With a fanaticism for tinkering with his bikes and pushing their limits while riding on the motocross circuit, Bert Baker enrolled in Michigan State University’s Mechanical Engineering program. This career path would indulge the creative urge to understand and fiddle with the technical side and led to a job at GM as a Senior Project Engineer in Manual Transmissions. During his years at GM, he also met Lisa, who would someday be his future wife. Lisa graduated with honors in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University, while Bert graduated at the bottom of his class.

Early days of Bert Baker’s engineering and transmission work

MSU and GM cultivated Bert’s understanding of the necessary theory, protocol, and experience to improve the adjacent American V-Twin industry. This market was begging for significant innovation for decades before BAKER Drivetrain started.

The birth of BAKER Drivetrain: A stolen Harley sparks innovation

The rider within never left Bert. After considering a cheaper foreign muscle bike with the latest technology and gizmos, his buddy offered to lend him his 1993 Harley Davidson Fat Boy for a weekend and Bert was hooked. Bert then saved and bought a 1994 FLSTN. He loved that bike and customized it to make his way into the Big Twin motorcycle world. But at the 1995 Daytona Bike Week Motorcycle Rally, the Harley was stolen. The bike gods must have taken it, because what came next was the seed of BAKER Drivetrain.

Lisa Baker, now his wife, knew her husband was a tinkerer and she proposed that Bert take the insurance money and build a custom bike from the frame up. Once built, Bert noticed that this custom bike vibrated like mad with its big-inch motor. So, he tried the standard solution by switching to a 61-tooth rear pulley, which did reduce the vibration but killed the performance. This engineering compromise was an oversight in this industry, but a nagging nuisance to Bert.

Bert’s transmission-centric brain started bubbling with an idea. Bert was inspired by the muscle cars of the 90s with the 6-speed overdrives. With the knowledge from working with the latest models of GM cars, Bert applied it to the Harley-Davidson transmissions (which were still based on old WWII-era technology). The idea was simple, but the execution took expertise – his expertise. Over eight months, he hammered out some prototypes that proved the 6-speed concept worked brilliantly.

Spreading the word: From transmission prototype to phenomenon

The news of the elegant solution to excessive big twin vibration spread across America. The demand was intense, and it would take more than a technical genius to get these transmissions to market. It would take an entire company with a dedicated supervisor to oversee the manufacturing, guide employees, control the quality, and manage distribution to customers across the world. Lisa’s experience at GM and organizational talent made her an obvious choice. Lisa was named President and Chief Operating Officer of BAKER Drivetrain, Inc. and Bert was Chief Engineer and Chief Executive Officer.

Building a legacy: The formation of BAKER Drivetrain, Inc.

Because the BAKER OD6 (6-Speed Overdrive) felt like a home run for the Harley-Davidson market, Lisa and Bert committed to the company with zero business experience or money. They cashed in their 401(k), robbed the kids’ college savings, and maxed out credit cards to build the entrepreneurship from the ground up.

Preserving the American tradition: A quality promise

Today, BAKER Drivetrain remains committed to maintaining premium drivetrain standards for American big-twin motorcycles. We prioritize using materials, labor, creativity, know-how, and grit born or made in the USA. Our dedication to the American big-twin culture and lifestyle is unwavering.

We are committed to standing firm and keeping the purity and integrity of the legendary American V-Twin. Our goal is to show that there's so much more to it than just "buying American" – it's about living it.