Hello Everyone,

I just purchased my first VN750!

I know this will probably sound like a silly question, but can anyone tell me why the front tire is smaller than the rear tire, and if it's possible to replace the skinnier front tire with a thicker one (to be used if ever I come across a dirt road I may want to meander down)?

Also, does anyone know where or how to buy a replacement fastener for a windshield/fairing (one of those things thats secured around the handlebars?

Thanks!
Ryan

There really isn't much room for a wider front tire.
I've had my Vulcan on more than a few dirt roads, as well as what most would consider more as trails, with little in the way of problems. It's actually wider than the front tire on my dirtbike.
http://www.vn750.com/photopost/data/515/medium/Trail_Ridin_the_V2.jpg

As far as mounting hardware, if ya know the maker, check their website.
Another option would be ebay.
Can you post a pic of the type of mount you're looking for.

It aint the front you have to worry about it's the fat rear that floats. I've never had mine on a "dirt" road but ive been on some gravel ones and if there isn't a hard shoulder it 3 mph max and feet dragging time.

skinny tires also hydro plane less.... feels like when i ride in rain that the back end is loose, tire has plenty of grooves left, still feels funky.

side note here though. the real reason it is skinny is cause there is no need for a fat tire.... the only reason the back is so big is cause of a 'look', look at some other bikes in our class, their back tire is pretty close to the same size as our front....

Hey rdb, welcome to the forum! Congrats on your new vulcan. Glad you found us!

Also, does anyone know where or how to buy a replacement fastener for a windshield/fairing (one of those things thats secured around the handlebars?


If it's a U-shaped clamp with a hole through it, then you might be able to get something close from a hardware store.

As to the front tire being thin, it has to do with the aerodynamics of the bike. The front tire is what steers the bike, so the thinner it is, the better the chance of successfully steering. Take for example the tail of an aircraft. The rudder is a thin piece that cuts through the air and forces the direction of the airplane to change. If you replace the rudder with a big chunky piece, it will still steer the craft, but not as well because the drag side of the rudder will create turbulence that will disrupt the steering.

Okay, that wasn't a good enough explanation, so remember this - the motorcycle will follow Newton's laws of inertia. An object going in a straight line will continue in that line unless acted upon by a force of sufficient magnitude. Steering at high speeds isn't a sufficient force, the fact being that almost all of the weight is on the back tire. If they had designed the bikes to have the front tire underneath, like a car, then the weight of the bike on the tire would be sufficient force. So the thin front tire acts as a rudder, using some of the bike's weight, and a lot of the force of the wind to steer the bike. Understand?

:p

i thought it uses the differences of radii at different lean angles to do the turning......

Also known as the gyroscopic principle.

Good points. Radius decreases when leaning. Gyroscope, um, I think that is just another force to overcome. Gyro will try to force the bike back upright.

Thanks! What a great forum, glad I found ya'll.

Good points. Radius decreases when leaning. Gyroscope, um, I think that is just another force to overcome. Gyro will try to force the bike back upright.

Isn't a gyro a sandwhich ?

Mmmm. I'm hungry

humm.... bikes riding on sandwiches instead of wheels. that would be cool..... i guess i really should go to.... oh look a nice round ball to play with.... kinda smells like dog, but what the heck....