A larger wheel diameter lifts the whole frame up, which would mess up the whole bike geometry, and apart from optical considerations, bend performance would also be affected negatively. If Rick’s carries out such a conversion, you can rest assured that this is done rigorously, without compromise and to perfection, and where larger front wheels are concerned, a lot of experience has been gained. 

The technicians at Rick’s have created a 7-degree triple tree for Touring models especially for the purpose of balancing out the larger wheel, which this Harley-Davidson Street Glide also sports. And something else didn’t fit any longer with the stock larger wheel…the original front fender is now far to small. The sheet metal artists at Baden-Baden have developed a fender for larger wheels which fits perfectly onto the radii of the tire. The steel fender now hugs the front wheel by almost a third. When painting the fender, attention was paid not to just replicate the original colors, but also to keep to the striking design of the CVO model.

The front received a further change, which affects ride performance in particular. Rick’s touring handlebars are not only a design highlight, but also ensure a more upright sitting position, and not only tall riders will appreciate this position quickly on longer rides. This more relaxed sitting position has proven very popular as a possible passenger will also sit more upright and doesn’t have to lean against the rider with their own weight any longer.

Text & photos: Peter Schulz