I hope that this is not beating a dead horse , but we are new to this site . We have a 1995 HD FLHTC with a 1996 HD sidecar . Love the bike , as it allows my wife with her injured back to get back in to the wind as such . The absolute only complaint is the lack of life with the rear tire .
I have read the one thread about the conversion to a car tire , and an very interested in converting over the winter while doing other mods , and maintenance .
Is there any of you folks out there that could nudge me in the right direction as to what tire size to use , and will I have to replace the OE cast wheel with a different style ??
Thanks ahead of time for any and all suggestions received .
🙂
From all I have read, the stock rear wheel is too narrow to find a longer wearing (car) tire. There have been custom 15 inch wheels made to fit Harleys of this vintage, but they aren't cheap. You may want to call Claude Stanley at Freedom sidecars. He has sold the custom Harley wheels in the past. I think the person who made them is named "Stroker", but I don't know if he is on this forum under that name. You could try and contact him on the ADVrider.com forum. Have you tried the latest Dunlop which has a harder compound in the center of the tire?
The series 8 Dunlop tires have a tendency to hydroplane in wet conditions.
I changed mine out on our 2010 StreetGlide/Liberty rig after a sphincter exercise in Colorado during a rainstorm. The hard center is not a good rain tread.
Lonnie
Hi Lonnie, the one I was thinking of is the American Elite, is that the tire you had with the hydroplaning issue? Thanks, Dave
The tire was the OEM Harley 180 series tire with the dual tread compound. Hard in the center and more forgiving on the sides.
Lonnie
I've all but given up ever converting to a car tire pusher on my '96 FLH/Liberty rig. I've been running Michelin Commanders for a while now and like them better than Dunlop. My 20 year anniversary with this bike is coming up Oct. 21. Ridden it longer and further than any previous bike and it's still my "long haul" choice but I love to ride the FXDWG/Spalding that I bought from Lonnie last April. Over 4000 miles on it so far since then. Running Commanders on it too.
