​​​​thanks for all the replies guys.
I knew it was not a smart idea, but you've pointed out some points I hadn't considered .
To those who mention the usual "lose some weight yourself" , I've already lost 25 lbs.
Cggormann that's awesome! You're my new role model for a lighter FXDX!
(I was trying to figure out how to get my leds and tssm to play nice together anyways)

 

Back in the day I used to lighten up my bikes by throwing away unneeded weight- turn signals, gauges and anything else I could unbolt. Replacing the fenders with aluminum units was done when I had the cash, and those saved a lot of weight over the steel ones.

 

Also Gorman, for my own poor-mans aluminum swingarm, I'm thinking of finding the jap one that fits the best and modifying it .
Thoughts?

 

 

You're right Cap, but as I mentioned in the beginning of this thread, I prefer the look of mags.

 

It sounds bad to me. Trying to lighten your bike by removing the lightest material on the bike (magnesium).

 

The Harley cast wheels aren't Magnesium. "Nobody" makes wheels from magnesium anymore. They're expensive, corrode too bad, and are a fire hazard.

Some stock wheels are light-ish and some are heavy as hell. Varies by design. I believe Multihdrdr had a fairly comprehensive list of stock wheel weights but I don't have it bookmarked. I have aluminum hubs and rim with stainless spokes (40) but I gained some weight by going wide and using tall aspect tires. In the end, it was about a wash compared to stock but I did gain a LOT of rubber.

Blue Bob, thanks and yes, I've not been in a hurry and do try to sweat the details. That little trim "washer" you noticed (and the left side neck plug) are just to satisfy myself. 99% of people would never notice they're there.

Duroche, If your aluminum fab skills (TIG!) are up to snuff, modifying a swingarm may be feasible. I don't trust my skills enough to hang my bike off them so I consider the cost of having one made for me good insurance. Thr M-unit works a treat but it's definitely not cheap. Before that, I had a Badlands Illuminator Pro III that replaced the TSM nicely (with all LEDs). It wasn't perfect, but for $80 I was pleased.

 

Of course, if you really want to cut some weight, you could try to find some real magnesium wheels... Magnesium is about 40% lighter than aluminum. They're a maintenance hog, though. In the aircraft world, some of us say "magnesium is corrosion in an unstable metallic form".

 

It's a good thing Harley wheels aren't magnesium... I own two cars with actual magnesium wheels... They are light, but they're also prone to vanishing into thin air if not properly protected and maintained...

 

The mags are pretty light as it is, but critically engineered. You might find lighter mags for your bike, but only a fool would mess with their current wheels. Weight and strength are correlated.