Bike follows rain cuts, cracks, bridge grates too much... I think...
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 915
Likes: 29
From: SE FL & Black Hills SD
Bike follows rain cuts, cracks, bridge grates too much... I think...
I'm a newbie, so please bare with me..... I posted this also in the tires/wheels/suspension forum also, but question #3 is my reason for posting here....
Have a 99 Wide Glide with 3100 miles on it, original tires and wheels. Spokes are the only thing that isn't pretty on the whole bike. I plan on Avon Venom tires and am looking at Ultima wheels with stainless twisted spokes.
2.15 x 21 front and 16 x 3 rear 'fits 84-99'
1) Those sizes are correct I presume (can't find that info in the owners manual, only tire size)?
2) The stainless twisted spokes look pretty nice, but I haven't seen too many bikes with them. Not making a mistake am I?
3) Before buying this bike, I rented virtually every model Harley has to offer last summer and fall, and liked the WG the best. Howevermy bike (again a1999) seems to follow the cracks in the road, rain cuts, bridge grates etc more than the newer WG's I rented.. Before I buy the tires & wheels, is there any upgrades or changes made to improve it? Any suggestions
Have a 99 Wide Glide with 3100 miles on it, original tires and wheels. Spokes are the only thing that isn't pretty on the whole bike. I plan on Avon Venom tires and am looking at Ultima wheels with stainless twisted spokes.
2.15 x 21 front and 16 x 3 rear 'fits 84-99'
1) Those sizes are correct I presume (can't find that info in the owners manual, only tire size)?
2) The stainless twisted spokes look pretty nice, but I haven't seen too many bikes with them. Not making a mistake am I?
3) Before buying this bike, I rented virtually every model Harley has to offer last summer and fall, and liked the WG the best. Howevermy bike (again a1999) seems to follow the cracks in the road, rain cuts, bridge grates etc more than the newer WG's I rented.. Before I buy the tires & wheels, is there any upgrades or changes made to improve it? Any suggestions
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,492
Likes: 1
From: MA
RE: Bike follows rain cuts, cracks, bridge grates too much... I think...
Metzeler marathon 880.
Put these on and you will be much happier.
As previously mentioned - the Avons are excellent as well.
Don't think you can go wrong with either.
I am much happier with the lack of tracking after getting rid on the stock front tire in favor of the Metz.
Put these on and you will be much happier.
As previously mentioned - the Avons are excellent as well.
Don't think you can go wrong with either.
I am much happier with the lack of tracking after getting rid on the stock front tire in favor of the Metz.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 916
Likes: 3
From: Mauldin, SC
RE: Bike follows rain cuts, cracks, bridge grates too much... I think...
The 03 Wide Glide I hadfollowed grooves pretty bad with the stock Dunlop front tire. It got much better with a Metzeler 90/90. I don't think it was the extra width as much as the tread pattern difference.
The wheel sizes you have listedareright, but the size should be stamped on the rim of your stock wheels. Have you considered having your wheels relaced with new spokes?
The wheel sizes you have listedareright, but the size should be stamped on the rim of your stock wheels. Have you considered having your wheels relaced with new spokes?
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 461
Likes: 0
From: Arvada, CO
RE: Bike follows rain cuts, cracks, bridge grates too much... I think...
ORIGINAL: joeld0803
All bikes track the grooves IMHO. Certain tires will make it worse but they all do it to some degree.
All bikes track the grooves IMHO. Certain tires will make it worse but they all do it to some degree.
The Avon Venom;
Dunlop Touring 402 (Basicaly what is stock on all Harleys it seems);
If you look at how the Avon tire has the majority of its tread pattern going horizontal across the tire versus how the Dunlop has the tread pattern running more veritcal with the tire. IMHO it just seems logical that the Dunlop would follow the tar snakes and hwy grooves quite a bit more than the Avon simply because of how the tread pattern is. Maybe I am wrong, who knows...just would seem to make sense to me.
Banned
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Bike follows rain cuts, cracks, bridge grates too much... I think...
I know on the 2006 and up Dynas the rear tire replacement made a huge difference. The Metz 160 did better than my stock Dunlop on the rear, and the Dunlop 180SE is even better. I have stuck with the stock front Dunlop.
Tires do play a big part of ride and comfort.
DougJ
Tires do play a big part of ride and comfort.
DougJ