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I’ve hit pot holes with mags and needed a tow. Hit them with laced wheels and rode home. And beat them out with a hammer until I swapped out the new rim. I’m a fan of them. They’re probably going to end up on the RGS too. But that’s what’s on my Softail.
Spoke rims with tube tires will go flat very fast when punctured while tubeless tires usually develop slow leaks. Spokes can and will loss tension over time, are harder to keep clean and nice looking.
My BIL (been riding Harleys for 40 years) advised me to avoid spokes when I got into riding again 5+ years ago. Bought a new Heritage (came with spokes) 4 years ago and have been a "happy camper" ever since. Spokes are no big deal to me and love the looks. Simple check (twang them with a wrench) each oil change and have had to tighten a couple over the years. Never had a flat, but I carry some Slime for tubes when on a road trip.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
