Laced wheels

[Ultra-J]

I'm purchasing a new ultra and was thinking of getting the laced wheels.
Anybody know of any problems going with the laced wheel over the cast one?

[BlackOak]

If you go with laced wheels be sure to get the stainless steel ones, because the chrome one have a tendency to rust up, also the disavantage of laced wheels is that, you have to keep up the maintance on them regularly and keep them tight

[xxxflhrci]

The factory spokes are not chrome or stainless. They are cadmium plated and will turn battleship gray in about 6 months. The downside to 'em is that they can and often do loosen up. ( Had it happen after 31k on my bike, caused a terrible wobble.) Roadside flat repairs are also more difficult.

[nidan]

Laced wheels require tubes , are heavier (more unsprung weight detracts from handling) and require more maintenance.
I run them and like the way the look .

[VINNY VROD]

I purchased a set of American Wire wheels for my V-ROD. A good quality wheel will not loosen up and with stainless spokes, they should be durable and not rust.

[Cryptoboy]

Will the laced wheels turn gray regardless of how often you clean them? Or how well you clean them?

A friend of mine has an FXD with laced wheels (99, came from the factory), and his are as shiny as ever.

[VINNY VROD]

I think that if you stay on top of them they should remain in good shape, if you polish them use a good sealer to keep them looking good.

[Ryan]

I like the look of the laced wheels too, but they are harder to clean then cast, easier to damage when changing tires, and having tubes, more difficult to fix a flat. depends what you want, looks or low maintenance.

[Cryptoboy]

Good things to know. I knew laced wheels would require more work on cleaning, but I didn't know that laced whells require tubes. (Still a newbie here!) Why do they require tubes anyway?

[VINNY VROD]

Depends on what wheels you go with. If you by a 16 or 18 in. wheel it should come sealed to run tubeless tires. If not look for another mfg..

[Cryptoboy]

I just have the stock laced wheels that came with my bike.

[Bubba1]

Most folks that buy an Ultra intend to ride long distance at some point and therefore want something that is going to be as trouble free as possible while away from home. I ride an Ultra (2nd one) and would never consider trading the cast wheels for the spokes. Granted, the spoke wheels look great (although you really can't see the rear wheel very well on an Ultra) however they have two problems. One was already mentioned -- spokes potentially loosening. But the second one is bigger in my humble opinion. Since the cast wheel does NOT have a tube, if you ever take on a nail and get a flat it's a relatively simple fix to repair the tire while it's still on the rim. All you need is a $5.00 tire repair kit. Therefore, if your caught with a flat in the middle of nowhere it's a not a big deal. With the wire wheel, since it has a tube, its a major problem. You pretty much have to take the wheel off the bike to remove/replace the tube. So your probably going to need some major assistance and a tow truck to make the repair. Unless you bought the bike for bar hopping I'd stick with the cast wheel. My 2 cents.

[Icahn]

One of my miscues was spraying down my front wheel on my Deuce w/ Eagle One chrome cleaner. duh! Needless to say I've got another good excuse now to spend 2k on some new wheels not to mention my front also has a small ding in the rim due to a high-quality Oklahoma pothole. Recomended cleaning is just mild soap. I called Hallcraft Wheels and talked to the lady about radial laced wheels. After reading where the American Wire radial-laced ones were blowing up I had some concerns. Was told the front radial generally has no problems assuming of course you don't do a lot of hard front wheel stopping. They mentioned the rear may need occasional tightening due to it having to deal w/ motor torque. The life of the radials seems to be related to your personal style of riding.

[VINNY VROD]

The concern is not with the radial lace design, but with the building of the wheel by the old American Wire Wheel. The company has switched hands to a new owner and the actually test all their wheels before production. The radial lace wheel has to pass the same testing as the regular wheel. The conversation that I had with the sales manager assured me of the quality of the new company and that is why I chose the radial lace wheel.

[xcrewchiefx]

Originally posted by Cryptoboy
Good things to know. I knew laced wheels would require more work on cleaning, but I didn't know that laced whells require tubes. (Still a newbie here!) Why do they require tubes anyway?

Air would leak out the spoke holes.