Mag Vs. Spoked?

[Buzz Kanter]

Curious how many people like mag wheels or spoked wheels so much better than the other that you would spend the time and money to change over.

I like the spokes on retro and old bikes and mags on the custom and newer styled customs.

[myt evo]

Still have the original cast wheels on my 97 Superglide [never cared for them from day one], but now that I have a new Road King and the wife is happy I'll be starting my project in the near future [Hopefully]. I have spoke wheels waiting in the wings. Rear, chrome billet aluminum hub, Buchanan spokes and stock Harley rim. Ditto for the front. I'll be keeping the cast wheels on the Road King for the ease of road side service in case of a flat plus the fact that cast [mag] wheels can handle the weight of a loaded down touring bike better than a spoke wheel can.

[48panshovel]

I had cast wheels on my 79 Low Rider years ago, and I've got them on the wifes 92 Sportster now. My Pan/Shovel has spokes. I prefer the spokes for looks until its time to clean the oil off them from the chain. It all depends what they're on as far as making the bike look good.

[JayDee]

Cast wheels don't rust like a lot of spoked wheels. And they don't usually need to be trued either!

[botzman]

Had spokes on the pan.....pain in the a** to clean. Unless Im just too lazy. Have had mags too. Kinda like them better. No tubes, less cleaning, and I think they can take a bit more of a pounding then a spoke wheel. Not sure on that one though. What ever your into. Botz

[03fxst]

I do like mags enough to swap out the spoked rims but I haven't found the style that jumps up and says pick me. When that happens I'll know it. So far I'm only drawn to the ones with even more spokes. I do prefer spokes on the older bikes or even the older style. I don't think I'd want to swap out the rims on a Cross Bones.

[hotrodsporty]

Gotta say I love the spokes, the more the better, BUT I hate cleaning and polishing all those wires.

[Shed]

LOve the look of spokes but mags are so much easier to reapir a flat with.
So mags for me I do a lot of distance and ride every day.

[Tbone]

The Chrome profile spoked wheels on my Low Rider looked extremely good when they were new. I really didn't think about spokes or mags when I bought the bike.
Fast forward 20,000 miles. Cleaning them dang thangs is a royal pain in the you know what. I guess I'm just too old to squat down that long anymore. They now have brake dust on the inside where I can't reach and still sparkle on the outside where I can pass a rag over them. I've tried all the tricky no labor ideas: simple green, S100, and Extra Strength Shout. They don't work. You got to scratch that brake dust off of there and I don't have the time or the patience.
I know that if I get a flat I'm crap out of luck without a lot of muscle work and sweat involved.
Maybe when I get the coin, I'll change out the spokes to mags; any kind of mags. Chrome or polished aluminum or just plain old aluminum.

[PeterV]

Tbone, you can do it....

You don't have to break into a sweat. Just own a drill.

Clicky here

Works extremely well. You shape it with scissors to fit between spokes.
Made my laced wheels look brand new!