Anyone noticed these new FAT tyred choppers around

[hunt]

What's the angle of rake like on the ones you guys have seen? I understand that with some of the rake angles on these bikes, you need a three lane highway to dop a three point turn. They'd apparently be crap on the most of NZ's roads...?

i've only seen a couple around, nice to look at, but i wonder about the handling as well , not that i can comment to much, i've never ridden one, but for the amount of money they cost there must be some enjoyment for the rider

[Lou Girardin]

There's quite a few Phatail conversions that we've done on Harleys. They use a 240 section rear tyre, same as the Rocket but 18" diameter.
A snip at around $15,000.

[Motu]

You gotta run a right drive box though Lou?

[Lou Girardin]

You gotta run a right drive box though Lou?

Nope, an extended output shaft.
There's two for sale here now.

[ezinnz]

The 300s, 330s and 360s are running right side drives. I think you can stick with offsets on the left up to about 280.

They make for nice show bikes but I've read nothing but bad reviews of the handling on anything above 250.

[madboy]

i've seen a harley chopper in the naenae area a few times,

I saw a bloody big chopper at BP naenae when I was filling up weekend before last. Saw it again coming down the feathers side of the takas as I was going back up a little later on. He looked cool, but then he hadn't quite made it to the hairpin by then... I'm not sure if he made it around in one go or not.

[ezinnz]

The Rimutakas are no big deal on a long bike. I've made plenty of trips over there in the last few years. Yes, it's no speed trip but that doesn't bother me.

You'd be surprised how quickly you get used to riding a long bike. Sure feels funny sitting on a regular length bike after a while and especially one that has rear suspension!

[Shotgun]

Ditto Ezi....been on many a long run on mine and thru plenty of twisties as well, if I aint out in front of a group of bikes I'm right up there second or third and the guys I ride with dont muck around.....kinda like driving a big US tank compared to a Jap sports car, aint no way you can compare choppers and stock bikes...always amazes me why some people think a chopper should or can be ridden like a stock bike....weird

The Avon 250x18 is a very sticky tire once its hot, I've had mine right over till the rim was almost touching the road and it never gave way once, pulling off road onto gravel after a good ride will coat the tire in stones...didnt notice the first time, but when I pulled back out onto the road I got showered with all these stones and wondered wtf was goin on...

Hopefully I should have me new scoot back into the 'Number 1' postion in my w/shop within the next few weeks, my 300x18 Avon is going on a 10" wide billet Boyd Coddington 'Junkyarddog' rim. Might go singlesided rear suspension this time to match the frontend.......pics soon