Sportster wheel year differences

[Gurp]

Are Sportster wheels the same as far as hub width through the Evo years?

[TriNortchopz]

look here:

EVO: Wheels, Brakes & Tires

(Be sure to also check the REF section)

http://sportsterpedia.com/doku.php/techtalk:evo:wheels01

[JBinNC]

For the evo XL, there are a few different wheels, and they are kinda, sorta, interchangeable. But they are not all the same.

First, the early chain drive four and five speed evo XL had different rear wheels depending on the year, with the very earliest being a holdover from the last years of the ironheads (the disc brake versions). The fronts fit the later models but some of the rears are unique to the model year.

All through the XL belt drive era, in the '90s, the front and rear hubs are Timken bearing equipped, and are interchangeable with big twin wheels (except FLT).

In 2000, the wheels were changed to ball bearings, and the axle remained 3/4" dia., and those wheels are also interchangeable with big twin wheels on some models. Later, axle sizes got juggled, on the big twins mostly, but the 3/4" ID ball bearings can be installed in most ball bearing wheels for an easy fit on the earlier axles.

The ball bearing wheels can be retrofitted to the '90s model XLs, with suitable axle spacers and pulleys and brake rotors to fit the wheels. This is NOT a bolt-on deal, so it's easiest to replace Timken wheels with Timken wheels, and ball bearing wheels with ball bearing wheels.

Jim