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[alex2494]

Just got back from OC MARYLAND bike week. Got so many ideas and so many things I want done I don't even know where to begin. Does anyone on this forum have 23" or 26" wheel on there CVO road glide. I don't know which route I want to go. Seems the 23" is more common which on that alone makes me want the 26". I like my bike to be different. With the 23" you don't have to cut the neck like you do with 26". So that's one Dilema.
The other is I want to lower the bike. I was told mono tubes in the front to drop it 2". But I'm not quite sure how I want to do the bike. I know air ride but I'm a little weary as I have the arnotts on my Vrod and I can feel every bump in the road with them. I've also heard of lowering blocks. But I heard that they make ride a little rougher cause they change the angle of the shocks. Decisions decisions.

[Jswerve]

Just got back from OC MARYLAND bike week. Got so many ideas and so many things I want done I don't even know where to begin. Does anyone on this forum have 23" or 26" wheel on there CVO road glide. I don't know which route I want to go. Seems the 23" is more common which on that alone makes me want the 26". I like my bike to be different. With the 23" you don't have to cut the neck like you do with 26". So that's one Dilema.
The other is I want to lower the bike. I was told mono tubes in the front to drop it 2". But I'm not quite sure how I want to do the bike. I know air ride but I'm a little weary as I have the arnotts on my Vrod and I can feel every bump in the road with them. I've also heard of lowering blocks. But I heard that they make ride a little rougher cause they change the angle of the shocks. Decisions decisions.

Yep there are a few. Jr1000yarder I think and Puzzled come to mind. Look up their threads. Puzzled sells kits.

[SOTLucky]

I had a 26" on my last road glide and loved it.  Back when I did mine some people came out with the 23" neck kit to prevent from cutting and they were junk at high speeds.  My honest opinion if you want to go bi wheel do the 26" it looks better and cut the neck and have it done right.  Mine when all done I could roll at 90 mph no hands and it road smoother than stock.  I had the progressive front end and the legend air ride.  The arnott is nice if you plan on letting the air out every time you park because it dumps faster than legend. To me legend road better as i am a big guy.  The road glide with the 26 wheel will already look low when done and I never had to put a lowering kit on it, but that was just me.  At this point having a 26 or 23 wont be different as everyone and the mother is putting them on there baggers.  Also, just a heads up if you plan on going the distance to put a 26 on....be prepared its expensive.  

I ended up trading mine in to go back to a CVO ultra.  I like to ride really long miles and that setup just wasn't comfy for me for anything over 500 mile days.  Also the ole lady didn't want to ride which made an un happy wife which isn't a good wife.  Im much happier with my CVO ultra setup for the type of riding I do.

Here is what mine looked like.

[SOTLucky]

another

[SOTLucky]

last one

[Midnight Rider]

Just got back from OC MARYLAND bike week. Got so many ideas and so many things I want done I don't even know where to begin. Does anyone on this forum have 23" or 26" wheel on there CVO road glide. I don't know which route I want to go. Seems the 23" is more common which on that alone makes me want the 26". I like my bike to be different. With the 23" you don't have to cut the neck like you do with 26". So that's one Dilema.
The other is I want to lower the bike. I was told mono tubes in the front to drop it 2". But I'm not quite sure how I want to do the bike. I know air ride but I'm a little weary as I have the arnotts on my Vrod and I can feel every bump in the road with them. I've also heard of lowering blocks. But I heard that they make ride a little rougher cause they change the angle of the shocks. Decisions decisions.

You need to ask yourself a few questions: Do you plan on keeping this bike for a long time? If not, good luck selling it down the road with a 26" wheel.  There's a buyer for every bike though. But cutting the neck and welding it back on is a fairly dramatic modification to a bike that is to be ridden.  Do you plan on entering this bike in shows or actually riding it for long distances?  If it's going to be a show bike, then go for it.  If you actually plan on riding the bike as it was intended to be ridden, you might be fine with the 26" tire/wheel, but lowering the bike 2" in the front will make it ride like a wagon, as you have virtually eaten ALL of your suspension travel.  Do you have any fillings in your teeth?  Lowering blocks in the rear, again IMO, are a horrible solution.  They screw up the geometry of the rear suspension, and you really have to be concerned about the rear tire scrubbing the inner fender, which has a wiring harness attached to it.  Disregard my comments if your plan is to have a show bike or a bar hopper.  Or, if all your riding is done in a straight line on very good road surfaces.

[Jswerve]

I had a 26" on my last road glide and loved it.  Back when I did mine some people came out with the 23" neck kit to prevent from cutting and they were junk at high speeds.  My honest opinion if you want to go bi wheel do the 26" it looks better and cut the neck and have it done right.  Mine when all done I could roll at 90 mph no hands and it road smoother than stock.  I had the progressive front end and the legend air ride.  The arnott is nice if you plan on letting the air out every time you park because it dumps faster than legend. To me legend road better as i am a big guy.  The road glide with the 26 wheel will already look low when done and I never had to put a lowering kit on it, but that was just me.  At this point having a 26 or 23 wont be different as everyone and the mother is putting them on there baggers.  Also, just a heads up if you plan on going the distance to put a 26 on....be prepared its expensive.  

I ended up trading mine in to go back to a CVO ultra.  I like to ride really long miles and that setup just wasn't comfy for me for anything over 500 mile days.  Also the ole lady didn't want to ride which made an un happy wife which isn't a good wife.  Im much happier with my CVO ultra setup for the type of riding I do.

Here is what mine looked like.

See I disagree, to me the 23" is the best looking mod. I have no desire to have anything larger. To each his own though. Rubber side down!

[westtexasroadglide]

I honestly don't think you can go wrong with either. I had a 2011 FLTRX with a 23" wheel and yes, I did cut and rake the neck on it with a Bagger Nation rake kit. Hands down, it handled better than the factory setup. The only thing you feel difference wise is the extra weight of the larger wheel. To me, that was a minor complaint if even really a complaint at all. At highway speeds, it was actually a huge plus from a stability standpoint. I do see a lot of people mentioning that you should just use trees and not cut it. I highly disagree. I've ridden a close friends street glide that has a 23" with just trees, (the pickard kit was what he used), and it is a completely different feel all together than my last bike. To me, it was no where close to having the same stable feel to it, and he agreed after riding mine.

Now to answer your original question, my personal opinion, and that's all it is....an opinion. I personally like the 26" wheel. I just feel it looks in proportion to the Road Glide better. The Street Glide is fine with either, but to me, the RG just screams for the bigger wheel. My current bike, a '12 Skunk CVO RG, is getting the 26" now, so I definitely practice what I preach. But the biggest thing is to use a good quality kit no matter what size you do. The benefits will far outway the few extra bucks.

[alex2494]

That's one sweet ride. I love the paint. Very clean looking. Totally my style

[Puzzled]

Misinformation.... no need to cut the neck for a 26" or even a 30" now. Rich's bike isn't cut for his 26", Kewlmetal makes the neck kits for the 26" and 30". Stock 2013 Road Glide has a whopping 3" of rear suspension travel. My bike with air ride now has 4.5" of suspension travel. I took one inch of travel out of my front and replaced the springs with something IMO far better than stock springs. All the blah blah blah you hear about riding and getting through the corners is usually from those with very limited first hand knowledge. Sitting at 1.5" taller in the rear than stock I can still drag my boards through the corners with a 23". Either you can ride or you can't!  

2013 CVO Road Glide (mine) with 23" chrome Agitator







Rich's 2013 CVO Road Glide with 23" chrome Agitator.

[Puzzled]

23" kit being installed.

[Puzzled]

Chris L's first picture... better pictures to follow.

Chris purchased a complete 23" kit with a contrast cut wheel, Pickard Tress and paint matched Fat Katz fender.

[Puzzled]

[Puzzled]

Does anyone on this forum have 23" or 26" wheel on there CVO road glide.

Yes, several. I run a 23" and I'm able to do everything I could when I had a 19" front wheel. I may go 26" if someone makes a 26" with a little more profile to it (I already own a 26" bike so I know first hand how the tire rides, albeit on a springer chopper)

With the 23" you don't have to cut the neck like you do with 26". So that's one Dilema.

No need to cut with the 26". Kewlmetal makes the no cut kit.

The other is I want to lower the bike. I was told mono tubes in the front to drop it 2".

Don't do 2", 1" is just fine.

But I'm not quite sure how I want to do the bike.

That should be your first decision, what do you want to do? End result?

I know air ride but I'm a little weary as I have the arnotts on my Vrod and I can feel every bump in the road with them.

Air is nice, Arnott or any MC specific air ride has limited travel. Look into "Homemade" air ride.

I've also heard of lowering blocks. But I heard that they make ride a little rougher cause they change the angle of the shocks.

With air this isn't an issue. Maybe with stock shocks the ride may get rough, can't say first hand as I've had air for close to 13 years now.

Decisions decisions.

Yes, lots of choices.

[jr1000yarder]

How did I miss this thread. ...Thanks for posting pix Puzzled

blah blah blah. .. do what you want.   It's your bike. . the custom bagger guys buy cut neck bikes all the time.  Look on ebay as well.   They sell for 30k + for non CVO cut bikes.

30" is a bar hopper...period!  26 with a Kewl Metal Pro Street kit(no cut) is still a touring bike.   I just did 6 hours to OC with no issues. Monroe shocks in the rear and Progressive Monotubes 1" lowered in the forks.  PA does not have any smooth roads and my fender is not dented so HA!  I have over 8k on my 26" wheel so what's the problem???  If you look at my exhaust tip it has a flat spot on the bottom from getting too aggressive and low in twisties. Yes it handles better than stock!  Light in the parking lots too.

Cut or not. . your choice. .I didn't cost was the same either way and I am glad I didn't void the warranty. .