Just curious.
21" to 19" front wheel conversion on '09 FXSTC
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 228
Likes: 41
From: Kent, England
21" to 19" front wheel conversion on '09 FXSTC
I know it's been done by plenty of folk already but I thought it might be of use to those contemplating doing the same one day if I drip feed my winter project progress on the forum over the next few months.
Don't get any free time during the week so it'll be whenever I can sneak out into the garage over the weekends.
Starts tomorrow!
Don't get any free time during the week so it'll be whenever I can sneak out into the garage over the weekends.
Starts tomorrow!
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 228
Likes: 41
From: Kent, England
Front fender
I'm going for a 19" x 3" stainless rim and 40 spokes using my existing hub and a 120 x 70 x 19 tyre
I have a friend who owns a custom shop in Germany who's very kindly offered to build me the wheel, just need to strip mine down and send him the hub which should be happening sometime next month all being well.
After months of trawling eBay this week I eventually found a suitable donor front fender, and would you believe it's the same paint as my original, black with the twin silver pin stripe!
It's got some battle scars and it's slightly twisted. The seller didn't know which model it's from but on comparing the size with my mates bike I'm pretty sure it's off a Sportster Super low which has a 120 x 18" tyre so with a bit of tweaking here and there it'll be a very reasonable fit.
The underside of the donor fender is 145 mm, perfect for the 120 wide tyre.
It's only 150mm wide at the fork lug mounting points, a shortfall of 25mm but it won't be a problem putting a 13mm (1/2") offset in the bracket, after all the origininal fender has a massive angled offset being such a narrow fender between the WG forks.
I have a friend who owns a custom shop in Germany who's very kindly offered to build me the wheel, just need to strip mine down and send him the hub which should be happening sometime next month all being well.
After months of trawling eBay this week I eventually found a suitable donor front fender, and would you believe it's the same paint as my original, black with the twin silver pin stripe!
It's got some battle scars and it's slightly twisted. The seller didn't know which model it's from but on comparing the size with my mates bike I'm pretty sure it's off a Sportster Super low which has a 120 x 18" tyre so with a bit of tweaking here and there it'll be a very reasonable fit.
The underside of the donor fender is 145 mm, perfect for the 120 wide tyre.
It's only 150mm wide at the fork lug mounting points, a shortfall of 25mm but it won't be a problem putting a 13mm (1/2") offset in the bracket, after all the origininal fender has a massive angled offset being such a narrow fender between the WG forks.
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 228
Likes: 41
From: Kent, England
Style mainly,
I do like the look of bikes with wider, smaller wheels and tyres and apart from the skinny front wheel the FXSTC was a good blank canvas to start with and I think this modification complements the theme I've been going with.
I've read all the comments on improved handling but to be honest that's just an added bonus as I've never had an issue with the original setup.
FWIW I tossed a 17" fatboy wheel on the front of my NT with a 140 tire... handles much better than the 21" rubber banded crack/tar snake finder
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 74
From: Los Angeles
I had an 18 incher on this bike, handled great but looked like it ran into a wall. The 21" is classic HD!
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 228
Likes: 41
From: Kent, England
Quite simple really, I don't like the skinny wheel.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 270
Likes: 64
From: Camotes Islands, Cebu, Philippines
I also am in the throws of making that decision. I also have style tastes similar to Gaz B. I have an older metric bike with roughly similar lines to my FXSTC (07). Like my FX like no other, but I am still giving thought to having a 19" front wheel as well. My metric runs one and I like the stance. With the shorter diameter, but taller rubber, the overall is almost the same at the end, so it is all a matter of the look.
Yeah, think I saw something about better ride or handling with the more rubber for the road, but I am pretty sure it is more a mental improvement than actual. Either way, it is driven by our individual idea of style. And for me, that is making me look at something to move into a 19" when I get back to my bike.
Yeah, think I saw something about better ride or handling with the more rubber for the road, but I am pretty sure it is more a mental improvement than actual. Either way, it is driven by our individual idea of style. And for me, that is making me look at something to move into a 19" when I get back to my bike.