I wouldn't send them anymore letters.

First off, what year bike are you working with?

I read your intro and it looks like you are buying a new one. On the 06 and later Super Glide, a 21" is a challenge because Harley doesn't make one to fit the mid-glide front ends.

You have a few options.

You can buy a pre-assembled wheel through J & P Cycle which costs almost $500.00. These wheels have chrome hubs, spokes, and nipples, so rust is an issue you may face down the road. Here is a link:

http://www.jpcycles.com/search/ProductDetail?sku=203-288&N=2761610+2761612+28002076+275348 28002800 2756633&Ne=72635&Ntk=All&Ntt=&Ns=DefaultSort&results=10&Nao=

You can get a custom wheel builder, such as buchananspokes.net or hdwheels.com, to build you a 21" high quality wheel with an aluminum hub, spokes, and nipples which will probably run you $600.00 and up.

Last, and the route I chose, buy 21" Sportster type spokes and a 21" hoop and lace it to the hub from your 19" factory wheel. An explanation as how to lace a wheel is provided in the service manual. The parts to do this will cost you about $200.00 if you go with stainless spokes and nipples. I paid my local HD dealer $40.00 to true the wheel. This is in addition to the cost of the tire, tube, rim band, and mounting labor.

Recommendations:

If you have the money and want simple, get one of the companies listed above to build your wheel and send it to you with a tire already mounted.

If budget is an issue, buy the components and build it yourself.

I recently put a different front end on my Super Glide. Before that, I had a self-laced 21" wheel on it. I went with chrome spokes and nipples and regretted it. If I were to do it again, I would spend the extra money and do polished stainless. If you decide to go this route, I can help with part numbers, part resources, and lacing how-to. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Here is an older pic of my bike with the 21" wheel:

 

Yes, I am reviving a dead post. I'm just finally getting a chance to work on this. I just want to make sure my ducks are in a row as you were working on an 06 bike and mine is 2010. I bought a sportster/dyna 21" wheel from the dealer. It has a year part listing of 1980. But is the same part used on 2010 bikes. Odd that they never changed it. The spokes I am buying are listed as 05. Which is used on the current 21" wheeled sportsters. I bought a 19" 2010 Dyna SB hub from ebay. The dealer, as of 08 and current, don't sell hubs seperately for the newer bikes. You have to buy the whole wheel assembly.

1. 21" Sportster/Dyna wheel (1980)
2. 2 different spoke/nipple kits (2005)
3. 19" Dyna Hub (Off a 2010 Street Bob)

Lastly, are the lacing procedures in the 2010 Dyna repair/service manual the same as in the 2010 Sportster manual?

 

I’m pretty confident I have the right parts. I cross referenced the part numbers for the 19” hoop and spokes at the dealership. The XL and Dyna 19” components share the same part numbers. Based on this the 21" hoop and spokes should be the same.

 

Based on this the 21" hoop and spokes should be the same.

The 21" hoop and spokes are both different then the 19", but yes, they'll mate to the XL/Dyna hub, if ordered for a 21" XL (Custom) wheel.

 

Sorry, I should have clarified. By finding out that the 19” Dyna & XL hub & spokes are similar, that the 21” hoop and spokes should mate just right to the 19” hub. The hubs are virtually identical with the exception of the width to the left and right of the flanges.

But....Everything seemed cut and dry until I went to the dealership today. Gawking at the Dyna and XL hubs for an hour produced one difference. The 21” XL hubs have a dual row flange, where the 19” XL and Dyna have a singe row flange. Not sure if this will affect anything. Basically the spoke holes are staggered rather than in a straight circle.

 

OR.....find a 21" XL wheel off an XL Custom, already done.

 

The 19" hub IS the same width as the 21" hub, off an XLC. Spacers wouldn't have to be changed. Use a wheel off a early-mid 2000-2007 bike.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_tr...R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=21"+harley+wheel+xl&_sacat=See-All-Categories

 

The 19" hub IS the same width as the 21" hub, off an XLC. Spacers wouldn't have to be changed. Use a wheel off a early-mid 2000-2007 bike.

21 harley wheel xl items - Get great deals on eBay Motors, Sportster items on eBay.com!

I get different measurements. From the outside of the left and right flange, the XL and Dyna measure the same, at 3 1/4 inches, but beyond that the hub from the flange outward is shorter on the XL than the Dyna. I was running through my dealership with a measuring tape . I'm just talking 2010 here.

 

21 is gonna pick the front of that bike up....lower frame wont be level but hey its your bike..Good luck

 

I already have a bit of that from putting the 11" progressives on. I'm going to lower the front by 2 " after I get the wheel on. That should level things out...at the expense of clearance. I'll just have to avoid speed bumps and too much lean.

 

The parts came in yesterday. I started lacing the wheel, but ran into a problem. I was shorted one spoke. :mad

 

I ended up sending the wheel to HD Wheels in CA. I laced it up, but used the wrong pattern...Used 3 over instead of 4 over. They fixed it and the dealer mounted it. Lowering the front 2" as we speak.

 

Wow....looks OEM. Sweet looking bike, as well........