Difference in Handling to a 21" front wheel
- Thread starter franka
- Start date
None..... 21 on there for 5 years, zero handling issues. Most that say it'll make the bike handle poorly usually don't want to shell out $1500+ for a high end 21, tire and rotors and nay-say it never having ridden or owned one with it. Now with that being said, go cheap and buy an eBay laced wheel for $200 and you may just be asking for trouble....that has nothing to do with geometry but rather poor quality. If you want to make the switch, get a quality wheel from a reputable company. Rear is optional and mine is the stock 16" Street Glide Airstrike since you can't see it with the extended bags.
Not exactly....the math is 5" difference from 16 to 21 rim divided by 1/2, but the tire is a very low profile on the 21 so my total difference when standing them side by side was only about 3/4"
NCBILL
Active Member
Well....I've dealt with numbers for 60+ years of my life, and as far as I'm concerned, from centerline of axle to outside of rim would be a 2 1/2" difference. "Common Core Math", perpetuated by left-wing losers doesn't set well with me, lol.Not exactly....the math is 5" difference from 16 to 21 rim divided by 1/2, but the tire is a very low profile on the 21 so my total difference when standing them side by side was only about 3/4"
You're missing what I said....yes, the rim is 2-1/2" taller....the sidewalls of the tires are what change...an MT9016 has a very large sidewall profile (4"+) whereas the 120/70/21 typically run on 21" conversions sidewall is only about 2" tall. Stand a stock 16" with a 90 series profile tire next to a 21" with a 70 series profile and you'd see they're very close in overall height and circumference. The best example is post # 3 of this thread....look at the 2 pictures, the rim gets bigger but the tire sidewall gets smaller. That's why, no modification is needed as far as the fender goes because the tire overall diameter is roughly the same.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touring-models/608903-pros-cons-of-21-front-tire-on-rk.html
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touring-models/608903-pros-cons-of-21-front-tire-on-rk.html
I have thought of a 21” front wheel upgrade on my 2001 Road King but I am reluctant to do so because of the lower profile tire that is needed to make the change from the stock 16” wheel. I am sure, with the less profile height of tire, the front end would tend to push though a turn, causing less stability than the stock 16” stock wheel and tire.