... Those "Profile" rims are Aluminum Not Steel
Tire replacement on laced wheels
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 578
From: Cape Coral Fl
Tire replacement on laced wheels
Bought the spoons, tires, tubes, rim strips, ride on, bearings, brake pads. Now all the guys I ride with have mag wheels and say I should remove the wheels and bring them to an Indy to do the tire swap. Never did spoke wheels before. What's your thoughts....give it a go or have professional do it
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 2,261
From: Ft. Wayne IN
Good luck doing it yourself. Not for me, however. I'll trust my dealer or an Indy shop to do mine. Just measured the rear tread on my 2018 FLHCS with spoked wheels and tubes. 5/32 remains (10/32 when new) and 9800+ miles. I should get 15k+ out of it at about 3 years of ownership. Of course, the front shows much less wear.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I've been riding for over 50 years and only rode with wire wheels for decades, until cast wheels became popular. Even then they didn't all use tubeless tyres for quite a while. During all that time tyres were not at all puncture resistant and fixing a flat on the roadside was the norm - so most of us learned how to fix the darned things and carried all the necessary tools and spares! That would include removing the offending wheel, fixing the puncture, and refitting it.
By all means learn how to do your own, but I haven't bothered to do that for about twenty years! I get my new tyres at my local Yamaha dealer, just down the road, and take each wheel into them, have a coffee and a chat. Much simpler!
By all means learn how to do your own, but I haven't bothered to do that for about twenty years! I get my new tyres at my local Yamaha dealer, just down the road, and take each wheel into them, have a coffee and a chat. Much simpler!
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,524
Likes: 6,406
From: Honah Lee
Call and get a quote from your INDA. Make sure he spins balances on that spoke wheel. Spoons are for pedal bikes. Not these heavy animals. It's a pain to break the bead.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Suitable spoons are available, I still have mine somewhere, also the small scissor jack I carried on my shovelhead! It can be done by hand, but best done while sipping coffee!
