Wheel size?
#11
RE: Wheel size?
If you really want her in the weeds, put 2" shorter fork tubes up front and move the shock mounts on the swing-arm back 1 1/2". If you use a jack under the bike you can play with how far to move the mounts to get the look your wanting. I did this to a FX recently it works great and won't effect the ride to much.
ORIGINAL: Shovelhead77
Wow,,, I diddn't mean to stir the hen house,, LOL... I don't really have a ton of cash to do this, and I have tried the shorter shocks and I do run into clearence problems.. I like where the seat puts me, I was just wanting to get the bike a little lower with out spending my kids college fund. providing I have a kid someday. I am not at all affraid of going ridiged if you think that would work? It just seems to me that the rear sits a little higher than it should. Thanks for the help if you all can think of anything else that would be cool, until then I will ride her with the set up she has now.. Thanks
Daryl
Wow,,, I diddn't mean to stir the hen house,, LOL... I don't really have a ton of cash to do this, and I have tried the shorter shocks and I do run into clearence problems.. I like where the seat puts me, I was just wanting to get the bike a little lower with out spending my kids college fund. providing I have a kid someday. I am not at all affraid of going ridiged if you think that would work? It just seems to me that the rear sits a little higher than it should. Thanks for the help if you all can think of anything else that would be cool, until then I will ride her with the set up she has now.. Thanks
Daryl
#12
RE: Wheel size?
Pinion,
You did not speak out of turn. I did not have the manual at work so I looked at it when I went home. In the bottom of the box for the 16" wheel specifications was the word (accessory) [sm=bangbang.gif] meaning it was a factory option and did not come stock on any model. My manual covers 70 to 78 so I do not know about the later years. Tire size specified is a MT90-16T so that is 90% of 5" in height. The 18" wheel is 90% of 4 1/4" in height. The bare rim going from 18 to 16 would net 1" lower. The tire would net .675 inches, so changing the wheel and tire should net roughly 1 1/2". I could be wrong here (was before) but that is the way it appears to me.
You did not speak out of turn. I did not have the manual at work so I looked at it when I went home. In the bottom of the box for the 16" wheel specifications was the word (accessory) [sm=bangbang.gif] meaning it was a factory option and did not come stock on any model. My manual covers 70 to 78 so I do not know about the later years. Tire size specified is a MT90-16T so that is 90% of 5" in height. The 18" wheel is 90% of 4 1/4" in height. The bare rim going from 18 to 16 would net 1" lower. The tire would net .675 inches, so changing the wheel and tire should net roughly 1 1/2". I could be wrong here (was before) but that is the way it appears to me.
#13
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RE: Wheel size?
ORIGINAL: piniongear
sepixhl......
I'm just a lot older than you, most likely. The 1966 and earlier XLH model had 3.50 x 18 inch wheels on both ends. The XLCH has always had the 19/18 inch set up. The XLH went to the CH wheel set up in 1967 and later. I used to uncrate these old bikes (new at the time) and do the prep-set up for a dealer I worked for back then.
I have attached a jpeg of the spec sheet out of a service manual of those years for you to review.......pg
sepixhl......
I'm just a lot older than you, most likely. The 1966 and earlier XLH model had 3.50 x 18 inch wheels on both ends. The XLCH has always had the 19/18 inch set up. The XLH went to the CH wheel set up in 1967 and later. I used to uncrate these old bikes (new at the time) and do the prep-set up for a dealer I worked for back then.
I have attached a jpeg of the spec sheet out of a service manual of those years for you to review.......pg
But to back to topic... officially factory released 16" rear wheel on sportster at 1979 before that as option.
Standart was 19" front and 18" back
#14
Hi all, I'm new to the group and this is my first post, I'm going to the 16 in. rear wheel on a 71 xlch, I read on this thread that the 16 will change my gearing as opposed to the 18. I'm good w/a lot of things on bikes but gearing is not my strong suit. I would be interested in any input on the gearing issue, will the original drum/sprocket fit on the 16 (I think it will) but will the wheel size affect the top or bottom end, and to what degree, for better or worse, thanks in advance.
Steve.
Steve.
#15
first off you dug up an 8 year old post the last time it was used
but you can expect around 3 to 5 hundred RPM difference road speed / rpm ratio
but you can up the trans sprocket one or even 2 teeth well as long as it the chain does not rub on the kicker cover and the bike will have less revs at the same road speed -
and welcome == johnjzjz
but you can expect around 3 to 5 hundred RPM difference road speed / rpm ratio
but you can up the trans sprocket one or even 2 teeth well as long as it the chain does not rub on the kicker cover and the bike will have less revs at the same road speed -
and welcome == johnjzjz
#16
It might make a small difference in the speedometer, which is not accurate anyway so it does not really matter, but i have not heard that it would affect gearing in any way.
I would say choose rear wheel size according to tradition or looks, and do not be concerned about gearing or speedometer issues as they are not significant.
You can certainly affect RPM at hiway speed by changing the front and rear sprockets. The most popular choice is 51 tooth rear and 23 tooth front sprockets. This combination results in a more comfortable hiway speed ride with good acceleration. Check out this HotXL article ...
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resi...=folder%2c.jpg
#17
I do not have much experience with these tire sizes, but it seems to me that the difference in outside diameter of a 16" vs 18" is small, almost negligible, as the difference in profile of the corresponding tires mostly makes up for it.
It might make a small difference in the speedometer, which is not accurate anyway so it does not really matter, but i have not heard that it would affect gearing in any way.
I would say choose rear wheel size according to tradition or looks, and do not be concerned about gearing or speedometer issues as they are not significant.
You can certainly affect RPM at hiway speed by changing the front and rear sprockets. The most popular choice is 51 tooth rear and 23 tooth front sprockets. This combination results in a more comfortable hiway speed ride with good acceleration. Check out this HotXL article ...
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resi...=folder%2c.jpg
It might make a small difference in the speedometer, which is not accurate anyway so it does not really matter, but i have not heard that it would affect gearing in any way.
I would say choose rear wheel size according to tradition or looks, and do not be concerned about gearing or speedometer issues as they are not significant.
You can certainly affect RPM at hiway speed by changing the front and rear sprockets. The most popular choice is 51 tooth rear and 23 tooth front sprockets. This combination results in a more comfortable hiway speed ride with good acceleration. Check out this HotXL article ...
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resi...=folder%2c.jpg
and when someone talks about a collectable - XLCH 1967 and i had one as a kid - i think about original flat bottom tires like the goodyears that i used as a kid and they did change the RPMs when replacing the 18 inch round tires of the day with a 16 flat bottom BTW -- johnjzjz
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