After and Before
The King Gets Some Serious Rear Meat
Following a trend that gained momentum with nontouring bikes, wide rear tires are definitely the hot-ticket custom touch for the dresser pilot. It's more than just adding a fatter rear skin, as additional modifications to the fender and swingarm are usually necessary. This allows more real estate for paint, graphics, hidden tail and turn signals, etc. Wide-tire kits and individual components are increasing in popularity and, best of all for you, quality. When it was time to add some more flash to the already blinged-out '00 Road King in our stable, we contacted Custom Valley for one of their FLH 200 kits.
At the heart of their components are a one-piece, 14-gauge steel fender and a wide swingarm capable of holding a 200mm rear tire. Along with the needed brackets and hardware to reinstall your stock saddlebags, the kit contains high-quality Andrews transmission parts as well as primary and floorboard spacers. What's not included but needed for the install are a 16x5.5-inch or 18x5.5-inch rear wheel, tire and 1 1/8-inch pulley and belt. Complete kits and parts are available for all '97 to '06 H-D FLH models.
Although it's a bolt-on kit, some specialty tools and advanced mechanical knowledge are required; this install should be left to trained professionals. We decided to mock up the fender and swingarm to ensure good fitment before sending the parts off for paint and powdercoat. No cutting of the frame is required for the install, but some grinding of the welds may be necessary to get a smooth fender fitment between the rails. (Note: We didn't need to grind.) Next month, we'll bring you the painted, complete bike.
(1.)The CV kit (PN 11270-20-CU) includes a wide swingarm with a 1-inch rear axle, axle adjusters, rear fender, fender strut covers, saddlebag support, billet aluminum primary spacers, transmission components, shaft extension, one-piece sealed LED taillight and all necessary brackets and hardware.
(2.)Here's a rear view of the '00 Road King with hard saddlebags. Note the custom use of black duct tape to hold on the LED taillight. We'll be reusing the bags, but most of the mounting hardware will be replaced with CV parts.
(3.)Before the install, much of the bike needed to be disassembled, including but not limited to the exhaust, floorboards, primary, sidecovers, seat and, of course, the rear fender.
(4.)After draining the primary fluid, Scott undid the AIM clutch lockup unit, clutch assembly, compensating sprocket components, chain and tensioner.
(5.)After the primary compartment of parts was emptied, the starter was unbolted to remove the inner primary and the transmission sprocket, followed by pulling off the mainshaft-bearing inner race.