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21 wheel for street glide

Steve Deatherage

Steve Deatherage

Member
Hi Guys. I have a quick question. I have a 2007 street glide. I am thinking about putting a 21" front wheel on it I absolutely love the look. Several people I know are trying to talk me out of it. They tell me the wheel follows every grove in the road and is miserable to ride. I am sure if will follow groves worse than my stock wheel but how bad can it really be? My last bike had a 19" wheel and I don't think it was worse than my 16" wheel I ride on now. Am I just trying to justify my new look or is really that bad. Thanks for the info.

Steve
 
That's kinda funny, I like the look of the 19 better than the 21. I have the 21 on my Softail. I personally don't agree with the following every groove in the road. I think it rides just fine, and most of the rumors you hear like that are just that. Rumors passed on by people that have no "actual" experience with what they are talking about. unless your tire is flat, the contact are of a motorcycle tire doesn't change much with tire size.
 
I think the only downside really is tire selection for the bigger wheel. Bias-ply tires have been pretty well sorted out, but radials if you are looking is totally another story especially in the larger wheel sizes.
 
NEWHD74FAN said:
I think the only downside really is tire selection for the bigger wheel. Bias-ply tires have been pretty well sorted out, but radials if you are looking is totally another story especially in the larger wheel sizes.
Click to expand...
there's no reason to run radials on a cruizer IMO. save the radial for cars
 
I agree with the radial issue. Too much sidewall flex to be worthwhile, that's why they aren't widely used on bikes.
 
I mounted a 21" on my 09 Glide Steve and haven't noticed it trailing in cracks or anything like that. The one thing I can suggest is a front lowering kit if you do go with a 21" because it does raise the front end quite a bit, and some buddies of mine told me, from the rear it looks like i'm riding a wheelie everywhere i go (mainly due to the 16" apes I put on it) yours may not look like that if your running regular bars. Thats about the only thing i can suggest other than that I do love the look and ride of the 21" wheel.


Steve Deatherage said:
Hi Guys. I have a quick question. I have a 2007 street glide. I am thinking about putting a 21" front wheel on it I absolutely love the look. Several people I know are trying to talk me out of it. They tell me the wheel follows every grove in the road and is miserable to ride. I am sure if will follow groves worse than my stock wheel but how bad can it really be? My last bike had a 19" wheel and I don't think it was worse than my 16" wheel I ride on now. Am I just trying to justify my new look or is really that bad. Thanks for the info.

Steve
Click to expand...
 
I've got a 21" on my Softail it's not that big of a deal. I've ridden many types of bikes over the years in my opinion they all all have their good points and bad.
 
I'm now runnng a 21" on my '08 Ultra with no problems. I've got a 120/70 Metzler 880 up there and there are no issues at all with grooves. It does raise it a bit, but the Ultra was lowered so I'm pretty much back at stock height up front. No complaints..love the look, love the ride.
 
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