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[TonyP]

Ok,

I have a 2013 CVO Road King - Rear tire specs 180/55B18 80H.
Street Glide special rear tire specs BW 180/65B16 81H.

Both front tires have the same specs.  The reason I want to trade is because I hate trying to clean the chrome, especially here in Florida.  So if I make this trade how will my CVO handle? will it affect the bike in any way?  Can I do the trade?  Any thoughts?

[Spiderman]

Ok,

I have a 2013 CVO Road King - Rear tire specs 180/55B18 80H.
Street Glide special rear tire specs BW 180/65B16 81H.

Both front tires have the same specs.  The reason I want to trade is because I hate trying to clean the chrome, especially here in Florida.  So if I make this trade how will my CVO handle? will it affect the bike in any way?  Can I do the trade?  Any thoughts?

so you're going from a 180/55 to a 180/65 or the other way ? I can't see that either way will be very noticeable. That's just my personal opinion. I mean I went through hell with an Evo to stuff a 140 rear into the swingarm of an FXR and it didn't make mice nuts of a difference in anything. Just looked a little wider from the rear. One thing, I don't see the year of the Street Glide mentioned. H-D has swapped their front axle size about 6 times in the past 10 years. You want to make sure you're compatible there. You can swap even if you're not, you just have to have a new spacer and bearing set into the wheel you're gonna use that matches the axle on the bike you're gonna put it on. Confused ? So am I cause I am not sure which bike you're swapping which wheel to based on your post.

B B

[TonyP]

so you're going from a 180/55 to a 180/65 or the other way ? I can't see that either way will be very noticeable. That's just my personal opinion. I mean I went through hell with an Evo to stuff a 140 rear into the swingarm of an FXR and it didn't make mice nuts of a difference in anything. Just looked a little wider from the rear. One thing, I don't see the year of the Street Glide mentioned. H-D has swapped their front axle size about 6 times in the past 10 years. You want to make sure you're compatible there. You can swap even if you're not, you just have to have a new spacer and bearing set into the wheel you're gonna use that matches the axle on the bike you're gonna put it on. Confused ? So am I cause I am not sure which bike you're swapping which wheel to based on your post.

B B

I own the CVO.. So i'm swapping both wheels and tires from the 2014 street glide special.  The front wheels are the same specs, so I shouldn't have to do anything. ( i would think )

[grc]

Look up the total specs for each tire including the outer diameter.  Switching from a 18" rim and tire to a 16" rim and tire may very well change the diameter more than the different aspect ratio's compensate for.  If the difference in O.D. is significant, then you will have a difference in effective overall gear ratio which will affect the speedometer/odometer, and a slight difference in ride height.  No big deal.  Look at the non-CVO versions of the Road King over recent years and you'll find they had 16" tires, as did the 2012 CVO Ultra.  Harley doesn't put a unique suspension on the bikes with the 18" rims, so the only real difference is the rims and tires.  As long as you swap both front and rear together, I can't imagine having any significant difference in handling.  The other thing to always look at is the load rating.  In this case there is very little difference (80 versus 81).  BTW, the 2013 CVO RK Anniversary comes with the same tire you're talking about installing.  I don't know why, but the Harley spec pages list those two different rear tires, one for the regular CVO and the other for the Anniversary version. So obviously Harley doesn't see a problem with the different diameter and load range.

Take a look at the attached spec sheet from Dunflop; click on it to enlarge.

Jerry

[TonyP]

Look up the total specs for each tire including the outer diameter.  Switching from a 18" rim and tire to a 16" rim and tire may very well change the diameter more than the different aspect ratio's compensate for.  If the difference in O.D. is significant, then you will have a difference in effective overall gear ratio which will affect the speedometer/odometer, and a slight difference in ride height.  No big deal.  Look at the non-CVO versions of the Road King over recent years and you'll find they had 16" tires, as did the 2012 CVO Ultra.  Harley doesn't put a unique suspension on the bikes with the 18" rims, so the only real difference is the rims and tires.  As long as you swap both front and rear together, I can't imagine having any significant difference in handling.  The other thing to always look at is the load rating.  In this case there is very little difference (80 versus 81).  BTW, the 2013 CVO RK Anniversary comes with the same tire you're talking about installing.  I don't know why, but the Harley spec pages list those two different rear tires, one for the regular CVO and the other for the Anniversary version. So obviously Harley doesn't see a problem with the different diameter and load range.

Take a look at the attached spec sheet from Dunflop; click on it to enlarge.

Jerry

So base on the chart, my height of the bike will lower, which is something i've been wanting and the tire is bit wider another plus.  Is that a correct assumption?

[grc]

So base on the chart, my height of the bike will lower, which is something i've been wanting and the tire is bit wider another plus.  Is that a correct assumption?

Yup.  Take half of the difference in OD between the two tires and you get a 0.425" height difference.  You will also reduce ground clearance a similar amount so be aware.

Jerry

[TonyP]

found another issue. Apparently his rotors are different than mines. will this be an issue?

[TonyP]

The first pic, was the street glide.  this pic is my CVO

[Jswerve]

Are you seriously going to trade those beautiful agitators for those?

[grc]

found another issue. Apparently his rotors are different than mines. will this be an issue?

Your bike has floating rotors, and his doesn't.  Floating rotors are better, but either will work.  You could always swap the rotors when you swap the wheels if you want to keep the floaters.

Are you doing this as a straight swap with no compensation?  If so, you might want to rethink this a bit.  If your friend had to buy the wheels and rotors to upgrade his bike he would be looking at about $1800 for the wheels and $400 for the rotors from H-D, plus over $200 for a new rear tire.

Jerry

[TonyP]

Jerry,

Thank you for the input.  I really do much appreciate it. Yes, I'm starting to think about this much more.  I probably won't do it unless he comes up with some cash.

[Jswerve]

Jerry,

Thank you for the input.  I really do much appreciate it. Yes, I'm starting to think about this much more.  I probably won't do it unless he comes up with some cash.

If he's really eager to do the trade there's your sign. I sure wouldn't get a warm and fuzzy about it. You could sell those agitators and find a nicer looking wheel then the enforcer that isn't chrome. That's the route I would go.

Jesse

[TonyP]

If he's really eager to do the trade there's your sign. I sure wouldn't get a warm and fuzzy about it. You could sell those agitators and find a nicer looking wheel then the enforcer that isn't chrome. That's the route I would go.

Jesse

I think you are right.  Plus I always wanted to go to a 21in wheel anyways. 

[Jswerve]

I think you are right.  Plus I always wanted to go to a 21in wheel anyways.

Well there you go 

[TonyP]

My baby