1. With so many wheels to...
1. With so many wheels to pick from, it was a hard choice. In the end we liked the clean look of the Sturgis wheel. We went with a 21x3.5 for the front and 18x5 for the rear, along with matching rotors and pulley.
Something as minor as adding a few new pieces of chrome can change the way you feel about your bike, and in some cases make it feel like a new bike. Wheels are no exception; just swapping out the stock H-D wheels for new chrome ones in different sizes can change a bike's look and attitude. We wanted to see how we'd feel about some new taller wheels and rotors for our stock looking '04 Road King.
Enter Rampage Wheels of Anaheim, California, and owner/operator Wendell Smith. Wendell began in the wheel industry more than 35 years ago when he owned Western Wheel Co. and Ultra Wheel Company. A few years ago Wendell was co-owner of Renegade wheels until he sold his share in early 2009. He then opened his own line of custom billet wheels called Rampage Wheels.
With the passion to build and make every piece here in the USA, Wendell has continued in the custom V-twin wheel market with a whole new line of Rampage wheels. With more than 20 different styles of wheels and matching rotors and pulleys, there is a style for everyone. Every wheel comes with a two-year chrome warranty. The warehouse is well stocked for fast delivery on every order; no three-to-six-week wait for a set of wheels.
2. To get started, Wendell...
2. To get started, Wendell pulled out a set of Sturgis wheels and started to assemble the hubs. We wanted to stick with stock H-D hub sizes, which are his best sellers. Wendell then installed new bearings and a thrust sleeve into the two-piece hub.
3. With the hubs assembled...
3. With the hubs assembled the rotor was installed, with thread-locker applied to each bolt.
4. Next, the pulley was installed...
4. Next, the pulley was installed and each bolt was torqued to 60 lb-ft. The same went for the front wheel with the only difference being the two brake rotors.
5. The finished rear Sturgis...
5. The finished rear Sturgis wheel was then ready for some tires.
6. We contacted the guys...
6. We contacted the guys at Wheel Works in Garden Grove, California, for a set of Avon tires. Wendell installed the new Avon Venoms to the Sturgis wheels with the help of a little tire lube.
7. Once the tires were mounted...
7. Once the tires were mounted and balanced to the wheels, Wendell had the bike placed on the lift and the old wheels were removed. Before pulling the old wheels off the, adjuster cam was marked as a reference point for the new wheel (arrow). This gives them a reference point when it comes time to adjust the belt.
8. The rear wheel fitment...
8. The rear wheel fitment was perfect and there was no need to replace or adjust the spacer for wheel alignment. We wish we would have known this so we could have had a set of chrome spacers cut. Maybe next time.
9. Up front we went from...
9. Up front we went from a stock 16-inch wheel to a 21-inch wheel so there was a little clearance matter to tend to. On the FL fender, a bolt for the light and fender guard sticks out about an inch. This was removed with a small cutting wheel (arrow).
10. The 21-inch Sturgis wheel...
10. The 21-inch Sturgis wheel covered in Avon rubber was then installed. As soon as it was in place we could already see a difference in the bike. The same thing went for the front wheel, there was no need to adjust spacing since both wheels fit perfectly.
11. Once the front wheel...
11. Once the front wheel was lined up, the brake calipers were bolted back in place and the brake system was tested before the bike was pulled from the lift.
12. There you have it, our...
12. There you have it, our '04 Road King rolling around on a new set of Rampage Sturgis wheels with new attitude. We're sad to say that the rear wheel with matching pulley is covered by the saddlebags making it hard to see its beauty, but the front stands out.