26" baggers.....What do you think of them?

[Redrubicon2004]

What is your opinion of a bagger with a 26" wheel?

Are they starting to grow on you guys yet??

Lots of them popping up in Chicago lately.

My buddy Rusty had a video made recently....Its cool as hell!
Click Here










Here is mine.

[grof]

they look cool for sure, never had chance to ride one. Any difference to stock bike in handling. Maybe you can give us some more info on them...

[1rusty1]

Looks good to me!

[guydoc77]

I think 26" is a bit much. JMO.
Can't imagine that they would do well on a trip through the Rockies.
Not sure they would handle all that well, would depend on spot on geometry.
Not much for a sidewall. Wonder how they would do with aggressive cornering.
Instincts tell me that this is a form before function excess.
They do look cool though. But so does a 15' long chopper. Wouldn't take that on a 4000 mile trip though either.

[jeffsglide]

21 is as far as I would go, never rode a 26 but then you have to change the rake. I wouldn't mind riding one just to see how it handles. Its just not for me,

[msocko3]

Originally Posted by guydoc77

I think 26" is a bit much. JMO.
Can't imagine that they would do well on a trip through the Rockies.
Not sure they would handle all that well, would depend on spot on geometry.
Not much for a sidewall. Wonder how they would do with aggressive cornering.
Instincts tell me that this is a form before function excess.
They do look cool though. But so does a 15' long chopper. Wouldn't take that on a 4000 mile trip though either.

They look great for show I don't think their practical for bolting on lots of miles and running challenging roads.

[smitty901]

Just another bar stool.

[Redrubicon2004]

Originally Posted by guydoc77

I think 26" is a bit much. JMO.
Can't imagine that they would do well on a trip through the Rockies.
Not sure they would handle all that well, would depend on spot on geometry.
Not much for a sidewall. Wonder how they would do with aggressive cornering.
Instincts tell me that this is a form before function excess.
They do look cool though. But so does a 15' long chopper. Wouldn't take that on a 4000 mile trip though either.

Originally Posted by msocko3

They look great for show I don't think their practical for bolting on lots of miles and running challenging roads.

As far as handling goes.

If you are on the open road doing 55-70 its no different than any other motorcycle.

Cornering is a little different, you get used to it very quickly. Its nothing like riding a chopper. I had a big bear venom pro street, that bike was a tank. I had to use my body a lot to make it turn. It just wanted to go straight. The bagger is quite a bit different. With the 26" wheel, it seems to be more of a balancing act turning slow. Normal city driving is only slightly more difficult than stock. I wouldnt put a new rider on one, but an experienced rider will ride it much like stock after a day or two.

As for country road turns, its just like stock once you are over about 40-45. The only limit at that point is the length of your bags and or your rear suspension height.

For those of you saying they arent ridable...I beg to differ. Choppers had crappy suspension, no storage space, no fairing, no radio. Thats why guys dont ride them! The bagger industry is growing so quickly because guy are now realizing that they CAN ride their custom bike. Suspension is much better than a chopper, I have air ride front and rear on my bike. The front is a modified stock fork. Still has a spring, damper, and oil.

I have noticed one major drawback in these bikes. Now this is just my opinion. The dreaded bagger wobble many of you talk about in the older chassis seems to be more noticable or affected more by the change in the front end. I have not only experinced it on my bike, but have seen the wobble in other big wheel baggers as well. I think many of you can agree that this problem has much more to do with the existing chassis than the rake change.

Originally Posted by smitty901

Just another bar stool.

Search for a dude that goes by the name Slothy. He has ridden his 26" bagger around the country. He has ridden it to New Foundland and California....he lives in Michigan. I havent simply because I own a small business and cant get away for more than 4 days.

[Road King Cole]

Originally Posted by Redrubicon2004

[SIZE="5"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]What is your opinion of a bagger with a 26" wheel?

Are they starting to grow on you guys yet??

Sorry, they do nothing for me. I like the performance of my fatter tire, lots of grooved pavement around here.

Personally I don't understand why people spend so much money on modifying baggers. If I were to spend a lot of money to make a cool looking bike, it would not be a bagger. Sorry, but that is my opinion. And yes, I love my RK\half bagger for what it is.

rkc

[Fatb0y]

Fugly would be the word.

[Shaw_2112]

it'll last as long as the 300mm rear tire, a good idea taken to yet another extreme, just another fad....

[utrvp]

Originally Posted by Fatb0y

Fugly would be the word.

Agreed! I fail to see the appeal of them. They look like crap and there is no way they perform or handle as well as a stock tire and wheel. Even if they did they are still as you said, "Fugly"! Someone else mentioned "form over function". Personally I ride too much to sacrifice function for form. I am not a performance person and still have a stock motor but I like to ride fairly aggressively in the mountains and twistie's a lot and would not take a bike on those roads with a 21" wheel let alone a 26" or bigger. Had a customer show me his bike with I think a 31" wheel on it. I told him I thought it looked like a friggin' wagon wheel!

[1bdBagr]

I think your bike is one of the best looking examples i've seen. One thing i really dont like (and it's not your bike) is how alike MOST of the 26" wheel bikes look. They ALL have a John Shope Sinister 2-1 pipe, all have a monotone paint job with skulls airbrushed on one side usually and are mostly Road Glide based. For all trying to be different they share a great deal of commonality. As far as the handling goes, i'd sure like to ride one for a day. Most everyone says they handle just fine with the rake job. I would think they rode like sh!t but everyone who owns one says different.

PS I liked your exhaust so much i bought one too.
Tim

[Danglide]

they look nice on a show bike,but I prefer the utility of the stock size wheel on my Ultra.

[Mattman22033]

Originally Posted by smitty901

Just another bar stool.

That about sums it up.