I have seen a few threads, but i'm not blown away by the heartland kit. Does anyone make a kit that looks similar to stock that can have a stock passenger seat bolted on? I hate the huge quick release heartland passenger seat. I just want my blackline as it is, but with a 200 rear tire/fender. I'd like to keep the cost down, but when you are modifying, it's rarely the case to get what you want. Any suggestions? I'm avoiding fab work for lack of a place to do it, and a large lack in skill

 

Why go 200? IMO the skinny looks right on the money, and handling on a skinny is butter.

Just curious... Appearance?

 

Yes, strictly cosmetic. I don't mind how the bike rides, i've only had it for a week and put a bit over 300 miles on it just tooling around here and there. I didn't buy the bike for the skinny tire and low seat, i bought it for the bare bones (no floor boards, bags, long fenders, or fairings) and black. If they still made the Night Train, i'd have probably snagged that. 250 is far too much, but 140 is nowhere near enough so a 200 will do me just fine

 

Handling on a 180 is better than the 150 that bike comes with, skinny is not better. A 200 would handle better than the stock tire. Lost my 150 on my 03 Train and put a 180 on. Night and day. There is a reason that sport bikes run a 120 front and a 180 rear. They handle better.

 

An option would be roland sands tracker 200 rear fender kit.......just need a 200/55/16 tire or whatever size you need to fill it up......may need a wider wheel, I forgot they have a narrow rim stock......

 

Rockets run larger tires for cornering - more rubber to lay into... I was a track *****. Are you running corners at 60 - 90 mph draggin' a knee on an HD?

A 200 would not handle better on a cruiser. The smaller tire will fall into a corner with no effort. Again, we are not referring to racing.

 

Guess I just ride harder than you do.

 

I went from a 130 to a 200 to a 250 on the same bike. The 200 rode smoother...soaked up potholes better. The 250 rides harsh even with less air pressure. No real difference in handling on either of them...you can tell a little difference when you first install it, but after you ride it an hour and learn how to approach a curve, the bike will handle the same...handling has more to do with frame geometry than tire width. Since the bike came with a skinny tire, you will have to do as much work as a 2005 down bike. Frame horns will have to be addressed...are they bolt-on? Primary will have to be offset. It's a lot of work.

 

My next mod is either going to be one of the following:

a) chop the rear fender and struts and move the signals towards the seat; or
b) new fender, struts and a 200 wheel.

I keep switching between these two in my head every day and its driving me nutz. I had a vrod and like the whole wide tire thing, but I got to be honest.....the skinny tire is growing on me. I think if I expose the skinny tire more by chopping the fender it will look kick a$$. I think what I'II do is option a first and see how it looks. If it doesn't turn out how I think it will, I'II move on to option b.

 

Doubt that... No chicken stripz here brotha... I scrape exhausts, boards, pegs...