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[laylonlor]

anyone did this , how ya like if ya did?

[BigLew]

Got one on a RG and hate it. Looks good but I don't like the ride or the way it handles!

BigLew

[panheadscooty]

I have 23" on my SG.  Love it.  Giving thought on maybe 26"

[grc]

If the intent is to just "look cool", and you don't care how it rides and handles, give it a shot.  There is no functional reason to install larger diameter wheels and lower profile tires, it is strictly a "look at me, aren't I cool" thing.  If you doubt what I'm saying, ask yourself why you are considering it.  Then don't just ask other people for their opinions, go find a friend with a huge front wheel and ask to take a test ride.

I absolutely love watching the fools around this area who blow five to ten grand on a set of huge wheels and 35 series tires for their Hummers or Escalades.  Especially entertaining is watching them have to come to a standstill and barely crawl through potholes or over lips in the pavement to keep from destroying the tires and rims.  I've always had this image of a four hundred pound defensive lineman with size six feet in ballet slippers pop into my head when I see those vehicles.

JMHO - Jerry

[iski]

I've always had this image of a four hundred pound defensive lineman with size six feet in ballet slippers pop into my head when I see those vehicles.

JMHO - Jerry

 

[FLSTFI Dave]

Done correctly a 21 will not effect the handling.  You have to lower the front suspension one inch. 

That is how I did it on my fatboy after much research.  That is also how Harley did it on the 2018 CVO road glide. 

Harley has a kit for doing it now in the P&A catalog that includes rims.

It does effect the ride a very little.  You loose travel in the front suspension, which I have not found noticeable.  Loosing an inch of travel in the rear is much more noticeable.   What is noticeable is there is less tire side wall, so the ride is a little more harsh.

My 2018 already has 3950 miles on it, much of it running the curves of east TN.  Bike is very functional.

[BigLew]

Done correctly a 21 will not effect the handling.  You have to lower the front suspension one inch. 

That is how I did it on my fatboy after much research.  That is also how Harley did it on the 2018 CVO road glide. 

Harley has a kit for doing it now in the P&A catalog that includes rims.

It does effect the ride a very little.  You loose travel in the front suspension, which I have not found noticeable.  Loosing an inch of travel in the rear is much more noticeable.   What is noticeable is there is less tire side wall, so the ride is a little more harsh.

My 2018 already has 3950 miles on it, much of it running the curves of east TN.  Bike is very functional.

You know I couldn't disagree with you more! Mine has been done correctly and comparing how it RIDES and HANDLES with a stock version of the same bike which I also had at the same time was a huge difference. It was a much rougher ride because there is not as much travel, a stiffer sidewall, and less tire and air to cushion the ride. It really shows up how bad it handles when you start to ride aggressively. If your theory were true why don't sport bikes put 21" on the front of there bikes. And by the way I rode a new CVO RG last week and then got off and rode an Ultra and my first thought was man that CVORG looks cool but it rides like a tank and handles worse. So that's my assessment.

BigLew

[CVODON]

It only looks better, otherwise nothing good comes of it, handling and ride quality both suffer. But it does look good.

[Puzzled]

Ride quality will differ with low profile tires regardless of what they are on. My Corvette does not ride nearly as well as my Cadillac. There is a big difference in tire profiles between the two. Than again the Caddy couldn't hang with the Vette in the corners when well into triple digits.

With the 21" I ran it took some playing around with the correct springs, oil weight and tire air pressure to get the ride where I liked it.

When I had my 23" I liked the ride after some oil weight changes but despised the loss of suspension travel (in hindsight air ride front would have been ideal here). The 23" has a decent amount of sidewall.

The 26" worked well for me with the front air. More tire side wall would be helpful though. There are now more choices of 26" tires (3) with each one adding a little more sidewall than the other.

When I went to the 30" I noticed it took more bar input due to the added rake. Suspension travel on the bike for me is not a factor as I run air ride front and rear. I have MORE travel now than a stock bike. The front air helped compensate for the lack of tire profile (the front end absorbs what the tire doesn't). My 8" stretched bags is my limiting factor, not the tire or the rake. With 15k miles on my 30" and my girl on the back for most of those miles I can tell you this... this new 18 rides like $hit compared my 13 30" full air ride bike......

We are all different and have different points of views as well as differences in what we like. Build what you want and if you don't like it, change it.... It's only nuts and bolts.....

[Puzzled]

Done correctly a 21 will not effect the handling.  You have to lower the front suspension one inch. 

That is how I did it on my fatboy after much research.  That is also how Harley did it on the 2018 CVO road glide. 

Harley has a kit for doing it now in the P&A catalog that includes rims.

It does effect the ride a very little.  You loose travel in the front suspension, which I have not found noticeable.  Loosing an inch of travel in the rear is much more noticeable.   What is noticeable is there is less tire side wall, so the ride is a little more harsh.

My 2018 already has 3950 miles on it, much of it running the curves of east TN.  Bike is very functional.

While I do not like the ride of my 18 it does handle quite well. It is nice not dragging bags through the corners.

There are a crap load of Softail's and Dyna's out there with 21" wheels on them... from the factory.

[FLSTFI Dave]

You know I couldn't disagree with you more! Mine has been done correctly and comparing how it RIDES and HANDLES with a stock version of the same bike which I also had at the same time was a huge difference. It was a much rougher ride because there is not as much travel, a stiffer sidewall, and less tire and air to cushion the ride. It really shows up how bad it handles when you start to ride aggressively. If your theory were true why don't sport bikes put 21" on the front of there bikes. And by the way I rode a new CVO RG last week and then got off and rode an Ultra and my first thought was man that CVORG looks cool but it rides like a tank and handles worse. So that's my assessment.

BigLew

Worst Handling bike I ever owned out of the Harley Factory was my 15 CVO Road Glide Ultra.  Felt like it would wash out in the corners especially when pushed.  It as almost scary.  I had traded a 12 CVO Road Glide for it, and still had my 13 CVO Road King. 

With 100 Miles on the bike I took to the dealer and complained about the crappy handling.  They explained it was the air shocks, needed to be dialed in for my weight and riding style.  Tried for 1000 miles to get it to handle as good as my CVO King or the CVO Road Glide I traded.  Hated the bike and its handling.

Put a set of Ohlin shocks on the rear and got them set up right.  This greatly improved the handling, but not still quite as good as the pervious CVO's.  At least after the upgrade I felt better in the hard corners, the bike did not feel like it would wash out.  I still think some of it was the tall side walls of the tires, flexing when pushed hard in the curves. 

I feel way better pushing this stock out of the Factory 18 CVO Road glide with the 21 wheel than I did that CVO Road Glide ultra when it was stock. 

Performance cars use very low profile tires to improve handling.  So I sure do not see how a big high profile tire on a motorcycle helps handling.  Ride sure as more flex and give, handling, no for the same reason it improves ride.

[VaEagle]

Performance cars use very low profile tires to improve handling.  So I sure do not see how a big high profile tire on a motorcycle helps handling.  Ride sure as more flex and give, handling, no for the same reason it improves ride.

I would guess there is a difference between G forces on a car tire and those of a motorcycle tire. The performance cars use rims and tires set for a smooth, flat track surface not everyday roads for best ride as you mentioned and they don't need or want the flex of a street rim and tire setup and don't corner on the sidewall or v shaped profile. Yet to use a similar analogy you don't see true performance bikes with big rims and rubber band like tires either, they use all the tread surface possible when cornering and I think the riders even tease those who don't use all available tread by looking at the strip on each side of unused tread and refer to that as "chicken strips".

[laylonlor]

rode 50 miles , like that 21, set the bike up 1 in., handled  good so far

[Mainecat]

Great input, especially from those with the new 18 RG CVO's.  I added 5" extended bags to my 17 RG and look at my front wheel saying, this is too small now.  I'm leaning towards the new HD knockout 21" wheel package but would like to have options, like buying PM or another companies wheels.  However, my biggest concern is the handling and I'm not making the change unless I can keep it closer to stock handling.  Does anyone know of a front fork lowering kit for the 17 and newer's?  If not, I'm probably going with the knockout since it comes with the lowering springs.

[FLSTFI Dave]

Great input, especially from those with the new 18 RG CVO's.  I added 5" extended bags to my 17 RG and look at my front wheel saying, this is too small now.  I'm leaning towards the new HD knockout 21" wheel package but would like to have options, like buying PM or another companies wheels.  However, my biggest concern is the handling and I'm not making the change unless I can keep it closer to stock handling.  Does anyone know of a front fork lowering kit for the 17 and newer's?  If not, I'm probably going with the knockout since it comes with the lowering springs.

Check with Legends, they may make a front suspension that lowers the front one inch for the 17's.  I know they do for earlier years.  Also, I am would think you could get your dealer to break down the parts in the kit and just get the lowering springs. 

I did that with the 117 kit just got the cylinders.

[Puzzled]

There is a 21" Knockout wheel and tire in the for sale section.