Are all of the 48s using a 49mm fork tube? I thought that the forks were just spaced out more than the other sportsters. I was looking at a 2016 48 and noticed it has much beefier looking fork tubes than my Iron.

 

An easy way to answer your question is to check on-line here, where you can compare part numbers over successive years. From that we can see that the '16 48 models have a later part number than last year. Full marks for observation, it seems you're quite right! The MoCo started fitting 49mm forks on the Dynas AFAIK, several years ago, then the Touring range, so it looks as if we can expect them to spread across the whole range before too long.

 

2015 and previous models used 39mm forks. I think a 41-43mm high quality fork is what the Sportster line needs. That 49 mm fork is unnecessarily heavy.

 

I'd like to see a comparison in weights of the 39mm and 49mm forks. My understanding is the 49mm tubes are of thinner wall thickness, so the difference in weight could be quite close. It is certainly the case, from an engineering point of view, that a larger diameter tube with thin walls will be stronger.

 

I'd be curious to find out.


EDIT: I compared a kit to just fork lowers, my bad.

 

Interesting, now go back and do the same for Sporty parts, plus the tubes, which is where we started. Sporties may have shorter hence lighter sliders. My comment above was about the tubes.

 

The 2016 48s have a thicker fork tube and (obviously) lower fork sliders.

 

The tubes and sliders are larger in diameter, however especially with the tubes they may well be thinner in wall thickness, hence not as much heavier than if they have the same wall thickness as the 39mm tubes. Being larger in OD they are bound to be thinner in wall section.

 

sorry yes, larger dia

 

I have a 2017 fxdls it is light powerful 110 motor but i would like to put fat bob wheels and the wider tires the black rims would look awesome!!!anyone with sugestions ?