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[OddN]

My 2002 FLHRSEI currently has 18 inch wire wheels, and I want to start searching for the correct 16 inch Centerline wheels for it.

In the Accessories catalog as well as in the original parts catalog these wheels (both front and rear) show up with two different parts numbers, one for the Softail and one for Touring bikes. The wheels were stock on 2005 CVO Fatboy as well as the 2002/3 SERKs.

I know the Softails have 3/4 inch axles whereas the Touring has 1 inch, and the wheels, according to the catalogs came with bearings and spacers already installed, hence the need for different parts numbers.

But if I was to replace the bearings and spacer anyhow, would the wheels actually be the same? It looks like the front Softail version has bolt holes for brake disks on both sides, so that would also indicate they are the same.

Has anyone ever compared them?

[Twolanerider]

Softail will only have brakes on one side.  So that's an issue. I've had to make up spacers putting some Softail wheels on touring bikes.  And it's not always as simple as just swapping bearings. 

Some of the wheels with 3/4 axles have center bores that will accept the 1" spacer between the bearings.  Many don't though.  And if not that's a big hole to have bored out.  Not something you'll do with a hand drill.  It's a machine shop job.

Also, as much as I like everything about the first SERK bikes my "everything" doesn't include the centerlines.  Solid wheels in a cross wind aren't my preference.

[phato1]

I agree with Don, the solid wheels for my '01 FLSTFI haven't caused any unscheduled lane changes since I took them off and put them in boxes after the first riding season when that bike was new. They look great but a cross wind at speed is not fun....

[Fired00d]

Softail will only have brakes on one side.  So that's an issue. I've had to make up spacers putting some Softail wheels on touring bikes.  And it's not always as simple as just swapping bearings. 

Some of the wheels with 3/4 axles have center bores that will accept the 1" spacer between the bearings.  Many don't though.  And if not that's a big hole to have bored out.  Not something you'll do with a hand drill.  It's a machine shop job.

Also, as much as I like everything about the first SERK bikes my "everything" doesn't include the centerlines.  Solid wheels in a cross wind aren't my preference.

I agree with Don, the solid wheels for my '01 FLSTFI haven't caused any unscheduled lane changes since I took them off and put them in boxes after the first riding season when that bike was new. They look great but a cross wind at speed is not fun....

I agree solid wheels take some getting used too... never forget the first time I went over a two-lane steel/grated draw bridge and encountered a cross wind... didn't know if I was going to be blown into oncoming traffic or off the bridge. However IMO the look of them is unique and one of the things that drew me to getting a Fatboy.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[OddN]

Thanks for the input guys. The crosswind issues are definitely worth considering.

My prefered wheel choice is the wire wheels, and I am considering getting a 21 inch front and keeping the 18 inch rear wire wheel. Might even get whitewalls for them... but thats another choice to be made.

The question regarding the Centerlines was more of a lust to collect as many original parts as possible. I would probably still use the wire wheels even though I have the Centerlines on the shelf... Its just me wanting to have the originals.

[OddN]

Softail will only have brakes on one side.  So that's an issue. I've had to make up spacers putting some Softail wheels on touring bikes.  And it's not always as simple as just swapping bearings. 

Some of the wheels with 3/4 axles have center bores that will accept the 1" spacer between the bearings.  Many don't though.  And if not that's a big hole to have bored out.  Not something you'll do with a hand drill.  It's a machine shop job.

Also, as much as I like everything about the first SERK bikes my "everything" doesn't include the centerlines.  Solid wheels in a cross wind aren't my preference.

Both softail and touring centerlines have bolt holes on both sides, so maybe they were all made for twin discs from the beginning. The fatboy version just have a bolted cover on one side.

Center hole diameter is definitely an issue, but my idea was that since both centers have holes for twin discs they are actually the same part and that only the pre-fitted bearings made different parts numbers necessary.

Not easy to tell unless you have actually tested... but I find it kind of funny if Centerline actually made two different centers while still retaining dual bolt holes on the Softail version.

[rayson56]

How about these? They'll make any size or color that you want.

What the hell, it's only money!

https://www.dnaspecialty.com/collections/forged-billet-wheels/products/smoothie-wheel

[OddN]

Found one Centerline here locally. And I'm in the process of getting another. But then I noticed a tiny difference... The number of rivets along the edge. The one I have is a rear wheel and it has 3/4 inch bearings indicating it is originally a CVO Fat Boy wheel. It has 24 rivets. The other wheel I have found has 20 rivets but looks otherwise identical. And is also a 3,5x16 inch wheel. Edit: The one I have is 3x16.

Then I studied various pictures I have of different bikes, and it actually looks like the 2002 SERK has 20 rivet wheels wheras the 2003 SERK and the CVO Fat Boys has the 24 rivet type.

Anyone else noticed this? And now my OCD brain (or is it CDO) tells me I must have the same amount of rivets front and rear... Crazy right 

Here a pic of my newly aquired wheel:

[OddN]

And here is the other wheel for sale not so locally, so it will need shipping. And I therefor need to be sure I can really use it. Disregard the sprocket as the wheel has been used on a custom bike...

[OddN]

Here's a part of the promo pic from H-D of the 2002 Wheel:

[OddN]

2003 Wheel:

[OddN]

And finally the 2005 FLSTFSE Wheel:

[OddN]

Didn't get that second wheel, but another one showed up only a couple of days later. It is confirmed by the owner to have been on the front of a 2002 FLHRSEI. It has what appears to be the stock brake discs with the thin spacer in between the hub and the disc. It also has 1 inch bearing centerbore. So now I have these two:

[OddN]

And now the markings got me curious. On one side of the second wheel, between the bolts it is stamped as follows: TUBELESS T16x3,00D D.O.T , CENTERLINE U.S.A , H.T. COND. T6 and  021102.

[OddN]

The first wheel has slightly different markings. Some are the same but the numbers are 081104 and it has an additional JWL stamp. That JWL stamp is something I have previously seen on car wheels, and is some sort of japanese test approval, don't know why that would end up on a H-D wheel...

But then it hit me that the numbers could very well be a date stamp. It would match the fact that the 021102 is a 2002 SERK wheel, and it would also confirm that the first wheel 081104 would be for a 2005 CVO Fat Boy and explaim why it has 3/4 inch bearings. Comments?