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Harley Davidson Dyna Glide: Wheel and Tire Specs and General Info

The wheels and tires on your Dyna are a vital part of the motorcycle. Here we explain what to look for as well as how to maintain these wheels and tires.

By Neftali Medina - December 30, 2015

This article applies to the Harley Dyna Glide(2000-Present).

The Dyna series was first introduced in the early 1970s, when Harley played Frankenstein and used different parts and the chassis from the Touring bikes to create the custom Super Glide. Since then, there have been hundreds of different versions, each offering unique tire and wheel combinations for their riders. This article focuses on models built after 2000, but may be applicable to earlier models. In terms of stock tire arrangements, riders can completely customize their bike as long as it stays within reason. Wheels are no different with Harley having offered both spoked wire weals, and cast aluminum wheels over the years, in a range of diameters from 16 to 21 inches in front, and a 16 or 17 inches out back.

Tires

The image below shows a very nicely kept 2009 Dyna Super Glide with a 21-inch tire on a wire front wheel. Dynas come from the factory with both retro fat tired front ends, and chopper style tall and skinny front wheels. The most common front tire sizes recently have been 100/90-19", 80/90-21" or on the fat tire bikes a 130/70-19" or 130/90-16", and you can typically fit two or three sizes wider on them without changing much. On the back, the most popular options range from a 16-inch to 18-inch wheel, with tires as small as 130/90-16" or 160/70-17" and as wide as 180/70-16" or 180/60-17", but up to 200mm wide tires can be fitted without much effort.

Figure 1. Dyna with 21-inch front tire setup.

Wheels

Besides wire wheels, cast aluminum mag or disc style wheels are also a popular choice on the Dyna motorcycles. Spoke styled rims come in a variety of different colors, sizes and finishes, and can be mixed and matched for an infinite number of looks. Mag style wheels offer lower maintenance and tubeless tire choices, but don't have that classic look you get with spokes. The Harley disc wheels have a look of their own, which some people love, but other don't like at all. The common sizes for a stock Dyna Glide are 21x2.15", 19x2.5", 18x3.0" or 16x3.0" front and 16x3.0", 17x4.5" or 16x5.0" rear.

  • Dyna with cast mag style wheels
    Figure 2. Dyna with cast mag style wheels.
  • Dyna Fat Bob with disc wheels
    Figure 3. Dyna Fat Bob with disc wheels.
  • Street Bob with painted wire wheels
    Figure 4. Street Bob with painted wire wheels.

Scheduled Maintenance

Tires maintenance includes checking tread life and inspecting for any abnormal wear. You can use a tread depth gauge to inspect the life of each tire, and visually check the sidewalls for any abnormalities. Also, be sure to keep your tire pressure at 36 PSI. If you have spoked wire wheels, be sure to check periodically for spokes that have become loose, or wheels that have gone out of true. Most Harley shops can still tighten and true wire wheels.

Common Questions

Why do Dyna Glide bikes come with different sized front and rear tires?

While a larger rim in the front of the bike does allow for a smoother ride, especially over bumps, the main reason for different sizes is the style of the bike. Dyna Glides were built following a unique custom look, and smaller diameter, wide rear wheels adds to that flare. Starting with the Super Glide, a skinny 21-inch front wheel was to give the bike a factory chopper look.

What are the widest tires that fits on a Dyna Glide?

A stock Dyna Glide with 19-inch or 21-inch front wheels can fit up a 120mm wide tires, though the Fat Bob and other similar bikes with 16-inch or 18-inch wheels can fit tires up to 150mm wide. On the rear, the widest you can go is a 200mm without modifying anything, though most stock rear wheels max out at 160mm or 180mm. Larger tires require replacing the fenders or even the swing arm.

Common Issues

Tire Delamination

This is the term used to describe what happens when the materials that make up your tires begin to fail. When a tire begins to delaminate, its interior walls begin to fall apart often creating bulges on the sides. If there are any signs of delamination, have your tires replaced immediately.

Broken Spoke

This problem sometimes occurs on wire wheels, where a spoke breaks due to being too loose, rusty or old. In order to fix it, you typically have to remover the wheel, dismount the tire and have the broken spoke replaced and all the rest of them checked and tightened.

Technical Service Bulletins (TSB)

  • 11-4-09 M-1258A - Dunlop D407F Front Tire replacement

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