few are as practical as the $1,800 for the reverse option Baker offers. They also said the bearing plate is beefier than the OEM and the part changes make finding neutral much easier.

scrinch

I used to have reverse on my Russian Ural with a sidecar and it was great. I would love it even more on my RKC with sidecar. It is a long haul from the garage to the street pushing that beastie. But, I can get OFF the bike and really put my weight into pushing without worrying about the rig falling over. If i had a spare $1800 it would be my first mod though.

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RichardS

Bro, I don't think I could have put it any better...."exit strategy"!

I'm 6 feet and about 185 if I have a pocket full a change and I'm carrying, and I'm getting a little older and feeling not as strong as I used to be. (I used to be able to handle some pretty heavy lifting if I do say so myself).

Now....on man, if I get boxed in, as mentioned in another post, I get the heebie jeebies thinking, "NOW...what I am gonna DO???"

As a result, I've had to run over (VERY CAREFULLY) some sidewalks and a couple lawns, and I really hate being disrespectful to anyone's property, but I have LITERALLY been "trapped" a few times!!

If there's a reverse gear kit for a 5 speed '03 Ultra, I'm signing up right now!

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NEWHD74FAN

True enough Doc...but in SoCal finding any parking space is a privilege, my only problem is the fork lock should lock in both directions because sometimes you cannot compensate for an incline that is side to side as well as front to back when a parking space is crowned. And yes, especiallly for the big touring machines, a reverse gear would be handy.

Just a comment from this 5' 6" 135lb "Earthbound Mortal"

smitty901

Maybe a neat idea but short of a health problem that ment with out it I could not ride I say save it for the show bikes and the trikes JMO.

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