FXDWG 16" front tire
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 280
Likes: 3
Here is a pic of mine with an 18" to give you an idea...I have a new wider fender on the way and will also get it down closer to the tyre...
http://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/...psb49ac201.jpg
http://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/...psb49ac201.jpg
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 4
From: NC
I have seen Wide Glides with 16 inchers front and rear. I didnt like the way they look either, the wide glide has too much rake for that small of a wheel. It looks good on lowered Superglides and Street Bobs but only when they are really lowered all the way.
I think if I had a wide glide I would use a 18x5.5 rear wheel and a 23x3.5 front.
I think if I had a wide glide I would use a 18x5.5 rear wheel and a 23x3.5 front.
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,140
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
First you could just try larger rubber. I think that there is a 100 series tire that fits the OE front wheel. I think that this tire is plenty big enough. If you choose to go any wider, you will have to change the wheel. And if you change the wheel, might as well "Go Big" ( 23" ).
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
From: Sweden
First you could just try larger rubber. I think that there is a 100 series tire that fits the OE front wheel. I think that this tire is plenty big enough. If you choose to go any wider, you will have to change the wheel. And if you change the wheel, might as well "Go Big" ( 23" ).
But I definetely see your point, I would myself like a 23" or maybe 21" with much more rubber than can be fitted on the OEM wheel. That would also make it appear alot bigger.
Last edited by pheur; Jul 4, 2013 at 01:23 PM.
I have 16" wheels with a 150 up front as do several others on this site. Looks good to me. I was running a narrow 21" and decided I wanted a fatty front with white walls, at the time white walls didn't come in many sizes so I went with 16's. Do what you like.
Here is a pic of my Streetbob with fatbob trees and a 16/150 front: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/membe...150-16ww-1.jpg
Here is a pic of my Streetbob with fatbob trees and a 16/150 front: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/membe...150-16ww-1.jpg
Last edited by Big Kev-O; Jul 4, 2013 at 01:26 PM.
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,140
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
Guess it OK for a Streetbob/Fatbob. But we're talking Wideglides.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 6
From: Little Rock
while my bike isint a wideglide, I do have a wideglide front end with a 16 inch wheel... see sig
Last edited by SuperFastGlide; Jul 5, 2013 at 09:25 AM.
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 600
Likes: 2
From: Kansas
I had a buddy that did this to his wide glide. It has been ten years since I have seen him or his bike, but I remember that it looked good, just not my style but he loved it. Said it fit his riding style a lot better and improved the handling greatly. I have always had large narrow front wheels on all of my bikes, but to each their own.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Tampa
Going from 21 to 16 will really mess with the geometry of the bike. Could wind up being disastrous.
I've been researching the same concepts.
If you want a 16" tire, you'd need to extend the fork legs to bring the bike back to proper ride height, as it will look like the old muscle cars of the 70s n 80s...all jacked up in the rear.
I've been researching the same concepts.
If you want a 16" tire, you'd need to extend the fork legs to bring the bike back to proper ride height, as it will look like the old muscle cars of the 70s n 80s...all jacked up in the rear.
The proper sized rubber on a 16" wheel will make the tire just as tall as a stock sized 21" wheel/tire combo, no?
Obviously it will change the look of the bike, and the handling, but it wouldn't change the rake or geometry by much at all. Going from a 21" wheel to a 16" wheel doesn't lower the front end by 5"....tire sizes will raise or lower the bike, not wheel sizes.
For example, I'm changing out my front wheel/tire combo from a 19" wheel with 100/90/19 to a 16" wheel with 150/80/16 tires...the 16" wheel/tire combo will only be 3/4" diameter shorter total, which equals approximately 3/8" lower (3/8" top of tire, 3/8" bottom).
On my last bike I did the opposite (road king). Went from factory 16" front wheel/tire combo to a 21" wheel wrapped with 120/70/21 tires, which raised my frontend approximately 3/8".
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