narrow front tire vs wide front tire
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 195
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From:
narrow front tire vs wide front tire
Is there alot of difference in the ride and bump absorbing of a wide front tire (Heritrage or Fatboy) vs the narrow front tire (Standard)? Is there any difference in the handling? A salesman told me that the Standard is like manual steering and the Heritage is like power steering.
Thanks,
Larry
Thanks,
Larry
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 399
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From:
RE: narrow front tire vs wide front tire
Having gone from a skinny 21" to a fat 16" on my Train, I'd say the power steering analogy is pretty close. The effort is higher with the fat tire, but it's also more stable, especially through high-speed turns. You won't catch me going back to a skinny tire!
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,641
Likes: 26
From: Ozark Country
RE: narrow front tire vs wide front tire
I can notice a difference when going from my Dyna WideGlide (with the narrow 21") to my FatBoy.
At speed the wider wheel on the FatBoy feels more stable and 'planted', while the WideGlide's narrow wheel just feels 'lighter'.
Most of the Harley's I've owned had the 21" front wheel, and I've ridden them for hundreds of thousands of miles without any problem, but the wider front wheel on the FatBoy (and Road King) give you a more confident feeling during long range high speed cruising.
Just my opinion...
At speed the wider wheel on the FatBoy feels more stable and 'planted', while the WideGlide's narrow wheel just feels 'lighter'.
Most of the Harley's I've owned had the 21" front wheel, and I've ridden them for hundreds of thousands of miles without any problem, but the wider front wheel on the FatBoy (and Road King) give you a more confident feeling during long range high speed cruising.
Just my opinion...
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
RE: narrow front tire vs wide front tire
I'm no help here but, the wider front tire is one of the main reasons I went with the Fat Boy over the Custom.
The only complaints I've heard about a queezy ride, were by people who had the skinny front tire.
I just figured I needed all the help I could get witht he way the roads are here in Deep East Texas.
The only complaints I've heard about a queezy ride, were by people who had the skinny front tire.
I just figured I needed all the help I could get witht he way the roads are here in Deep East Texas.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,269
Likes: 12
From: NJ
RE: narrow front tire vs wide front tire
Smart Move
ORIGINAL: Texas Fat Boy
I'm no help here but, the wider front tire is one of the main reasons I went with the Fat Boy over the Custom.
The only complaints I've heard about a queezy ride, were by people who had the skinny front tire.
I just figured I needed all the help I could get witht he way the roads are here in Deep East Texas.
I'm no help here but, the wider front tire is one of the main reasons I went with the Fat Boy over the Custom.
The only complaints I've heard about a queezy ride, were by people who had the skinny front tire.
I just figured I needed all the help I could get witht he way the roads are here in Deep East Texas.
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Banned
Joined: Mar 2007
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From:
RE: narrow front tire vs wide front tire
I found the front tire on the Bob kind of twitchy...Switched to a 18 by 140mm....kinda like a steering dampner and great in high speed corners...
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"Moderator"
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,640
Likes: 952
From: San Tan Valley, Arizona
RE: narrow front tire vs wide front tire
My Fatboy is the first bike I have owned with a wide front tire. It is also the best handling. It just feels better rolling it into a turn. I keep scraping my engine guards on the ground.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 559
Likes: 51
From: maine
RE: narrow front tire vs wide front tire
I swapped out the stock 21 incher on my '03 FXSTi for an Avon 120 X 21..... made a huge different in both handling and ride quality without surrendering to the "geezer" glide front end look. My riding bud has an '06 FatBoy and we swap back and forth from time to time.... We both feel that there is little "stability" difference between the two unless the roads are total ****... than the FB gets the slight nod... but theFXSTi handles much more"nimbly" than the FB for lack out a better word.