The difference between the wheel on your car and the wheels on your bike is that the wheels on the bike are billet. You're paying for the wasted materierals as well as the time to machine them. The wheels on your car, cast. No waste, and strong enough to hold up your car. You use the same manufacturing process on those spoke wheels and they won't hold up.

Do what you want, or don't, but you get what you pay for. And my rims didn't cost $4-5k, so I don't know where those numbers came from. Either way, good luck.

 

I get what you're saying, but if an H-D stealer can charge $650 for a machined wheel, what makes other vendors wheels cost upwards of $2K for essentially the same thing?
That's a little too "real" for my wallet... When it's all said and done, I can think of better ways to spend $5K.

 

Once again it's simple supply and demand.
HD is producing in large scale. Many of their wheels are cross platform.
That brings down the cost of production significantly.

Your demand is obviously not in equilibrium with the supply of the wheels you've looked at.

 

Same reason a production supercar like the Corvette costs "only" $55,000 while to build a REALLY simple car (like a '32 Ford Roadster with NO frills on it at all) at a custom car shop costs a MINIMUM of the same $55,000. A "fancy" '32 roadster will be more like $150,000. No kidding. I did the shopping on a really simple '32 just 3 months ago, and found I cannot afford one. GM has the advantages of high volume, assembly line production, while the custom car shop does everything as a "one of". The custom car shop owner is not getting rich. His costs are really that much higher.

Furthermore, another rule that applies in life, no matter what product or service you are talking about, is that you get 80% of the functionality of a product for $X, but getting the next 10% costs an additional $X, and getting that "perfect" aesthetically pleasing, perfectly performing product costs at least an additional $3X, because it's just that much harder and that much more time consuming. People who buy fancy wheels don't want to pay small lot production rates for just a "functional" product. They want a really fancy wheel that is aesthetically pleasing, and so they end up spending the $x plus $3X = $4X. And trust me, the custom wheel maker is not living in a mansion despite that $4X price. He's paid it out to the machinery maker, the bank with the loan, the worker who polished the billet piece to perfection so that the chrome has a perfect foundation, to the chrome who does the job perfectly instead of merely decently or even well, to the shipping carton maker who knows that $2000 wheel had better be able to handle gorilla treatment in transit without damage, and to the motorcycle accessory dealer who invested in costly samples, and who spent the time with that buyer to make the sale, not knowing if the buyer would actually buy or even really have the cash to do so (everyone dreams).

Walk in the wheel manufacturer's shoes for a week and THEN criticize his pricing, if you honestly think you can after seeing what he has to do and what he has to pay.

Jim G

 

I always walk a mile in a guy's shoes before I criticize him.
That way when he finds out about it, I'll be a mile away and I'll have his shoes...

 

I had a Renegade wheel installed last year at Rapid City, cost was $1200. I sold my take off to my local Mech for $300. If I want something I buy it, when they close the lid on me it's too late to do it then. I understand the sticker shock on these wheels but I understand that the process to make them isn't like the 15" steel rim on your trailer. These companies have a significant investment in producing their product and I can't see a custom wheel going for $500 (I wish). If you like the style of the OEM wheel check prices to chrome it or powder coat it. It won't be cheap but significanty less than buying a new one.

Check your local shops for take off's like mine. I just had two chromed 9 spoke conestoga wheels put on my SG for $300 each, mounted etc. I think they look sweet as hell and for the price I couldn't beat it.

 

You are absolutely right. I have a rear "Gasser" wheel and pulley off my brand new breakout, that were taken off before the bike every got onto the road, because I bought the chromed Turbine wheels. I'd be happy to sell both of them for a fraction of what they would cost a buyer at a Harley dealership. Bargains like that exist and a buyer just needs to be looking.

You might get "only" 50% of what you would ideally love to get, but it'll cost you only 5 to 10% of the dream wheels cost, and might look far better than what you have now.

Jim G

 

Economics 101

HIGH QUANTITY = LOW PRICE
LOW QUANTITY = HIGH PRICE

2 years ago I wanted chrome wheels for my TriGlide. I couldn't decide if I wanted to get my stock wheels plated or buy aftermarker chrome wheels. I checked out all the $1000+ wheels and said "no way". I decided to get the H-D Anarchy wheels and just use the stock wheels for winter riding (in Chicago). Platers do not warrantee there plating against salt corrosion. I only found one that did, but the cost was very high.
So now I have the best of both worlds - crappy stock wheels for winter riding and beautiful chrome wheels for summer riding.
Buy the way I have a set (3) of brand spanking new TG wheels that I was going to have plated but didn't. If anyone is interested I'll sell them to you for the ridiculously low price of $525 including shipping to the lower 48.

 

I hear you there. My bicycle was 3g's and my brother in law just bought a 6k road bike and that's not even the most expensive ones

 

I am on a tight budget also. What worked for me. First make sure you know what you want, know what fits your bike, know whether or not you can change out bearing etc... and make it fit. I would then start checking Craigslist, Ebay, Swapmeets, friends, dealer takeoffs, and find a nice used set.
By doing this i have been able to get alot of nice pieces for my ride. I did have to be very patient. Now I just need to fix my back so I can install everything and ride.

Good luck.