Are wide tires dead? Not yet. Mostly in Europe where bikers have a strong drag DNA, but also in the USA, you still see quite a large number of bikes featuring massive rubber. Even on Sportsters! It may surprise you, but at the opposite of the skinny naked look, there is a Sportster compact and aggressive look trend by those having tarmac dreams. Enough demand for a company like Rick’s Motorcycles to produce a strong wide tire kit for the rubber-mounted Sportster. The conversion kit (of course TÜV-approved) includes a wider and stronger swingarm to accept 200, 210 or 240 mm rear tires with optional support struts added to the swingarm structure (as on pictures) should the bike be used for very aggressive riding.
The kit is offered with Rick‘s offset pulleys and a modified stock cam cover. Each version of the 29-teeth offset pulleys is manufactured by Rick‘s and uses, depending on the size of the rear wheel selected, either the stock belt or an Rick exclusive Gates belt in OEM quality. To complete makeover, Ricks also offers the necessary steel fender in 200 ,210 and 240 version. More rubber to burn on the tarmac and on the road. At Rick’s Motorcycles. (photography @ Peter Schulz for Cyril Huze)
Must say it looks good. Would not have thought above 200 mm.
That is a lot of engineering to make the cam cover and sprocket cover/pulley look good like that.
Looks very nice.
Nice looking scooter.
Big tires really don’t distract from the overall appearance.
-nicker-
It does look good! Always been a fan of fat tires. Looks like Rick’s has a pretty good marketing strategy too! As long as we are looking at his fat tires, he might as well have his buddies at Metzler personalize the raised white letters!!
ah, the street sportster. amazing how a good picture triggers deep feelings.
Concur – does not look too shabby. All considered though – I think a 180 would have been the best (but whats 3/4″ between a few brews?). Will take mine with 8″ Chumps.
The Sportster has a nice low down torque spread and ideal for local bar hopping. You are certainly not going to drag your knees on it – so a fat sporty is par for the course. And with the larger dia front shocks on the 2016 (1200) models – will look even better.
BOLT-ON RULES!
Just on a point of order: most of Europe prescribes (and actually enforces it – unlike rural Germany) a center mounted license plate and for most of it the thing is a billboard. So it kind of defeats the plot.
SIGFREED,
Believe it or not CA CHP used to write tickets for side-mounted plates back in the late 60’s.
Got one in 69.
Moved the plate to the top shock mount. Made up two-wire electrical extension. Got the ticket written off at the local PD. Moved the plat back down to the axle-level and never got another ticket for plate location.
Go figure…???
-nicker-
To each their own I guess, but I never got the fat tire thing. I tend to not ride in a straight line all the time and they always just look like balloons on the back. Meh. But then again, I also hate forward controls and belt drives.lol
Not a huge sporty fan, but I really like the look and stance of that scooter.
I too do not like the fat tire trend but that bike looks great. I luv Sportsters and I dig the white letter tires.
I do not understand some people:
1) this is the country of Hot Rods, the giant tires;
2) this is the country of infinite straight roads, no need agility, because ‘has no corners’;
3) fat tires can provide a slightly higher comfort, this is the Country of the confort;
Why then, allegedly (I believe it is an empirical opinion of someone) do not like fat tires?
By the way, I really liked the work they did on the swing arm, which for me (I have a 2011 48) is the ugliest part of this bike.
Aftermarket forward controls with the mastee cylinder up front wuold look a little cleaner.
AirTiger. Well said.
SIGFREED – on your point of order regarding European number plate regulations.
Here in the UK it is not illegal to side-mount, there are simply prescribed ‘visibility angles’ that are supposed to be adhered to…. but nobody gives a flying f@ck, and it is very rare indeed for anyone to get a ticket for such a mounting!
However, for an undersized number plate the old bill do tend to get their knickers in a twist!!!
Now if they would ONLY bring back the trapdoor in the tranny! Dumb Move! I would NEVER buy a rubber mount Sporty, because of that Blunder! BJ
Air tiger, agreed. I use to love super wide (280-300mm) tired on some bikes, but it really did take away from the rest of the bikes features. Again, it’s not for everyone and not for every bike, but I do like this particular setup. Looks sharp and aggressive.
Air Tiger, land of no corners? Where do you live?
I’m the guy who always said anything bigger than a 200 series rear tire is a waste !!
That’s for all of those years selling Big Dogs & Titans,
never thought they could corner worth a damn ….
But this looks very interesting ???
Don’t know if I’d buy one but I sure would like to test drive one
Fat tires never died, nor did long bikes, or pro street choppers. Big wheel baggers will be around for a long time, too. I like them all, along with traditional bobbers, trackers, café bikes and even some stock rides. It never ceases to amaze me how many guys go apoplectic over one custom trend or another. There’s a lot of room for different interpretations, that’s all good.
I can’t find any information about this on the linked company’s site. Anyone have a direct link?
Interested in information on the big tire kit for the sportsters, also do you make one for a 180, don’t know how the 200+ is in the turns?? Your bike looks great !
Hi please send me the link of ware to order the 240 kit for sportster
Love that upgrade sportster iron with fat tire. Where can i find parts to upgrade my 2016 sportster xl1200 to exactly become like that? Can anyone give me info, website or link to order? Thank you.
What the size for tire and rear wheels for that sportster iron?