I tend to agree with the masses about fat tires not looking right on a Nightster but after seeing the pics in HDRiders post, I have to say it looks a lot better than I would have imagined. Still on a Nightster I like the size of the stock tire. I've got a 160 Metz on my 1200C and don't think I'd want to go any wider; not on a Sportster anyway.

 

Sorry, a little late to the party on this conversation. Anyway, when you went to the 160 did you just have the tire replaced? Nothing else needed to be changed right? I remember someone telling me that a 160 is the widest you can put on a Sporty without other modifications.

 

A 160 is the widest you can go without any modifications. However, not all 160s will fit. A 160 Dunlop won't, an Avon Venom or Metzler 880 will.

Additionally, the 160's have a bit taller profile and depending on your weight, you may have problems with fender clearance, (tire rubbing fender when going over bumps), if you are running shocks shorter than the stock 11.75" that come on most standard models, or if the bike has been lowered. I recommend a 12.5" shock if you run 2up or are on the heavy side.

Your speedo will also read about 3 mph slower at 60 than your actual speed due to the larger tire

 

i think 180-190 would look great. its not too wide, and not too skinny. wide tires do look a lil ridiculous on nightsters but i wouldnt call 180 or 190 fat/wide tires just a lil bulky. but i think u should go for it!!!

 

Is there a way to recalibrate the speedo?

 

The tire size is a formula for the overall diameter & width of the tire. For instance a 150/80-16 breaks down like so:

150 is the width in mm, 80 is the percentage of that width that equals the sidewall height, and the last is the rim diameter.

150x.80=120

120x2=240 (multiply by 2 since the overall height includes the sidewall on the top and bottom of the rim)

240/25.4=9.45 (divide by 25.4 to convert to inches)

9.45+16=25.45" overall diameter.

Using the same formula to find the appropriate sidewall for a 180 tire will give you a 180/65-16 and that equals an overall diameter of 25.21".

You'll end up with a 180 tire that is less than 1/4" shorter than stock but if you don't change the rim hoop to 4" wide and opt to keep the stock hoop, the sidewall "bulge" will force the width taller. Right at 1/4".

Lol...follow that? Anyway, a 180/65-16 will only add width. Not height. Therefore, your speedo will read correctly. You can get that tire in a Dunlop (407 I believe).

 

I like that, I think im going to check that out. What do you think about getting white wall tires for the nightster? (vivid black)

 

Wider rear tires are certainly a personal choice. As for me, well, of course I like mine. The Nightster with the 250 shown earlier is "The Laws", you can look up his screen name here and find more pics' of his bike as well.

 

I like it. You can get the Dunlop 407 in blackwall, wide white wall & narrow white wall. With a chain conversion I think a narrow whitewall would look really cool.

I just looked at mine again & I don't think you'd need to do anything with the rotor/caliper...just a basic chain conversion (powdercoated) & maybe spacers.

 

Kahaone, Mike from Bros Mfg. says (via email) that their '94 - '03 kit won't fit my '92. What is it about those years that's different? Other kits seem to include frames back to the '80s. Anybody know if I could do a little modification to make my frame work like a '94 to fit their kit? I like the idea of a 100% kit with all of the nuts and bolts and no welding.