FatBoy "Solid Wheels" Aren't That Bad....
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 953
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RE: Fat Boy "Solid Wheels" Aren't That Bad....
I'm so thrilled you posted your findings on the disc wheel. I have a FXST and in process of changing my front skinny 21" wheel with a fatboy disc. I've heard all the horror stories (from those that don't ride fatboys) about the wind catching the wheel. Plus, I was told that my hands and arms will go numbabout 15 minutes into the ride due to the disc.
I figured that if it was a saftey issue the Motor Company would have addressed it by now.
[IMG]local://upfiles/13603/B4027DF69BDE407DBD83516849A67669.jpg[/IMG]
I figured that if it was a saftey issue the Motor Company would have addressed it by now.
[IMG]local://upfiles/13603/B4027DF69BDE407DBD83516849A67669.jpg[/IMG]
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 642
Likes: 3
From: Southern California
RE: Fat Boy "Solid Wheels" Aren't That Bad....
ORIGINAL: tail11
I've heard all the horror stories (from those that don't ride fatboys) about the wind catching the wheel. Plus, I was told that my hands and arms will go numbabout 15 minutes into the ride due to the disc.
I figured that if it was a saftey issue the Motor Company would have addressed it by now.
[IMG]local://upfiles/13603/B4027DF69BDE407DBD83516849A67669.jpg[/IMG]
I've heard all the horror stories (from those that don't ride fatboys) about the wind catching the wheel. Plus, I was told that my hands and arms will go numbabout 15 minutes into the ride due to the disc.
I figured that if it was a saftey issue the Motor Company would have addressed it by now.
[IMG]local://upfiles/13603/B4027DF69BDE407DBD83516849A67669.jpg[/IMG]
Thread Starter
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,641
Likes: 26
From: Ozark Country
RE: Fat Boy "Solid Wheels" Aren't That Bad....
ORIGINAL: Hardley riding
Don't you thing the entire side of the motorcycle , withwindshields, body workand or bags with one or sometimes two peoplewould be more of an issue in the wind than the surface area of the wheels?
Where are the Mythbusters when you need them?
Don't you thing the entire side of the motorcycle , withwindshields, body workand or bags with one or sometimes two peoplewould be more of an issue in the wind than the surface area of the wheels?
Where are the Mythbusters when you need them?
Last Spring I did a little 'wheeling & dealing' and in the process ended up with one of those Dual Sport Kawasaki KLR-650 bikes.
Only had it a few weeks before it went to it's new owner, but I did put 500 or so miles on it, right during the windy Spring season.
That was the most dangerous bike I have ever ridden when it comes to gusty cross winds, and if the winds were blowing over 20 MPH I wouldn't take it out on the highway.
It was very lightweight, and had a 36" seat height with a very high center of gravity. I have a 33/34 inch inseam, and when sitting on it if my legs were any shorter I'd have to balance it on my tip-toes...
Great little bike for off road work out in the boondocks, but at speed, out on the highway, in windy conditions, Forget It.. LoL
One thing I really like about the Softail's is how stable they are with their low seat height and center of gravity.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,380
Likes: 3
From: NC
RE: FatBoy "Solid Wheels" Aren't That Bad....
My opinion on it.. There's not enough difference in how your blown around on a solid wheel bike vs a spoke or other to warrant all the talk it gets. I just give it some lean, hit the throttle and keep on keepin' on.. Honestly, I've thought about it long and hard when I got a good sideways gust, and I think the wind hitting me and the side profile of the bike was enough to not even notice what was hitting the wheel..
And if you think about it, it's really just the front wheel.. The rear wheel has pretty much too much junk (pulley and rotor and frame and beltguards and possibly saddlebags) obstructing it.. which renders a spoke wheel as about the same as a solid when hit by a crosswind. The front wheel is where we're really talking about.. I imagine and would expect that a 21" spoke wheel would have less wind resistence from a crosswind.. But not enough to say that a solid 16" wheel is annoying or dangerous.
I think it's all in how much gust do you really notice. Personally, I'm not crazy about riding in gusting wind anyway whether it is a crosswind or straight on or a tail wind.. Quick gusts aren't fun no matter what you're on.
And if you think about it, it's really just the front wheel.. The rear wheel has pretty much too much junk (pulley and rotor and frame and beltguards and possibly saddlebags) obstructing it.. which renders a spoke wheel as about the same as a solid when hit by a crosswind. The front wheel is where we're really talking about.. I imagine and would expect that a 21" spoke wheel would have less wind resistence from a crosswind.. But not enough to say that a solid 16" wheel is annoying or dangerous.
I think it's all in how much gust do you really notice. Personally, I'm not crazy about riding in gusting wind anyway whether it is a crosswind or straight on or a tail wind.. Quick gusts aren't fun no matter what you're on.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 546
Likes: 0
From: Blaine, WA
RE: FatBoy "Solid Wheels" Aren't That Bad....
Maybe it's that the 21" spoked wheel feels lighter and the cross wind effects that more than the solid heavier feeling Fatboy Wheel? As it has been said ... Roll on more throttle and ride!!!
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 389
Likes: 0
From: Huntington Beach, CA
RE: FatBoy "Solid Wheels" Aren't That Bad....
ORIGINAL: OldFenderGuy
...I'm not an engineer or anything, but it would be interesting to see a controlled test to see how much air actually passes through a spoke or mag wheel when it is turning at a high revolution.
...I'm not an engineer or anything, but it would be interesting to see a controlled test to see how much air actually passes through a spoke or mag wheel when it is turning at a high revolution.
1) Any cross wind effect is due purely from the overall pressure on the front wheel
2) The maximum wind induced turning effect will be from the outer most regions of the wheel/tire comboâŚi.e. the tire which both the solid and lace wheel have.
3) The lace wheel is far from open having a hub and rotor for the wind to deal with along with the very flow inefficient spokes which I'm sure are generating a large amount of turbulence as they spin with the wheel.
4) There are some interesting interactions going on with the steering axis and ground contact, however, it still falls back the difference in pressure on the wheel as a whole, with the outer portions contributing more through their longer moment arm
Bottom line the effective amount of wind generated steering input is likely very minimal.
This is based solely on my opinion as a Mechanical Engineer with 20 years experience, but I will eventually put some numbers together to support or refute said opinion and let ya'll know what I find.
Cheers!
DJ
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