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My 14 Road King came with spokes and tubes inside the tubeless tires. Ran them for a year or so and changed over to cast wheels. I just switched back to my old wheels and tires. I prefer the ride spokes offer.
My '11 RKC has spokes with tubes, never a problem.
In 2012, HD came out with the tubeless version available, no one I know has had any problem with leaks with them. I was inquiring about buying a set at the dealer just recently, they say no problems with them.
I think the HD Spoke wheels, overall, are great wheels. I true my own bicycle wheels, both road and mountain bike wheels, and when I check over my HD spokes, I have never found an issue. On bicycles they have reduced the number of spokes for weight reduction since the 80's which has created durability issues, but not HD. Big beefy spokes, and lots of them at high tension. When you understand the dynamics of spoke wheels, HD spoke wheels in particular, it's actually a beautiful thing both aesthetically, strength wise, and of course they look GREAT!
My '11 RKC has spokes with tubes, never a problem.
In 2012, HD came out with the tubeless version available, no one I know has had any problem with leaks with them. I was inquiring about buying a set at the dealer just recently, they say no problems with them.
I think the HD Spoke wheels, overall, are great wheels. I true my own bicycle wheels, both road and mountain bike wheels, and when I check over my HD spokes, I have never found an issue. On bicycles they have reduced the number of spokes for weight reduction since the 80's which has created durability issues, but not HD. Big beefy spokes, and lots of them at high tension. When you understand the dynamics of spoke wheels, HD spoke wheels in particular, it's actually a beautiful thing both aesthetically, strength wise, and of course they look GREAT!
The Profile laced wheel, which was optional on the Road King Classic, allowed use of tubeless tires (shown below on a '13 RKC). They don't have the "step" in them like the standard steel laced wheel.
The Profile laced wheel, which was optional on the Road King Classic, allowed use of tubeless tires (shown below on a '13 RKC). They don't have the "step" in them like the standard steel laced wheel.
^^^ This is correct. ^^^
No step on the rim is also why they are referred to as "Smooth Laced Wheels".
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
