$30/year... so in ten years you're up to about half what the new wheels would cost, right? So it's not a money thing. I do understand the blowout concern though, that's just rolling the dice just like everything else when you ride.

 

I have almost 27K on my 2010 RK with chrome laced wheels. When I bought the bike, I was concerned after reading some post on here about flats and keeping the spokes tight. I must say I am surprised at how well these wheels have stood up. They are easy to clean, no flat's, No spokes working loose after almost 27K miles. I put new tires on with new tubes around 20K. No problems so far. I like them! I don't think the MoCo would be putting spoke wheels on as many models as they do if there was a problem. JMO

 

I've had 3-4 flats with the laced wheels on my RK, all rear so far. None have been the Hollywood movie type explosion people talk about. On one I rode about 15 miles just trying to decide if anything was wrong. And regardless what popular opinion is, I did stop to help a rider with a Heritage with laced wheels once and we got him going with a can of Fix-a-flat.

If the tube does get a hole in it the air still has to escape the tire somehow. So whether it's a hole in the tube, the tire or both, how long it takes the air to escape is going to be directly related to the size of the hole.

90,000+ miles on mine, zero maintenance.

 

I swapped laced wheels for cast mags and glad I did. Harley spokes suck, rust up fast no matter how clean uou keep them and I also wanted tubeless.

I bought mine as new take offs from local dealer and paid 300 for both. They had quite a few to choose from so I did.

 

Short answer, if the spoked look isn't your primary concern, then yes.

 

I just changed wheels on my ultra. I've got a set of OEM mag wheels with abs bearings installed. Only 6500 miles on the wheels and tires. I need to get rid of them. PM if interested. I'll blow em out cheap if you want them. I've got boxes to ship them in if you're not near Texas.

 

Posted this back at the beginning of 2012. It's why I'll never run wheels with tubes ever again:

Ohio to Tennesee via only backroads to meet my wife already there for vacation.

Picked up a nail in Harlan, Ky, ( Coal Country.) Nearest HD dealer 165 miles away,(Cincinatti.) Used a can of Fix-a-Flat to try to get to the nearest town, made it maybe 10 miles. Coal mine foreman stopped and gave me about 100 lbs of air out of his truck's compressor, and I followed him to a closed for-the-night gas station.

The mechanic was still there and told me " I don't know nuttin' 'bout Harley's but if ya' give me that tube I can surely fix it."

I used their auto lift to raise the bike, ( balancing act!) and pulled the rear wheel off and got him the punctured tube. ( All the while running back and forth to the lift because it kept dropping slowly to the floor every couple of minutes.)

He did a great job of repairing the tube, ( I should have carried a spare, I know, more on that later.) and I got it buttoned up and gave him the world's biggest tip.

Back on the road and 20 miles later, the tire went flat again. ( Turns out that Fix-a-Flat goop eats Tire Cement!) Hoofed it 2 miles to an all night gas station, bought all their cans of Fix-a-Flat, ( doesn't matter now!) and walked back towards the bike.

A Sheriff saw me and gave me a lift the rest of the way to the bike, telling me where the only hotel was, 8 miles or so down the road. ( It was pushing midnight by then.)

Here's what was pretty cool: I'd dump the Fix-a-Flat into the leaking wheel, drop the empty can on the ground and hop onto my idling Ultra and blast down the road for a mile or two before it went flat again, and the Sheriff would pick up my littered empty cans and follow me with his lights on!

Repeated the process and got another mile or so, this time running a red light with him right behind me.

Made it to the hotel on the third can. He pulls up along side me, hears it still leaking and remarks " Hell boy, you coulda made it another couple hundred yards!" Laughs and
shakes my hand and drives off.

Next day my wife and her girlfriend in Tennesee drive our Suburban up to meet me (about 125 miles.) We rent a U-Haul trailer, buy a 2x12 for a ramp with clothesline and haul the bike to Tennesee. The bike stayed in the U-Haul for the week until I hauled it back to Ohio to replace wheel, tire and exhausts...( Gooped beyond belief from Fix-a-Flat.) All in all about a $1,200 experience. ( And a wrecked vacation for me.)

 

I'm runnin' out and gettin' me some mags tomorrow!!

 

The street glide mag wheels really look good chromed.

 

Spoked wheels are a deal breaker for me, will never buy a bike with spokes and or tubes in the tires.


cheers