I have run the 16", 18" and 21". IMO the ride was best with the 18". The 21" steers faster as there is slightly less contact patch (around 10mm+/-). As posted above the 21" raises the bike. I installed a 1" lowering kit and while I was in there a set of Progressive springs. As for the fender what I have done is open up the back two fender mounting holes by two drill bit sizes. This allows the fender to be tilted ever so slightly forward. It is just enough to eliminate fender/tire contact. As for tire width I have run a rear 130, 140 and 150. I feathered the 150 pretty bad (my fault) and on my bike it is a close fit. I'm going with another 140 this time around. As mentioned above the only concern would be IF you needed one on the road while traveling. With the amount of bikes running the wide 21's I'm not concerned about it. Sure the HD dealer may not carry one but my bikes haven't been in a dealer since new in 01! An indy shop will have or can get one overnight.[/align]

 

If you guys are going with the 21 up front and lowering the bike 1" compared to the 16" you are acually only lowering the bike .250", because of the size diff. between the 21"and the16" with rubber. Thats not that much.

Greg

 

Greg thats what I was thinking.Going beyond the 1 inch would be needed to achieve original stance.

 

I'll have the 21/18 wth a 200 swingarm installed this weekend with new forks, 2" lowering kit and air ride. Can't wait!!

 

Puzzled...in what area did you feel the 18's rode the best? High speed cruising. more comfortable, less rigid ride, etc? Obviously you are staying with the 21' front so the ride isn't something you dislike. Are you able to push the bike pretty hard, say past 100 with no obvious issues, and cruise at 90 the same? Also, seems the 1" lowering kit worked for you. Any other comments regarding the lowering discussion? I'm tempted to go with the Progressive lowering kit that allows for a 2" front drop.

 

Some go with the 19" front and 18" rear.

It really depends on what you do with the bike. If you tour two up and loaded there is no 18" rear tire that is rated for the load, regardless of manufacturer, much less a front. If you bar hop on the bike, never load it down for touring, etc then no worries about load ratings for the tires. Otherwise, you'd better carefully consider tire load ratings, diameters, and construction.

HOWEVER, I would be very concerned about lowering the front end of any touring bike's suspension 2". You're only working with about 3" to begin with, and it's a chitty 3" at that, so giving up 2" of it and only having an inch or so of suspension left in the front end would concern me. No matter what kind of spring/fork oil/emulator/cartridge set up you install, it's either going to bottom out easily, or ride like a buckboard wagon on rough pavement. Going around a high speed curve and hitting some ripples in the road surface is not something I'd want to do with a little over an inch of travel in a front end. Frontend/front tire would definitely skip.Honestly, most people do not realize how muchtheir fronttire is not making contact with the road surface because of the Showasuspension on a HD in the first place, until you'vegot some real suspension under it to compare to. Not to mention grinding the floorboards, kickstand, etc. Easier to get down to something that doesn't give and will lift the rear tire off the ground. Again, it depends on how you ride, and what you use the bike for.

If you go with a 21" front, you absolutely need to be concerned about vertical clearance between tire and fender...it WILL rub at high speeds/high temps...burn the paint, or worse, blow the tire out.

But if it's all about looks, and you don't use the bike for it's intended purpose....touring, or riding long distances....then whatever blows your skirt up. I'm not dissing anybody's choices here, just encouraging some careful thought...wheels/tires/brakes/rotors are VERY expensive, so you only want to do it once.

Personally, I would go with 18/18, and if I just had to open up the front wheel more, go with a single front rotor and a 6 piston caliper. I've got an 18" front with matching rotors, 4 piston PM calipers and a 140x70x18 Metz...same overall (within 1/2" in overall height) diameter as the stock 'Lop and 16" wheel, and Ikept the 16" rear (with new wheels, rotor, pulley, and caliper)because I ride my Ultra two up 95% of the time, and 80% of that time loaded for a trip. I've got a SEVrod for everything else.