I was looking at my bike the other day (1995 FLST) and noticed that the rear wheel doesn't sit centred in the rear swingarm.  I checked the manual and this is right.  The rear wheel does not run true to the front wheel, but it is only on the FLST/N models???

The wheel actually sits quite a bit over to the left.  Which means the bike is actually crab walking?

How can this be? Surely this would affect the handling of the bike?  The manual doesn't say why it is set up like this?  It has a picture for the FXST and both front and rear wheels are centred on that model.

Can anyone on here explaining this to me?

"How can this be? Surely this would affect the handling of the bike?"

It's a soft tail mate, they don't come with "handling"!!!!

Yeah you're right Burto. I love em but they don't handle or brake!!
Someone on this forum must know why the front and rear wheels are not in line. It doesn't make sense from an engineering point????

Thanks Dazza. Not a bad idea centreing the rear wheel. That means I can put a bigger tyre on the back too. Ive currently got a 150 on there but it runs bloody close to the left side of the rear guard but by centreing the rim i reakon i could get a 160 or 170 under there.

Guys, how does this work? I gather from other posts that the wheel is off centre to the left. If it is easy to centre the wheel why dont the factory do it. Are there major mods to do this? I remember reading something similar in one of the mainstream mags, about fitting a wider tyre and that it does end up off-centre but not enough to notice whilst riding. Always amazed at the knowledge some of the people have on here. Cheers Burnzi

Is that ur ride Daz? Got more pics?

Still confused.............not hard for me though, If the bikes have offset wheels to suit the camber of the US roads, are they changed for overseas models? I also read somewhere once (I think) that Oz has the highest cambers built into our roads. Any ideas?

Awesome advice once again fellas. Gotta love this forum!

Bangkok Bob I don't think it'd be that harder job, you just gotta change the spacer to make sure that the belt lines up and i imagine you would need to grind down the outside of the brake caliper to make sure its centred. Good advice about not going off the front wheel - you would be better off measuring off the frame. Lotta work just to put a 160/170 tyre on though. Im putting my fatboy rear guard back on so not sure that'll bother with it.

Interesting theroy about HD offsetting the wheels because of the camber in the US. I still think from an engineering side of things that it would make sense to centre wheels when the bike is built. HD must've had a good reason to do this but im buggered if i can see why.

+1 wozza, Maybe as dazza said it was to balance the bike. I spose if it wasnt balanced some dick would sue the company for fallin off, bit like the wanker that put their winnebago on cruise and went to make a coffee only to have it run off the road, apparently they won the case.

Yeah exactly Burnzi. Unfortunately these days the big companies have to state the obvious for all the dumb arses out there. It actually makes a bit of sense that they would do this to balance the bike but I'd still love to hear it from HD as to why it was done.
You done anymore about putting the wider rear tyre on your bike???

Nup child support and the taxman are my best mates at the moment

Cheers Dicko When things do improve i would love to get up ur neck of the woods again one day (drove in a few years ago and camped out at Dalewoi? bay for 10 days.) Gods country for sure.

It will happen