Spokes or Mags
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Stage II
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Spokes or Mags
Greeting's Harley People,
First post and non-Harley rider. The wife and myself made the jump from dirt bikes to the street two years ago with a pair of Suzuki DR 650 duel sports. We now have the Harley itch and have been studying the various models and such. We probably won't jump in for a few years. (house payment and kids, plus wearing out the Suzuki's) A worry I've had with our zookers is having a flat and a sport biking friend talks of the ease of tubeless tires and plugging a hole. From lurking here, it seems that a majority of folks here like spokes and are fine with tubed tires. Do you carry irons, pumps, and patches for roadside repairs when venturing off into the distance? Or have you found that flats don't present much of a problem. So far in our six thousand miles of streetbiking a flat tire hasn't come up. In looking at cruisers I've been drawn to the idea of mag wheels and tubeless tires, but some of my favorite Harley models have spoked wheels. I know I could always change the wheels out and I certainly appreciate classic looks, but plugging a tubeless tire along the road seems better than repairing a tube. Thank you for your input.
First post and non-Harley rider. The wife and myself made the jump from dirt bikes to the street two years ago with a pair of Suzuki DR 650 duel sports. We now have the Harley itch and have been studying the various models and such. We probably won't jump in for a few years. (house payment and kids, plus wearing out the Suzuki's) A worry I've had with our zookers is having a flat and a sport biking friend talks of the ease of tubeless tires and plugging a hole. From lurking here, it seems that a majority of folks here like spokes and are fine with tubed tires. Do you carry irons, pumps, and patches for roadside repairs when venturing off into the distance? Or have you found that flats don't present much of a problem. So far in our six thousand miles of streetbiking a flat tire hasn't come up. In looking at cruisers I've been drawn to the idea of mag wheels and tubeless tires, but some of my favorite Harley models have spoked wheels. I know I could always change the wheels out and I certainly appreciate classic looks, but plugging a tubeless tire along the road seems better than repairing a tube. Thank you for your input.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 868
Likes: 4
From: Warwick, RI
Tubeless is nice for insurance IF you get a flat. They do have tubeless spoke wheels.
I like spoke wheels. They just look great. If I get a flat, I make a call. No matter where I am I can have a tow to me soon. Usually a friend as well.
I like spoke wheels. They just look great. If I get a flat, I make a call. No matter where I am I can have a tow to me soon. Usually a friend as well.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,641
Likes: 26
From: Ozark Country
Welcome to the forum.....
There are some nice looking mag wheels out there, but I still prefer the look of classic spoked wheels.
I've been riding spoked wheeled Harley's for around 39 years, and over 750,000 miles, and I believe I've only experience one 'flat' in all that time. Even when I throw in all the guys I've ridden with over those years it's very seldom that anyone has had a 'flat' when running the spoked wheels.
But I change tires more frequently than some, and never run them over 10,000 miles, even if they could go for a longer distance. Unlike a car where you have 4-wheels available, on a bike there are only 2-wheels between you and the pavement.
But like anything else, it's just a personal preference...
There are some nice looking mag wheels out there, but I still prefer the look of classic spoked wheels.
I've been riding spoked wheeled Harley's for around 39 years, and over 750,000 miles, and I believe I've only experience one 'flat' in all that time. Even when I throw in all the guys I've ridden with over those years it's very seldom that anyone has had a 'flat' when running the spoked wheels.
But I change tires more frequently than some, and never run them over 10,000 miles, even if they could go for a longer distance. Unlike a car where you have 4-wheels available, on a bike there are only 2-wheels between you and the pavement.
But like anything else, it's just a personal preference...
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 444
Likes: 1
And when you plug your tubeless tire, providing you can find the hole, how are you going to fill the tire? Don't say "Fix-A-Flat" because I doubt anyone has ever had much luck with the stuff, not to mention the mess you're going to have to clean up later. The only time I've ever had my love of laced wheels knocked was by a dealer who didn't have the bike I wanted in stock with laced wheels.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,928
Likes: 1
From: Desert S. West
And when you plug your tubeless tire, providing you can find the hole, how are you going to fill the tire? Don't say "Fix-A-Flat" because I doubt anyone has ever had much luck with the stuff, not to mention the mess you're going to have to clean up later. The only time I've ever had my love of laced wheels knocked was by a dealer who didn't have the bike I wanted in stock with laced wheels.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 727
Likes: 1
From: Silverdale, WA
From the MSF site, and the reason I wanted tubeless tires:
Tubeless tire: A tire that retains air without an inner tube. An inner tube (used on a tube-type tire) is necessary to retain air pressure when the wheel design or the tire cannot do so. However, an inner tube typically deflates rapidly when punctured, and this sudden deflation can cause a quick reduction of control on a motorcycle. A tubeless tire typically deflates much more slowly, providing a motorcyclist with warning before control is reduced significantly. Whether a tube-type or tubeless tire is chosen normally depends on the kind of wheel to which it is fitted.
Tubeless tire: A tire that retains air without an inner tube. An inner tube (used on a tube-type tire) is necessary to retain air pressure when the wheel design or the tire cannot do so. However, an inner tube typically deflates rapidly when punctured, and this sudden deflation can cause a quick reduction of control on a motorcycle. A tubeless tire typically deflates much more slowly, providing a motorcyclist with warning before control is reduced significantly. Whether a tube-type or tubeless tire is chosen normally depends on the kind of wheel to which it is fitted.
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I love the look of spokes but they are a pain. My sporty spokes seem to rust a bit so every couple weeks i have to work on de-rusting and shining and waxing them. They look beautiful but I'd rather spend time riding then cleaning/preping.I plan on getting mag wheels for my Nightster at some point and the next harley I get will have mags as well. It's costs too much to repair a flat on spokes too
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Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Aurora, CO
I have a set of both, the stock FXDX and a set of spokes the PO bought. It had the spokes on it when I bought but with the new set of shoes I put on last summer I had them mounted on the Mag's and I have to say...I think I'll have them swapped to the spokes this winter, I seem the like the look of the spoke more. but it's the old say'n "to each his own".
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 118
Likes: 1
From: new jersey
my first bike was a gpz550 cafe stype bike with the tubeless cast rims. my sporty had them too.
when i bought my FXDC i had the dealer swap out the spoke rims for a set of the dyna standard rims.
though they are real pretty to look at, i never wanted to be bothered with the hassle of keeping them clean. i know too that when my friends with spoked rims purchased new tires they also got spanked with the cost of re-truing the wheels.
as nice as they look, i think the cast rims look ok too, and require alot less maintance.
when i bought my FXDC i had the dealer swap out the spoke rims for a set of the dyna standard rims.
though they are real pretty to look at, i never wanted to be bothered with the hassle of keeping them clean. i know too that when my friends with spoked rims purchased new tires they also got spanked with the cost of re-truing the wheels.
as nice as they look, i think the cast rims look ok too, and require alot less maintance.