26'' fat spoke
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 7
From: Liverpool UK
Malingerer, I do know from another member, I think it was Jesse with the green bike with a 23 fitted,
That you can fit a 23 straight in with the standard fender with no mods, if you go with the Vee rubber tyre, as its a 130/50 profile, whereas if you go with another tyre which will be a profile of 60, that you need to swap out the fender.
I'm going to go with the 23 and take a chance on the Vee (might regret it)
and see what it looks like, but in light of a comment made previously in this thread, I think I'll be going with a Bad dad wrap fender to show of all of the wheel, I need it to look as big as it can and will probably only get that from the wrap.
Also I may need to swap out the rear for an 18 if it dont look right, but I'm hoping not to.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 1
From: West Palm Beach, FL
I can answer some of your questions from real world experience. I am thinking of going 26" on my FatBoy also, I am currently at 21" and just won 1st place in the stock class at the Baddest Bagger show in Daytona. My buddy is at 23" currently on his FatBoy and just took 2nd in the custom class at the Rats Hole show in Daytona. Both bikes have never seen a trailer. For a 23", you need to go 4 degree trees, take about 1-1.5" out of the front end, put in heavy weight fork oil and travel limiters. For a 26" done the right way, you need an additional 4 degrees of rake in the neck in addition to the trees to get you to the proper trail numbers. Ness has supposedly developed a new 6 degree tree that will also allow a 26" with proper trail numbers, but i have not heard any real world riding experience with those trees yet. I know that the offset in the Ness trees is little to none, as opposed to the HHI 6 degree trees, which definitely require cutting/raking the neck to get the trail right. Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 7
From: Liverpool UK
I can answer some of your questions from real world experience. I am thinking of going 26" on my FatBoy also, I am currently at 21" and just won 1st place in the stock class at the Baddest Bagger show in Daytona. My buddy is at 23" currently on his FatBoy and just took 2nd in the custom class at the Rats Hole show in Daytona. Both bikes have never seen a trailer. For a 23", you need to go 4 degree trees, take about 1-1.5" out of the front end, put in heavy weight fork oil and travel limiters. For a 26" done the right way, you need an additional 4 degrees of rake in the neck in addition to the trees to get you to the proper trail numbers. Ness has supposedly developed a new 6 degree tree that will also allow a 26" with proper trail numbers, but i have not heard any real world riding experience with those trees yet. I know that the offset in the Ness trees is little to none, as opposed to the HHI 6 degree trees, which definitely require cutting/raking the neck to get the trail right. Hope this helps.
Thanks Woody, do you have any more pics of your buddy's bike, nice to compare the looks of the 23 on Softy's, there's not many around
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 2
From: Walnut Creek, CA
OMG!!!! I just pulled a trigger!
I just ordered me some 23x3.5 & 18x4.25 DNA fat spoke wheels for my fatboy (2001) I am super psyched!!!!!!
mwoodyshek - My indy doesn't make any adjustments to the trees and such. I'm gonna run it without the fender for now cause I'm a little short on cash but hey - I'm gonna be one bad a$s chick
mwoodyshek - My indy doesn't make any adjustments to the trees and such. I'm gonna run it without the fender for now cause I'm a little short on cash but hey - I'm gonna be one bad a$s chick
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 7
From: Liverpool UK
I just ordered me some 23x3.5 & 18x4.25 DNA fat spoke wheels for my fatboy (2001) I am super psyched!!!!!!
mwoodyshek - My indy doesn't make any adjustments to the trees and such. I'm gonna run it without the fender for now cause I'm a little short on cash but hey - I'm gonna be one bad a$s chick
mwoodyshek - My indy doesn't make any adjustments to the trees and such. I'm gonna run it without the fender for now cause I'm a little short on cash but hey - I'm gonna be one bad a$s chick
Looking forward to seeing some pics!
Riding buddy of mine reckons we wont see much difference between my 21 and a 23, I'm not sure what to think, he may be right if I stick with the standard fender.
But from the pics I've seen, with a wrapped fender, it changes everything.
But this forum's killing my wallet.....gotta stop soon!
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 2
From: Walnut Creek, CA
Looking forward to seeing some pics!
Riding buddy of mine reckons we wont see much difference between my 21 and a 23, I'm not sure what to think, he may be right if I stick with the standard fender.
But from the pics I've seen, with a wrapped fender, it changes everything.
But this forum's killing my wallet.....gotta stop soon!
Riding buddy of mine reckons we wont see much difference between my 21 and a 23, I'm not sure what to think, he may be right if I stick with the standard fender.
But from the pics I've seen, with a wrapped fender, it changes everything.
But this forum's killing my wallet.....gotta stop soon!
I also was gonna do the wrap around fender, but man the wheels already cost sooo much! Plus I am undecided on the paint I will throw on the tins at some point this year so for now... I think I'll go with bare front
Don't do it Mark! That looks like a wheel barrow!
23 max!
23 max!
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 1
From: West Palm Beach, FL
Thanks Woody, do you have any more pics of your buddy's bike, nice to compare the looks of the 23 on Softy's, there's not many around. Riding buddy of mine reckons we wont see much difference between my 21 and a 23, I'm not sure what to think, he may be right if I stick with the standard fender.
Here are some more pics before we repainted the bike. The total difference between the 21" and 23" is only about 1.5" total diameter (29.14" for the 23" rim and 27.61" for the 21" rim). And I can tell you that if you go with the 18x4.25 in the rear, stick with the 150 tire. I went 160 and I get a very slight rub if I ride with the shotgun shock low. I am going to be changing out to the 150 when it is gone.